Czech Republic: archbishop Graubner, “I see time after Covid recovery as an extra gift from God”

(Bratislava) – “When you see the reaction of doctors to your health condition and you are told that your chance to survive is very small, you look at things from a different perspective. Your meeting with eternity is near and you realize that your only certainty is the mercy of God”, testifies Msgr. Jan Graubner, archbishop of Olomouc. When he was on the verge of life and death due to Covid-19, he had time to reflect on important things including a possible death: “Throughout my whole life, I have tried to embrace the abandoned Jesus in all difficulties and pains. I did it also during my sickness when I thought that death was near... and I was filled with an immense peace”. However, after that moment of deep crisis, the archbishop´s health condition suddenly improved and even now, having experienced the hardest impact of Covid-19, he does not lose optimism. As he says, one needs to try to see bad things also in a positive light. “The Catholic Church has been involved in various projects of solidarity from the very beginning of the pandemic and has tried to remain close to people in faith as much as possible - via online masses, catecheses, lectures and advisory services but also personally by accompanying sick people in hospitals and healthcare institutions”, adds Msgr. Graubner whose plans after recovery are rather ambitious: apart from a full return to his pastoral duties, he has been working on a book and devoting his time to the Lord who gave him recovery as an “extra gift”.
Gigliola Alfaro