Madrid, August 19, 2020
To the Sisters of the Congregation
Dear Sisters: Days and months go by… and we do not know how long this Pandemic of Covid 19 will harass us. In some places, after several months, you are still at the height of the situation with hospitals collapsed, unable to receive more sick people… and so many new infections every day. This is the case of our Sisters in Monterrico, Lima, for whom I ask your prayers. At this moment, following the established protocols, the sisters Mirna Iraola, Rosa Zuñiga, Lucia Villena, Olga Díaz and the mother of H. Jazmín de las Casas, who is also in our home, are infected. Although the situation seems to be “under control”, thanks to the help of a benefactor who sent them a doctor and is taking care of them and supporting them with great care, however, as long as the virus is at home, the danger continues to exist, especially in an infirmary-community where there are so many Sisters with different pathologies and very vulnerable?
The three Sisters of the Community of Inhucú, Brazil, have also gone through this ordeal, although they have already come out of the worst…
In the same way we unite in prayer with so many Sisters who are seeing their relatives suffer and die without being able to help them, not even to accompany them in the last moments of their lives here in our land… young people, teachers, collaborators… continue to be affected in many ways, not only by illness, but also by the lack of means to subsist and support their families due to the lack of work or the crisis of family businesses…
In addition, in countries where the situation seemed to be under control, numerous contagions are once again emerging, taking the lives of young people and children…
All this is a new call for prudence and careful attention. Those responsible for world health are constantly warning us of the dangers, I would say “cries” for help, to prevent the spread of the contagion of this virus, with which we are living. All precautions are few, we know them, so I will not repeat them, but I want to emphasize, once again, that we are responsible for a valuable gift that God gave us freely, the life that we must take care to “spend for the good of others, according to our vocation … But even more, we are also jointly responsible for the health of the people with whom we live, with all humanity … and if I do not collaborate properly, I am attacking it …
Even when government leaders sometimes ignore or deny the seriousness of the situation for various political or economic interests, we are called to put the person, the value of life and the good of all in first place. We are not unaware, indeed we are experiencing it everywhere, of the need to take care of the economy to meet the many needs that are developing more and more, but above all, it is urgent that we unite to face this pandemic reality that continues to affect so much in one place or another.
Therefore, in addition to the already known precautions, let us avoid non-urgent outings, massive or uncontrollable encounters… I repeat, let us make every effort and let us not fall into some currents that, because they are tired of the situation or because they are not willing to “sacrifice” acquired habits, underestimate the risk and endanger their lives and those of the people with whom they live?
We entrust to Mary, She who knew how to “realize” the needs of the moment and look for an adequate solution, that will alert and enlighten us and we can, in turn, help to create a “culture of care” that will lead us to live in the joy and hope of a renewed Humanity… And like Vicenta Maria let us know how to take advantage of every moment to “make the most of it” and let us bless God for everything… With a big hug, your sister,
M Daria Fernández R