Priest Emergency Service
WHAT IS THE EMERGENCY PRIESTLY SERVICE (SSU)?
A lawyer from the city of Córdoba (Argentina), Dr. Armando César Sánchez, had his father sick and around two in the morning his father became very serious, for which his son wanted him to receive the sacrament of Anointing of the sick. And he started calling his parish on the phone but got no answer.
He decided to take a taxi and visit other convents and parishes in the city, but he found himself with new inconveniences: the doorbell did not work or perhaps it could not be heard from afar. Really discouraged, he preferred to return to the patient’s side and on that way back home, he paid attention to the illuminated signs he saw on the street: “Pharmacy on duty”, “Doctor on call”, “Florist on duty”, and so on. many of the same style. Then he said to himself: Why, if there are police, firefighters, doctors, veterinarians, mechanics, etc. on guard, how come there are no priests? How was it possible that Christians in painful situations like the one he was experiencing, did not have a guard to turn to without wasting time and get a priest for the sacraments?
The idea of putting together a guard for cases of spiritual urgency turned around in his heart, convinced and firm he decided to visit priests and also involved lay friends in his project and finally presented it to the Archbishop of Córdoba, Msgr. Fermín Laffite, who He approved, helped him and then the Emergency Priestly Service was founded. Thus, on the night of October 26, the feast of Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, in that year 1952, a guard with a priest and two laymen was set up for the first time in Argentina, waiting in pious vigil for the call of some needy brother. of God’s grace.
The service operates between 9:30 p.m. or 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., every day of the year.
The service attends completely free of charge during these hours, every day of the year, and consists of a guard made up of 2 or 3 lay people and 1 Priest whose mission is to attend an emergency call by a sick person, to help him in the spirit, administering the Sacraments, especially the Holy Anointing, at night. His presence, nocturnal, gratuitous and silent, is admired by the whole Church.
This true Service is constituted in this way, as a guarantee of attention, Night Church, and as a relief and rest for the parishes, who find support in this organization.
The different Services, exclusively Diocesan, are united, not only fraternally, but also institutionally through a Federation, recognized by the Episcopal Conference, which appoints its own Spiritual Advisor. Without extending ourselves to the personal work of its members, which requires human virtues, such as alertness, willingness, rapid response, and also spiritual ones, such as apostolic work, sacrifice and charity, the welfare and salvific mission of our work has left an indelible mark on the Argentine Church.
The Sacramental action that it carries out, in which Christ mainly intervenes, and in which the Priest participates as mediator and instrument of Our Lord, has the laity as collaborators of Salvation, constituting a true Lay Ministry. And this Ministry translates into a personal testimony of Faith, which demands Holiness of life. It is also a manifestation of Charity, since his action is motivated by the desire to make himself available to his suffering brothers, and not for a reason of Justice, as occurs with priests.
The massive and joyful response of those of us who have the vocation to collaborate with the Priestly Service has been and is a sign of the actuality of this apostolic work, unique in the world, and that called the Holy Father, upon knowing it, to stimulate and encourage his action. (He visits Córdoba in 1987). Let us bear in mind that the only work of the Argentine Church specifically named by the Pope in our country was the Emergency Priestly Service.
In Mexico, this service is known as HEAL (Spiritual night aid service)
What is SANE and what is its purpose?
It is an Organism of the Catholic Church of Diocesan Order; which deals with carrying through the Priest the Sacraments of the Anointing of the Sick and Holy Communion (Viaticum), to any person who is in danger of death due to illness or some unforeseen accident during the night.
The Service is totally free and is carried out during the night, 365 days a year, in both public and private Hospitals, the Mexican Red Cross, Nursing Homes or the private residence of the patient who requests it. For this reason, the participation of lay people is necessary to May they be the ones who move the Priest there where human pain asks for help.
An Organization like this ensures care for the sick even at night, since through this Apostolic effort the request of the Church becomes visible, which watches over day and night for its most needy children, such as the sick.
THOSE WHO PARTICIPATE?
They are members of this service:
- The Priest who, due to his ordained ministry, has the obligation to distribute the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick and the Sacrament of Reconciliation proper to his Priestly action.
- All lay faithful men and women of good will aware of their evangelizing mission who belong to a parish group or movement.
- Due to the same night work, the woman is excluded from the guards, but not from her daily and constant prayer so that this project is carried out and fulfills its purpose.
- Doctors, nurses, social workers who work in the different Hospitals, since their participation consists of identifying hospitalized patients who are in danger of death or seriously ill, especially those who do not have relatives to notify the Service HEAL
and can be cared for and helped; always respecting the religious beliefs of both the staff and the patient. - The relatives of the sick also participate, since they are the primary caregivers who have the obligation to seek the necessary Spiritual help for their sick person.
Both priests and laity are essential for the fulfillment of this work of the Church.
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