By Ivy Chai
KUCHING — During pre-COVID-19 days, the Archdiocese of Kuching had organised blood donation campaigns within Church premises, to live out its ‘Christian social responsibility’. Annual blood donation drives were held in the season of Lent, Advent and around Ramadan at the ACCPC of St Joseph’s Cathedral, and at St Mark’s Church hall.
Kuching Archbishop Simon Poh, in response to a recent call from SGH Blood Bank to replenish blood type ‘B’ and ‘D’, arrived at the Blood Bank to donate his ‘B’ blood on 15 June. The pandemic had de-railed the regular Catholic Church blood donation drives.
By giving blood the Archbishop clarified: “To continue to give blood to save lives is a concrete response of living out our Christian social responsibility. It is even more crucial during this pandemic time when we are not able to hold our regular blood donation in our Church premises.”
He continued, “Let us bring the mercy of the Lord to the people of Sarawak facing the pandemic challenges. As Catholics and Christians, we know we can make a difference when we donate in cash and kind. This includes giving our time to volunteer, sweat to distribute food to the families in need, and actual blood to save lives.”
"Let us give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the merciful Father, the God from whom all help comes! He helps us in all our troubles, so that we are able to help others who have all kinds of troubles, using the same help that we ourselves have received from God. Just as we have a share in Christ's many sufferings, so also through Christ we share in God's great help." (2 Cor 1:3-5)
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