In the framework of the XX National Health Pastoral Care meeting, held in Fatima November 26-29, father Vítor Feytor Pinto, in his capacities of coordinator of works claimed that the “Portuguese Church has the duty to set up life-support Centres capable of handling different social and human discomfort situations: lone mothers, pregnant adolescents, couples with difficult relations, other cases of family conflict, the needs of the terminally ill”. “These centres should activate projects which will include and meet all forms of medical, psychological, spiritual and religious support needed by all individuals”, he added. The already existing centres, (Braga, Ermesinde, Vila Real) he said, “are addressed to birth-related problems. But extending the field of intervention is a priority in view of social effectiveness: action must be aimed at supporting each age group at the same time promoting the beginning and the end of life”. “In the course of the meetings with the representatives of the dioceses, we will ask them to be work in this direction and to envisage an action plan in cooperation with the State and civil society”. “After all, father Feytor Pinto said, citizens can’t be divided into compartments, and the different institutions must cooperate to organize efficient practical interventions”. “The Church shouldn’t simply announce its points and make ethical recommendations, it should instead intervene directly in giving support to individuals: we don’t want other theories, we have to start to act”.
