The Italian Episcopal Conference (C.E.I.) and Pro Terra Sancta, together for St. Joseph and BASR hospitals

The Italian Episcopal Conference (CEI) has ordered the financing of about 30,000 euros for St. Joseph’s Hospital in East Jerusalem and about 30,000 euros for the BASR Hospital in Bethlehem for the health emergency due to COVID-19. The common objective of CEI and the Pro Terra Sancta Association is to equip the two structures with basic protection devices and therapeutic instruments.

The CEI, even at this tragic time for Italy, wanted to respond to the Pope’s appeal “trying to be one with the brothers and sisters who live in countries less fortunate than ours, where the pandemic is beginning to strike and where the shortage of health services could multiply mortality and the lack of awareness among the population of the risks involved could greatly encourage its spread”.

Pro Terra Sancta, always in contact with the territory and aware of its “needs”, immediately took action to respond to the CEI call for proposals.

The dialogue between the Association and the two hospitals made it possible to send all the documents requested to the CEI and have both requests for funding approved quickly.

St. Joseph was founded in 1954. It is a non-profit hospital and operates in the eastern part of Jerusalem. It is the only Catholic hospital in East Jerusalem and serves the population of East Jerusalem and the West Bank. It is considered a reference hospital for specialist care.

BASR is a non-profit, non-governmental organization. It is recognized for specialized medical, surgical and rehabilitation services, with special attention to people with disabilities. BASR Hospital began operating in Bethlehem in 2000, with the support of the local church.

News of the success of the project was welcomed with joy for various reasons. The hospitals have a continuous need for support that is not only economic, and Pro Terra Sancta has given a rapid and concrete response to the health emergency that has not spared even the Holy Land.

But perhaps the main reason for this joy was the awareness that working together we can achieve important goals.

Within those wards the health personnel will be better protected and the sick will be safer thanks to the joint efforts of CEI, Pro Terra Sancta, S. Joseph and BASR.

Moreover, as Pope Francis said: “We cannot go ahead on our own, but only together“.