聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Members of the St. Patrick鈥檚 Catholics Women鈥檚 League (CWL) have taken on the challenge from Pope Francis to make 2016 a year of mercy.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淗e wants us to focus on spiritual and corporal works of mercy, choosing an action or activity in our area,鈥� said Donna Balawyder, a spokesperson for the group. 鈥淧alliative care was to be the main focus for the CWL across Canada.
鈥淚n March, we had Roxanne Rayner, a palliative care nurse, come and speak to us. She informed us of the great need there is for palliative care and what it means. She brought us some comfort pillows made for those in pain or discomfort. She also brought us pamphlets and volunteer papers.
鈥淚n the fall, we will start making these pillows. Some of our members will go to Canora to a presentation by a doctor who will speak on palliative care issues. On April 26, members prayed in their homes for the intention that palliative care be accessible to every Canadian.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The Sturgis and Preeceville CWL council sponsored 12 Hours of Prayer for Palliative Care on May 4.
The CWL of Canada has more than 83,000 members. It is encouraging all people of faith to pray that day. The churches were to hold mass on May 5 for specific prayers compiled by the national league. Ministers from other churches had been asked to participate within their own churches. Petition sheets were available for signing at the churches and they are to be sent to the House of Commons.
The event was designed to take place during the National Hospice Palliative Care Week (organized by the Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association) as a profound witness to the sanctity of human life.
There is a pressing need for all Canadians to have greater accessibility to palliative care, said Balawyder. It has become an urgent priority in the face of the impending legislation for euthanasia/assisted suicide in Canada
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 It is noted that 鈥渙nly 16 to 30 per cent of Canadians who are dying currently have access to or receive hospice palliative care, depending on where they live. Even fewer receive grief and bereavement services. Residential palliative care programs are receiving about 50 per cent of their funding from charitable donations, and families must bear part of the cost of someone dying at home, in long-term care or almost anywhere outside a hospital.
End-of-life care is true compassion, she said. It allows individuals who are facing death not to be burdened by pain and suffering but to receive the necessary support that respects their human dignity, both physically and spiritually, rather than choosing physician-assisted death as a desperate last resort.
