La pastorale della salute nell’Europa che cambia: l’esperienza italiana
Pastoral care in the health service in changing Europe: the italian experience

Summary/Abstract: Pastoral Theology of health care does not often have its rightful place among pastoral theology, because the common perception is narrow and specialized slice of pastoral work. In Europe, influenced by migration, with its different cultural influences, medical institutions become “crossroads of cultures” on which meet various world views and religious tendencies. The disease affects people of all faiths and affects their families and the social context in which they live, because “the world health” is becoming increasingly important area of evangelization and confrontation with faith. The confrontation with suffering and fragility of life raises profound existential questions about the meaning and purpose of life. The moment of the disease becomes a kind of “locus theologicus”: a stimulus favorable reading anew the history of his own life in the light of new values, including spiritual ones, that painful situation brings to the surface of existence. In these moments the presence of a priest can be a call to a deeper reflection about values, meaning and purpose of life; an invitation to spiritual exploration and growth in the faith. The Church is trying to meet the new challenges by offering models of pastoral care in the context of health care. The article shows the functioning of the tested models, such as the “hospital chaplaincy” and “hospital pastoral council”, which years are in Italy. Their task is evangelization and the promotion of pastoral ministry and cooperation between the laity involved professionally in this environment. Describes work methodologies and indicates the specific priorities of pastoral care in environment of health, stressing that the search for health, often hidden desire for the fullness of life: the desire of eternal salvation.

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