COVID-19 Coronavirus: COMECE, “families caring for most vulnerable in society should receive particular attention”

Families, as the fundamental core of society, should “receive particular attention from the political authority, at the national and EU level”, especially those “with more vulnerable members: young people, the elderly and persons with disabilities”. COMECE Secretary General Fr. Manuel Barrios Prieto said this as he commented on the document released today by COMECE on the protection of elderly and vulnerable people in Europe in coronavirus times and in the context of the major demographic changes taking place in Europe. COMECE calls on the European Commission to “present its Report on demography and the Green paper on ageing with a strong focus on the situation of the elderly in the current Covid-19 pandemic”. “Family-work balance and Sunday as a common day of rest” are explicitly suggested as key topics to enhance “the sense of community of our society” and the way “we all take care of the most vulnerable ones, including elderly people”. Having regard to these challenges, COMECE established an ad-hoc working group together with the Federation of Catholic Family Associations in Europe (FAFCE) to “elaborate a reflection paper focused on care for elderly people”.
Gianni Borsa