28^th International Conference of Health Care Workers in Vatican

Vatican City, 21 Nov 2013: "The focus and commitment of the Church for the elderly did not begin today. They were recipients of her mission and pastoral care through the centuries and in many different circumstances." Archbishop Zygmunt Zimowski, President of the Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers, made these comments while speaking on the Church's care for the elderly sick: the papal Magisterium of recent decades.

He was inaugurating the XXVIII International Conference of the Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers in the Vatican on Thursday, with the theme ‘The Church in the service of the elderly sick: the care of people suffering from neurodegenerative diseases.’ About 700 researchers, doctors, professional as well as voluntary church and health workers from 57 countries, have registered themselves for the 3-day Conference, 21-23 November.

The Papal Magisterium of recent years, said Archbishop Zimowski, have been directed more and more specific to the pastoral needs of the elderly sick, especially their physical, moral and spiritual suffering. He also dealt with the ‘problem of the elderly sick today’, saying for centuries, old age was considered as a period of wisdom and a source of valuable advice, but today it is often regarded as "human and social inadequacy". Pope Francis, he said, in his recent trip to Brazil, has rightly called this as a "culture of death".

The Keynote Address of the Plenary was given by Cardinal Willem Jacobus Eijk, Bishop of Utrecht, Netherlands, on ‘The sick old man, "challenge" in the ministry of health. Later, Director-General of World Health Organization (WHO) Dr Margaret Chan, spoke on ‘the world's aging population and epidemiology of neurodegenerative diseases.

Among the presenters of Friday is India’s Dr. Thomas Mathew, Adjunct Professor, Department of Neurology, St. John's Medical College Hospital, Bangalore. Among the speakers listed to speak on the Church’s action for the elderly on Saturday is India’s emeritus Archbishop Vincent Concessao, bishop in charge of pastoral care in India.
The Conference concludes with an audience with Pope Francis on Saturday. Source: VR Sedoc