Today, Thursday, His Holiness Pope Tawadros II held the annual meeting with the third group of Social Care priests, who are the diocese of Fayoum, Beni Suef, Qalyubia, and Giza, as well as the diocese of Helwan, with a total of 12 dioceses.

Archbishop Charles Bishoy, Secretary of the Social Welfare Service, gave a presentation in which he talked about the “The King’s Girl” project, which is concerned with covering the needs of girls and their future marriage, as well as the “Educate your son” project, which takes care of small study groups for students to support their academic level.
As well as the “Baraka Bag” project, noting that it takes care of thousands of families, as well as the educational expenses project for schools, especially during the pandemic.

His Holiness Pope Tawdaros II delivered a speech in which he spoke about how we offer God’s love to the needy. His Holiness indicated that there are many ways: a phone call, a visit, a help,…etc. He emphasized that the goal is not only assistance but the fulfillment of various needs (spiritual – psychological – physical).
He added that serving God needs us:

1- Presence: You are like the father of refuge for people to come to you, so do not evade that.
2- Ability: It needs honesty, and as much as your honesty, God gives you the ability.
3- Sense of Responsibility: Our job is to serve and meet needs according to our ability.
With these points, our service will be effective and effective.

And he alluded to the verse: “Do not withhold good from those who deserve it when it is in the power of your hand to do it.” (Proverbs 3:27).
His Holiness pointed out three important trends in the service of social development:
1- Crises: There are various crises, the Corona pandemic was a crisis, so you must be present in crises as a shepherd, present your work and feel as a father, and have the feeling of others in their crisis, and as much as you can help.
2- Services: the services must be diversified, and do not refrain from providing the service, provide what you can.
3- Data: is the basis of the service. The first sign of the success of the service is your interest in the data, and the data needs continuous updating, and a server must be appointed in each development office to be responsible for updating the data so that you are aware of the nature of your circumstances and know how God works with you.
It was concluded that the development office triangle has three sides: crises and services, and the base is the data. As a father, you must be a partner in the social welfare system.
Regarding the “Plant a Tree” initiative recently launched by the Church, His Holiness said: “We launched the “Plant a Tree” initiative two weeks ago. Egypt will host the Global Climate Summit in November next year, and this is a very important matter and the state is very interested in it, and we as an Egyptian Church should have a role in helping solve the climate crisis, and this is a collective responsibility.”
He added, “There is a competition at the level of churches to plant trees, and this competition has valuable prizes, and the benefit will accrue to Egypt and the whole world.”
He stressed: “I hope you pay attention to this matter and encourage each other, for we pray the first Psalm every day so that it is like a tree planted by streams of water, which gives its fruit, and is its flower in the spring.” And all that he does shall prosper.” (Psalm 1:3)
A tree is a teaching tool.

His Holiness also honored the first five who participated in the “Educate Your Son” project from the dioceses of Shubra El-Kheima, 6th of October and Beheira, as well as the project supervisors in the same dioceses.

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