VATICAN CITY, DEC 17, 2004 (VIS) - Today in the Holy See Press Office, Cardinal Javier Lozano Barragan, president of the Pontifical Council for Health Care Ministry, presented the Vatican's Good Samaritan Foundation which will financially support the infirm, especially AIDS patients.
Joining the cardinal were Bishop Jose Luis Redrado Marchite, O.H., and Fr. Felice Ruffini, M.I., respectively secretary and under-secretary of the council, and Dr. Raffaele Perrone, extraordinary commissioner of the Lazzaro Spallanzani National Institute for Infectious Diseases.
Cardinal Lozano explained that in an audience granted to Cardinal Angelo Sodano, secretary of State, on September 12, the Holy Father instituted the foundation with a civil, canonical and public juridical nature, based in the Vatican.
"The Holy Father," he said, "invites all men and women of good will, especially those in more economically advanced countries, to contribute to the goals of this foundation." The foundation has been entrusted to the Pontifical Council for Health Care Ministry, headed by Cardinal Lozano.
After emphasizing that AIDS "is one of the most devastating epidemics of our time," he recalled that since the disease appeared in the 1980's, more than 22 million people have died and 37,800,000 suffer from it. He also said that between 2001 and 2003 the number of children, mostly in Africa, that have been left orphans due to the epidemic has risen from 11.5 million to 15 million.
The council president indicated that the Catholic Church "has always contributed to attempts to prevent the virus and to help the sick and their families through medical, social, spiritual and pastoral assistance. Currently, 26.7 % of AIDS medical centers in the world are Catholic." However, he added, "they do not have resources for necessary medicine, and the medicine they have is insufficient for covering the urgent need."
"In order to build the foundation," he continued, "the Holy Father has donated 100,000 euro, offering an example of charity that we ask that all Catholics to follow."
Cardinal Lozano said that this call "is directed above all to all bishops and their dioceses, to priests, religious institutes and foundations that carry out charity work and all men and women of good will."
Contributions can be made by bank transfer or draft in dollars or euros and send to the Institute for Religious Works (IOR), Vatican City 00120. International checks can be made out to "Cardinal Javier Lozano Barragan, President of the Good Samaritan Foundation, Palazzo S. Paolo, Vatican City, 00120."
OP/GOOD SAMARITAN FOUNDATION/LOZANO VIS 20041217 (440)
