On the occasion of the celebration of the Medical Worker’s Day, June 15, a prayer of medical chaplains and workers was held in the St. George’s Archcathedral. The prayer service was led by the assistant bishop of the Lviv Archdiocese, Bishop Volodymyr Grutsa.
After the joint prayer, the bishop addressed the chaplains and doctors with a pastoral message.
Bishop Volodymyr thanked the medical chaplains for coming together with the doctors for whom they minister, and also emphasized the importance of service.
“There have been many kings in history, but few of them wanted to serve radically. Christ is a king who himself set an example of a good shepherd, followed the path of service and called us to do the same,” said the bishop.
He also noted that a medical worker is also a person who serves first.
“Service is not always appreciated or appreciated. The good is very often forgotten compared to certain unpleasant moments that leave scars. That’s why we remember them so well. And good seems self-evident. The surgeon is also well remembered by everyone, even if he performed the operation successfully, because a scar remains after him,” said the auxiliary bishop.
“Why did we choose this ministry? Maybe we didn’t understand it ourselves until the end, but surely there was someone we wanted to be like. Therefore, we know that there are whole families of the dynasty of doctors. It is also an example of service. A child takes an example from his parents if he sees them zealously serving people. We, who felt called to the priestly, monastic or chaplaincy service, also saw before us the example of those who came before us,” the bishop noted.
“We gathered for a joint prayer despite the fact that there are certain changes in the state related to the celebration of the Day of the Medical Professional. But that will not stop us from praying today. Let’s also remember our patients. We are bringing their life stories to the throne today, so that the scar that will remain in them will no longer bleed,” Bishop Volodymyr added.
Information Department of the UGCC
according to the materials of the press service of the Lviv Archdiocese