Argentina: The emergency priestly service turns 50 in the Archdiocese of Santa Fe

Every night, for 50 years, the Emergency Priestly Service of Santa Fe (Argentina) spiritually accompanies people who are at risk of death, either with the anointing of the sick, the Eucharist or a last confession.

This task unites already lay priests of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe de la Vera Cruz for the same purpose, inspired by James 5: 14-15: “Is anyone sick among you? That he calls the priests of the Church, and pray for him, who unjan him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the patient, and the Lord will lift him; forgiven ”.

With that premise, for five decades, the service is offered uninterruptedly, offering the presence of a priest in the final moments of people’s lives. To do this, numerous lay people organize to receive the calls and make the transfers of the priests, with a special dedication between 9:30 p.m. and 6:00 hours.

In conversation with Radio Maríathe president of the emergency priestly service in Santa Fe, Fernando Falco, recalled that the initiative began in Córdoba, thanks to a doctor who had a sick relative and went out to look for a priest without success. “He realized that there was a pharmacy on duty, there were the firefighters pending calls, there were emergencies, but there were no priests on duty,” he said. Thus began the life of the emergency priestly service in the country.

In Santa Fe, the project began on June 20, 1975 by the hand of a group of boys emerged from a movement of encounters, who decided to “take that post” that had begun in Córdoba. There, accompanied by Fr. Edgardo Trucco, they carried out the first guard. “Today the guards of that first day are still accompanying us,” said Falco.

Over the years, the service adapted to new technologies, leaving aside the landline, which offers a very fluid dynamic in the management of the guard. Every night, volunteers are present at the headquarters, where there is a chapel, the guards open next to the priest and are available during the night to receive any call.

Emergency can be a transcendent moment where the person is in the face of death, or simply when one faces a complex disease. “Many times the patient returns to health and his usual tasks,” said the president, since the service “also accompanies God’s plans, what has for each of us and sometimes health or directly the forgiveness of sins and reconciliation, and undertake the path he has.”

Falco said that “there are two fundamental protagonists in this, which is Christ present and live always looking for our salvation, and the patient, who is at a time when he has to make a decision to grab that hand that God tends us at all times.”

“The priest takes that presence to the patient and we help that this presence becomes real,” he synthesized. The structure that we give to all this, accompanying the priest, accompanying the family, closes all this circle of love. ”

In Santa Fe, about 100 lay people carry the guards, and about 40 priests are part of the service. To whom he has to be on duty, he takes the service phone. The cell phone allows to move more freedom than before, so the guard can choose to remain in the chapel, in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament; accompany the priest if he requires it; or wait for the calls at home.

“All those baptized should be attentive to the need of each of the sick and wait for the moment, it is better if the patient is aware, to make that encounter between Christ and the sick. Some guards are face -to -face guards, but all baptized should be a guard of the service,” said Falco.

At this time, in Santa Fe, the service needs more volunteers. “We are needing guards. Each person is assigned a day on guard during the month. That is, you are going to be guard every day, for example,” said the president. “Then, if you share that guard with another guard, it allows you to have a support in your apostolate and an accompaniment of another person,” he said. Priests also have assigned days.

Those interested in joining the service can send a WhatsApp or communicate by phone at night. The number is (0342) 155 155 169. More information on the Archdiocese website of Santa Fe, www.arquidiócesisdesadantafe.orgin the “Services” section.