The Gospel Foundation of the Culture of Life
On September 23 and 24, a delegation from the Vatican’s Pontifical Academy for Life participated in the 74th General Assembly of the Catholic Health Association of India in Kochi, Kerala.
The Academy’s President, Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, opened the Assembly, which was attended by more than 800 delegates from Catholic healthcare facilities throughout India. The subject of his keynote address was, “The Good News of Jesus: the Foundation for a Culture of Life” (See Attachment).
Dr. Tina Comoretto, representing the Academy’s Research Section, delivered a report on the Academy’s PALLIFE Project, which is developing palliative care initiatives around the world (See Attachment). On the second day of the Assembly, building on the impetus provided by PALLIFE, the Health Association joined the “Pallium India Association,” founded by Dr. M.R. Rajagopal, in approving the “Kochi Declaration” (See Attachment). The Assembly also had the benefit of making visits to several Catholic healthcare institutions in the area, and these visits enabled the delegates to understand more fully and concretely local healthcare-related technical, ethical and spiritual concerns.
