The Institute’s participation in the seventh annual meeting of His Holiness the Pope with the bishops of Upper Egypt and the priests of social care (December 2, 2021)

Upon the invitation of the Secretariat of His Holiness the Pope for Social Care, the Coptic Institute for Church Administration and Development participated in the sixth annual meeting of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II with the bishops and priests responsible for social care in the Coptic Orthodox Church. The meeting included representatives from the dioceses of: Tama, Aswan, Dirot, Esna and Armant, Akhmim, Al-Bayna, Tahta, Abutig, Girga, Der Mawas, Red Sea, Beni Mazar, New Valley, Naqada and Qus, East Minya, Abu Qurqas, Mallawi, Minya, Deir Al-Muharraq, Luxor, Sohag, Dishna, Manfalut, Al-Qusiya, Assiut, Matai, Nag Hammadi, and Qena. The meeting was held on Thursday, December 2, 2021.

Fr. Bishoy Charles presented the achievements of the years 2020-2021, which included pastoral visits and meetings held with bishops and priests across the dioceses for follow-up purposes. He also reported on the meetings of the General Committee of Development Partners within the Coptic Church, which comprises: the Bishopric of Public, Ecumenical and Social Services (BLESS) for Integrated Care, Coptic Orphans, the Anba Abram Service in Egypt and Canada, the Secretariat of Social Care, and the Coptic Institute for Church Administration and Development.

Furthermore, he reviewed the activities implemented under the programs: “The King’s Daughter,” “Teach Your Child,” “The Blessing Bag,” and “The Covenant of Safety.”

Eng. Magdy El-Sharkawy also reviewed the data for beneficiaries in the dioceses and emphasized the importance of updating the database to identify the demographic characteristics of all segments of society to achieve maximum benefit from development work, as well as organizing the registration process for family needs and the extent of health and educational development in their conditions.

The meeting was hosted by Ahmed Fathy, founder of “Youth Who Love Egypt,” a member of the African Climate Alliance and an observer member of the United Nations. He presented the roles played by the organization’s volunteers in preserving the cleanliness of beaches and bird life, treating sewage, and preserving natural environmental resources.

Then, His Holiness Pope Tawadros II delivered a speech in which he welcomed the bishops and priests in attendance. His Holiness pointed to “the collective responsibility and the role of the Church in preserving the environment and rationalizing the consumption of energy resources.” He also launched a “Plant a Tree” competition in every church, enabling its members to plant 100 trees before the 2022 Climate Summit, which will be held for the first time in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt.

His Holiness the Pope also offered a reflection on the verse, “For you will always have the poor with you” (Matthew 26:6). Reaching out to the poor is achieved through the love of our Lord Jesus Christ in a time marked by emotional dryness, natural disturbances, unprincipled technological conflict, and a life without principles. These matters make it necessary for the following to happen:

1- We should pay attention to updating data because it is the practical means for successful service through specialists appointed for a fee to verify the accuracy of the data, review it, enter it and update it.

2- The nature and quality of the services provided through the “Development Office,” which will be responsible for implementing these services in a way that helps enable those with skills to establish small projects with the assistance of a spiritual leader capable of utilizing the skills of church members.

3- Crises: such as the spread of the Corona epidemic and the importance of raising awareness about getting the vaccine, focusing on continuous learning, and checking on all patients by phone or obtaining a confession.

“Let’s be leaders. We have a lot of work ahead of us. Small efforts together make a difference.”

The meeting concluded with honoring the top students in the Republic who obtained their preparatory certificate from the sons of the Upper Egypt dioceses, followed by a group prayer.