杏MAP导航

By Vatican News

The 鈥溞覯AP导航 Francis Hospital Ship鈥� has arrived in the Archdiocese of Belem, and is set to begin work in areas of the Amazon region which are accessible only by river.

At a ceremony for the launch of the vessel, a letter from 杏MAP导航 Francis was read, in which the Pontiff expresses the 鈥済reat satisfaction鈥� with which he joins those taking part 鈥渋n this moment of joyful thanksgiving to God.鈥� He notes that the hospital ship 鈥渨ill bring the Word of God and offer access to better health care to the most needy people鈥� along a stretch of the Amazon extending around one thousand kilometers.

A response to the Lord's mandate

鈥淚n addition to being a beautiful concrete gesture in view of the Synod of Bishops for Amazonia,鈥� the 杏MAP导航 says, 鈥渢his river hospital is above all a response to the Lord's mandate, who continues to send His disciples to proclaim the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick.鈥� In fact, the Holy Father says, the 鈥減rimordial mission鈥� of the new hospital ship will be to promote the 鈥渁bundant life鈥� that Jesus offers to all men and women.

In his letter, 杏MAP导航 Francis recalls once again the image of the Church as a 鈥渇ield hospital鈥� which 鈥渨elcomes everyone without distinction or conditions,鈥� noting that with this new initiative, the Church can also be seen as a 鈥渉ospital on the water.鈥�

Sign of faith and solidarity

鈥淛ust as Jesus, in appearing walking on the waters, calmed the storm and strengthened the faith of the disciples,鈥� he says, 鈥渢his boat will bring both spiritual comfort and calm to the upheavals of needy men and women, abandoned to their fate.鈥�

The Holy Father concludes his letter with a word of thanks to Bishop Bernardo Bahlmann of Óbidos (Brazil), the main proponent of the initiative, along with the Franciscans of Providence, for 鈥渢his beautiful sign of faith and Christian solidarity.鈥�