The Orthodox Archdiocese of Cluj is developing a brand-new palliative care facility for children with chronic illnesses.
On Thursday, October 13, Metropolitan Andrei of Cluj and Assistant Bishop Benedict of Bistriţa laid the cornerstone for the future St. Christopher Centre in Sânnicoară, Cluj County.
A number of Orthodox believers, clergy, city and county authorities, contributors, and supporters of the projects, as well as other persons, attended the ceremony.
After the foundation stone was blessed, Metropolitan Andrei spoke about the acts of corporal mercy, particularly aiding the ill. The center will offer free medical, spiritual, social, and psychological support to children with various stages of chronic progressive illnesses.
It will be the second such facility in the archdiocese. The archdiocese decided to construct a second facility after the first one, St. Nectarios Palliative Care Centre, which opened in 2012, found itself unable to accommodate all the aid demands.
The family of Fr. Komives, Lorand Emanuel provided the property for the new center.
In an August interview about the care center, Assistant Bishop Benedict stated that the Archdiocese of Cluj has forty ongoing charitable projects, “affirming that philanthropy means nothing more than seeking the Lord in His smaller brethren, in His fragile brethren. And not only in a theoretical sense, but especially in this practical sense.”
The project is under the patronage of the “Saint Nectarios” Association of the Orthodox Archdiocese of Vad, Feleac, and Cluj, presided over by His Grace Assistant Bishop Benedict of Bistrița.
Bishop Benedict explained that children will participate in school activities, and stays will be provided not only for treatment but also to give parents a period of recovery from the constant effort put into their children. The program that will support parents will be called “Respiro”.
How you can donate
Asociația „Sfântul Nectarie” Cluj
RON: RO83BTRLRONCRT00C6603105
Euro: RO25BTRLEURCRT00C6603103
Photography courtesy of the Cluj Metropolis / Ionuț Chifa
Source: basilica.ro
