Regarding the serious outbreak of Ebola which is causing havoc in a number of West African countries.

My dear Sisters,

I am writing this brief message to you from Portugal, where I arrived a few days ago, regarding the serious outbreak of Ebola which is causing havoc in a number of West African countries, namely, Guinea Conakry, Sierra Leone and Liberia, with a few cases reported in Nigeria as well

Around 1000 people have already died from this illness in these countries which are some of the poorest in Africa, and last Friday the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared a “public health emergency” of worldwide proportions, urging the international community to mobilise their efforts to combat the Ebola epidemic in West Africa.

The first thing I wish to share with you is the deep bond of fraternal solidarity with the Hospitaller Order of St John of God which lost three Brothers today from the St Joseph’s Catholic Hospital Community in Monrovia, Liberia: Patrick, George and Miguel; Sister Chantal, a Missionary of the Immaculate Conception who worked with the Brothers in the hospital, as well as a number of coworkers, have also lost their lives to this virus.

In his message to the Order and to the whole Family of St John of God, the Superior General, Brother Jesús Etayo said: “Although the news fills us with sadness and grief, we have to accept the life of our Brothers, given up like Christ’s to the point of dying after contracting this virus, in the light of faith, with hope and a healthy sense of pride in their faithfulness and radical testimony to hospitality”.

Let us unite ourselves in the grief and with the wish of Bro. Jesús Etayo and the whole Hospitaller Order asking God to ensure that the testimony of their lives may be for those of us who share the spirit of Saint John of God and Saint Benedict Menni, the seed of a hospitality lived more radically still.

With regard to our Sisters in Liberia, cooperating with a General Medicine Outpatient Clinic – the “Benedict Menni Centre”, in Monrovia (Liberia), Felicia Inmaculada Gbortsu and Collete Banca (the third sister, Encarnación Gonzaléz, is presently in Spain visiting and resting with her family), have managed to leave the country and are now staying at our house in Accra (Ghana); they are well and will stay in Ghana for some time to recuperate before returning to Liberia.

We are also monitoring the campaign for Liberia as announced on the website; they are in need of everything and whatever we can share with them may appear to be little, but at this moment it is “that little” which can make all the difference: drugs, protective materials, disinfectants and other products are what all our Brothers and Sisters in West Africa are waiting for… they are relying on help from everyone.

I also wish to ask the whole Congregation to intensify our prayers to enable the international community and the governments of these countries to find the best possible solutions to help their people to overcome this terrible sickness. I want every Hospitaller Community to bear this intention in mind in their community prayers and, if possible, to devote a little more prayer time specifically to this situation.

Following the example of St Benedict Menni, a heart without borders, our hearts cannot remain indifferent to the suffering of all of those who are affected by, or are victims of, the Ebola virus; let us pray and do everything we can to help them because “whatever you do to the least, you do it to Him” (cf. Mt 25, 31ff),

I send you my fraternal best wishes and assure you of my prayers in the Heart of Jesus and in the hearts of our Brothers and sisters of West Africa.

United with all of you and with the whole Hospitaller Family,

Anabela Carneiro

Superior General