Bolivia seems to have as many special days to celebrate, as greeting card companies in the US have to hawk their cards. In February, we celebrated the Annual World Day of the Sick. I have been working, part time, in the Archbishop's Office in health ministry since relocating to city center. We had programmed masses to be celebrated at various hospitals and medical centers throughout Cochabamba.
The day of, we went to three of the centers to make sure everything was prepared and ready to go, before heading to mass at the Caja Petrolera de Salud. Cajas de Salud are medical associations or centers set up for one group of workers, in this case those of the oil industry. Other centers are for teachers, miners, police, and so on, in each related city.
The priest who celebrated the mass at Petrolera de Salud (top photo) had his own health issues, so I felt the people could well relate to him. This mass was broadcast live (thus the woman holding the cell phone to the priest) on a local Catholic radio station. Thus sharing mass with home bound people too.
Most people were wheeled in from their rooms, though some were ambulatory. The music was led by a couple from a local parish. After mass, prayer cards and refreshments were served. We also brought communion to those who were unable to make it to the mass. Briefly we visited and prayed with those who were unable to take communion, and brought them prayer cards too.
We headed back to the Caja Nacional de Salud, a quick walk away, arriving for the end of mass. What was very beautiful is the priest offered a blessing and annointing of each person who so wanted. At all locations volunteers who normally visit people in the each health center, organized the mass. Below is the chapel of the Caja Nacional de Salud, it was very pretty, but a free standing chapel so far away from the hospital rooms, that only the strongest of patients were able to make it.
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