The Secretariat of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II for social welfare services continued its service tours, aimed at visiting different dioceses to foster communication, activate, and follow up on the implemented services. The Secretariat invited the dioceses of Qena, Luxor, and Aswan governorates to the Archangel Michael Monastery in the Diocese of Nagada and Qous on Monday, December 16, 2024. The visit was hosted and blessed by His Grace Bishop Bimen, Metropolitan of Nagada and Qous, with the presence and blessing of His Grace Bishop Tekla, Metropolitan of Dshna and its dependencies, and His Grace Bishop Youaquim, General Bishop of Esna and Armant.

The tour was led by Fr. Bishoy Charl, the Secretary of His Holiness for social welfare service, accompanied by Fr. Boutros Nabil and a group of social welfare servants. About 59 priests and 33 servents from the dioceses of Luxor, Naqada, Aswan, Esna & Armant, Qena, Dishna, Nagaa Hammadi, and the Red Sea participated in this gathering.

The meeting began with a recorded pastoral message from His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, expressing gratitude to the metropolitans and bishops for their dedicated efforts in social welfare service. This was followed by a speech from His Grace Bishop Bimen, emphasizing on the importance of comprehensive care, organization, and unified service. His Grace elaborated on the verse from the Epistle of St. John the Apostle:
“Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers” (3 John 1:2).

He emphasized the importance of caring for the whole person—spirit, mind, and body—and striving to create a balanced and harmonious individual. His Grace highlighted the need for attention to personal dignity, family privacy, and the balance between spiritual, psychological, and physical well-being. This includes focusing on education, health, nutrition, joint projects, and the significance of recreational activities, which collectively shape a stable and well-rounded personality reconciled with itself. This reflects the mission of forming individuals who are ambassadors for the Lord on earth, living in a way that inspires others to glorify God through their good deeds. His Grace concluded his speech with the verse: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).

Then, Father Bishoy Charl addressed the achievements of the service over the past 12 years, emphasizing the role and importance of maintaining an updated database for families under social welfare services. He then reviewed the service’s various activities and fields, highlighting its focus on the holistic care of individuals—spiritually, mentally, and physically—under the slogan “We serve the person, and all of the person.” He also discussed the vision, mission, and objectives of the social welfare Secretariat, which include services related to mercy and development. Father Bishoy stressed the necessity of integrating these two services and expanding them across all dioceses in Egypt to deliver the message of Christian love to every person in need.

The social welfare services team then presented the programs of the Social Care Secretariat, beginning with the “Educate Your Child” program, which focuses on primary education and the development of various aspects of children’s personalities. This program aims to help build a strong and balanced future for the children by addressing their educational and personal growth.

Father Boutros Nabil presented the concept of the “Daughter of the King” program, outlining its future vision, which focuses on enhancing all aspects of life for young girls—spiritual, emotional, familial, recreational, and financial. The goal is to prepare Christian girls who are influential in their communities, capable of making decisions, and strengthening their self-worth, confidence, and freedom to choose the right life partner. This will be achieved through lectures and workshops in various areas such as spiritual growth, family and career counseling, economic empowerment, skill development, media usage, creativity, and arts. Additionally, the program directs participants to the “Ask with Confidence” service, which is part of the services of Anba Abraam at St. Mark’s Church in Masr el gdida.

The concept of the “Blessing Bag” program was then presented, outlining its objectives to secure the basic daily food needs for families and ensure better nutrition. The program also plays a role in development by contributing to providing a source of income for shop owners in villages through the purchase of items required for the bags.

Additionally, the idea of a unified network of churches in New Cairo, Heliopolis, Nasr City, and the new cities was discussed. The positive impact of distributing blessings across dioceses according to the agreed-upon system was emphasized to ensure fair distribution and coverage of church needs. This approach guarantees that 100% of registered families in the database are covered in most dioceses.

To encourage youth participation in social welfare services and their involvement in various programs, a report was presented on the importance of organizing data collection methods. It also highlighted how to benefit from this data, displaying reports using modern techniques, such as interactive charts and maps that show service beneficiaries in each area. The necessity of engaging youth through online applications was also emphasized.

The meeting also introduced all aspects of “Takaful and Karama” program and announced the launch of the official website for the Secretariat of His Holiness Pope Tawadros for Social welfare services.

In conclusion, His Grace Bishop Bimen closed the meeting by encouraging everyone to continue focusing on and improving the service.