Ebola Emergency
Circular Letter of the Prior General
Dear Brothers and Co-workers,
We have just been informed that Brother Miguel Pajares has died in the Carlos III Hospital in Madrid. As you know, Brother Miguel was repatriated to Spain on August 7 together with Sister Juliana. His condition was serious but still stable yesterday, but in the past few hours his condition deteriorated rapidly, and he died.
We are passing through a very difficult time for our Hospitaller Family, having lost three Brothers, one Sister and several Co-workers as a result of this Ebola epidemic. I therefore urge everyone to unite in prayer, hospitality and fraternity. Although the news fills us with sadness and grief, we have to accept the life of our Brothers, given up like Christ’s to the point of dying after contracting this virus, in the light of faith, with hope and a healthy sense of pride in their faithfulness and radical testimony to hospitality.
On behalf of the whole Order we wish to create a sense of unity, and extend our deepest sympathies to all the Brothers of the St Augustine Province of Africa, the Congregation of the Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Conception, and all the loved ones of the three departed Brothers, Patrick, George and Miguel, and of Sister Chantal and all the Co-workers who have lost their lives in our Centres in Liberia and Sierra Leone as a result of the epidemic.
Let us continue to beg the Lord of Life to welcome all our Brothers, our Sister, and our Co-workers into His Kingdom, as true champions of the Hospitality of St John of God. Let us also continue to pray for those countries and for all the members of our Hospitaller Family of St John of God who are continuing to live in Liberia and Sierra Leone.
With my fraternal best wishes, united with you in our Lord and St John of God.