Manzini, 14 June, 2020 / 3:19 pm (ACI Africa).
Catholic Church leaders in Italy have partnered with the people of God in Swaziland’s Diocese of Manzini, offering a financial subsidy that has facilitated the procurement of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for various health facilities as they fight against COVID-19 in the one-diocese Southern Africa nation, officially the Kingdom of Eswatini.
The partnership involves a cash donation of 754,497.70 Euros (US$851,040.00) from members of the Italian Bishops’ Conference (CEI) to the Diocese of Manzini.
Announcing the donation on Friday, June 12, Bishop José Luís Ponce de León of Manzini reported that “face masks, N95 masks, surgical gloves and sanitizers among others” had been procured and that beneficiaries of the consignment were the various health facilities in the diocese including “Good Shepherd Hospital, Our Lady of Sorrows, Regina Mundi, St. Mary’s, Florence, St. Theresa’s, St. Juliana, Hope House and St. Philip’s clinics.”
“Together with food and water security, the Catholic Church in the Kingdom of Eswatini identified the provision of PPE as one of our priorities addressing this pandemic,” Bishop José Luís said June 12 during the handover ceremony and added, “It is a sign of our support and commitment to you, health workers, to keep you safe and enable you to do your job.”
The Bishop of Manzini who, at the end of April, outlined “five priorities” for his diocese amid COVID-19 crisis and invited well-wishers to support the course has described the grant by CEI as “unique” considering the effects of the coronavirus in Italy.
Making reference to the Gospel of Luke, Bishop José Luís likened the donation to the Parable of the Good Samaritan when Jesus asked the lawyer, “Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.””
Addressing himself to healthcare workers during the June 12 ceremony, Bishop José Luís said, “Today I want to send a personal and sincere thank you to every health worker around the Kingdom of Eswatini and assure you all my prayers: all the frontline workers especially doctors, nurses, support staff and volunteers.”
