World Day of the Sick is Feb. 11
World Day of the Sick is being observed today (Feb. 11), providing us with an opportunity to remember the ill and the dying, caregivers, and all those who struggle with health issues, especially as we approach the third year of the COVID-19 pandemic.
It is also a time to highlight and reflect on the work underway to transform society’s care for the sick and dying. Work on the Whole Person Care Initiative (WPCI) continues in dioceses around the State.
A partnership between Alliance of Catholic Health Care, the Catholic bishops of California, the Providence St. Joseph Health and Dignity Health systems, and other Catholic hospitals in the state, WPCI seeks to ensure that parishioners and patients are accompanied, loved, and supported in their serious illness and end-of-life journey.
Training workshops feature sessions on Catholic end-of-life teaching, preparing advanced directives, advice on what to expect in a health care setting, how to support caregivers, and more. The Dioceses of San Diego, Stockton, and Monterey will each hold commissioning ceremonies or masses for those who have completed the workshops.