11 February 2007: World Day of the Sick
Thursday, February 01 2007
Instituted in 1992 by His Holiness Pope John Paul II, the World Day of the Sick is celebrated each year on 11 February.
Various documents are available to prepare for this event.
Instituted in 1992 by His Holiness Pope John Paul II, the World Day of the Sick is celebrated each year on 11 February.
Its objectives are: to help sensitize Catholics about the quality of care being provided for the sick; to encourage Christian communities to be involved in pastoral health care; to recall the need to provide spiritual and moral formation for those working with the sick; to encourage the involvement of volunteers; to promote reflection on the meaning of suffering; and to invite all those involved in medical care to appreciate the importance of their healing mission.
At its last Plenary Assembly in October 2006, the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) indicated its full support to a proposal by Cardinal Marc Ouellet, Archbishop of Quebec City, that the Holy Father designate the Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré Shrine as the principal site for the celebration of the World Day of the Sick in 2008, in preparation for the International Eucharistic Congress to be held in Quebec City later that same year. This resolution was unanimously adopted by the Bishops of Canada and forwarded to Pope Benedict XVI. The 15th World Day of the Sick, 11 February 2007, will be celebrated in Seoul, Korea.
Various documents are available to prepare for this event. These include an information package, post cards and reflection materials, which are available on the website of the Catholic Health Association of Canada (CHAC). The documentation has been produced by the CHAC in collaboration with the Centre for Pastoral Health and Social Services of the Archdiocese of Quebec and its pastoral centre.
Helpful links: