Tuesday, May 23, 2023 AD.. 15 Bashans 1739 AM

22 Dioceses of Upper Egypt in the “Social Welfare Secretariat” tour

Members of the Secretariat of His Holiness the Pope for Social Welfare recently toured the dioceses of the governorates of Minya, Assiut, Sohag, and the New Valley, to follow up on the implementation of programs in these dioceses, as part of the planned agenda for the current year 2023.

The tour was led by Father Archpriest Bishoy Charles, the Secretary of His Holiness the Pope for Social Welfare, accompanied by Fathers Botros Nabil and Luke Maher, and a group of servants from the Social Welfare Office.

The tour began on February 14 with a visit to the nine dioceses of Minya governorate. The meeting was held at the Church of Saint Anthony in Minya, Diocese of Minya, hosted by the diocesan bishop, His Grace Bishop Makarios, and attended by Their Graces Bishop Agapius of Deir Mawas, and Bishop Anianus of Beni Mazar, along with more than 300 priests and service leaders representing the dioceses of Beni Mazar, Matai, Samalout, Minya, East Minya, Abu Qurqas, Mallawi, Ansena, Ashmunein, and Deir Mawas and Delga.

The second meeting took place on May 8 for the seven dioceses of Assiut governorate, in addition to the New Valley diocese, at the Monastery of the Virgin Mary in Mount Assiut (Dronka). The meeting was attended and hosted by His Grace Bishop Yoannis of Assiut, along with His Graces Bishop Arsanius of the New Valley and Bishop Pisentios of Abnoub, El Fath, and New Assiut, with nearly 275 priests and service leaders from the dioceses of Sanbo and Dayrut, Al Quseya and Mir, Rasqa Deir Al Muharraq, Manfalout, Assiut, Abnoub and El Fath, Abutig, and the New Valley.

The following day, the “Social Welfare” convoy headed to the Bishopric of Sohag, where they held their meeting for the six dioceses of Sohag governorate, hosted by His Grace Bishop Bakhoum, Metropolitan of Sohag, El Monshah, and El Maragha, and attended by His Grace Bishop Mercurius of Gerga, along with 265 priests and service leaders from the dioceses of Tama, Tahta and Juhayna, Sohag, El Monshah and El Maragha, Akhmim and Saqalta, Gerga, and El Balyana.

The attending bishops gave appropriate speeches, while the Fathers and servants of the Social Welfare Office discussed topics including the ten-year harvest of welfare service, and the office’s mission emphasizing the importance of serving the whole person by meeting their needs and enhancing their capabilities through acts of love, encompassing both care and development.

They also presented ideas for programs such as “Daughter of the King,” “Blessings Bag,” “Educate Your Child,” and the new program “Koinonia,” which provides awareness in three areas:

• The “Takaful and Karama” pension, and treatment at the state’s expense.
• Financial inclusion and how to apply it.
• Coordination and cooperation with development partners.