Assistance is available in all of the country’s 44 Roman Catholic dioceses and includes food supplies, warm meals for senior citizens and people under quarantine, and collections of equipment for hospitals, according to Father Paweł Rytel-Andrianik, press spokesman for the Polish Episcopal Conference, the central authority of the Catholic Church in Poland.
Other efforts include online workshops and help with homework for children as well as spiritual and psychological support, Rytel-Andrianik was cited as saying on Monday.
“Initiatives are being carried out in all dioceses to provide assistance to those in need, especially the elderly, those who live alone and homeless people,” Rytel-Andrianik said, as quoted by public broadcaster Polish Radio’s IAR news agency.
Archbishop Stanisław Gądecki, head of the Polish Episcopate, has urged social solidarity and help for senior citizens as well as disabled and homebound individuals amid the pandemic, the IAR news agency reported.
Catholic charity Caritas Polska has said it is earmarking PLN 12 million (EUR 2.6 million, USD 2.9 million) to help buy medical equipment, such as respirators, thermometers and personal protective gear for doctors, and a further PLN 1 million to finance its PomocDlaSeniora (Help for Seniors) drive in response to the coronavirus epidemic.
(gs/pk)
Source: IAR