In his sermon during a Mass on Friday, Gozo Bishop Mario Grech made an appeal for people to reflect on what can be done to increase the number of blood and organ donations.
Bishop Grech said that St Francis de Sales, who was Bishop of Geneva, the beatified Carlo Gnocchi – a priest from Milan who died in 1956 and Gozitan priest Manuel Camilleri have one thing in common – they donated parts of their bodies, after death, to either further medical science or to help others.
"When St Francis de Sales was 20 he fell seriously ill, but he was ready to donate his body to the School of Anatomy at the University of Padova in order for research to be undertaken and better help advance human health.
"When the beatified Carlo Gnocchi was on his death bed, he called the doctor close and told him to take his corneas once his heart stopped, in order to help those who could not see. He made this request even though he knew that he was asking the doctor to do something illegal, as at that time Italian law did not permit organ donation. He was the first organ donor in Italy."
Bishop Grech said that Manuel Camilleri chose to leave his body to the university so that medical science would be able to continue its research and save lives.
"These three donated their blood, or their organs, to save the lives of others. It is love that drives a person to such a heroic gesture, to give their body as a gift to others."
Donating an organ to someone else, he said, is an 'act of mercy'. "Through his noble gesture, from both a civil and an evangelical aspect, Dun Manuel is inviting us not to hold back but, like him, perform this act of mercy."
He said that society is often "affected by egoism and individualism, where the people are careful, saving their bodies. When someone decides to donate their body for the good of the community, he or she is sending a strong message."
Dun Manuel was a priest who carried out this gesture of altruism and generosity, Bishop Grech said. While there are a number of ways priests give themselves to helping others, giving up ones organs to save the life of someone who is ill or for use in medical research is a special form of donation. "The value of these donations increase when one considers that those who can benefit from such generosity are anonymous."
He said that people often hold back from donating blood and/or organs, often because "we do not understand the pressure of sickness."
In the years when he was travelling in America, Don Manuel carried out the majority of his priestly ministry helping the sick in hospitals. "I do not know exactly what motivated Dun Manuel to donate his body to medical science, but apart from wanting to walk in the footsteps of his teacher – who gave up his body for others – I believe it was also his experience with sickness that helped him reach his decision."
Bishop Grech urged people not to forget that there is a long list of those awaiting organs for transplants. "Our readiness to donate blood or organs makes a real difference in the lives of many", he said.
from The Malta Independent http://ift.tt/2alsqUg
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