First Aid and Emergency Services
The Order of Malta provided First Aid and Emergency Services during the Chrism Mass last Maundy Thursday, 13 April 2017 at the Manila Cathedral in Intramuros, Manila. The Chrism Mass is an ancient tradition of the Church where the oils used in various sacraments are blessed and then distributed to each parish. As Maundy Thursday is the day on which both the Mass and the priesthood were instituted, Pope Paul VI introduced the renewal of the priestly commitment into the liturgy before the Bishop. As such, the event is also an occasion for unity and fellowship between the priests and their Bishop in a Diocese.
The First Aid station was manned by a total of four (4) doctors and thirteen (13) nurses who are all volunteers from San Juan de Dios Hospital, San Martin de Porres Charity Hospital and St. Anthony Shrine Clinic. An ambulance was also on stand-by during the occasion. Fortunately, there were no untoward incidents that required serious medical attention during the event. The volunteers, however, attended to two patients who experienced dizziness and stomachache. The team also gladly provided free blood pressure checking upon request.
For several occasions already, the Order has gladly responded to the request of the Archdiocese of Manila to provide medical first aid stations for large assemblies such as the Chrism Mass. Since 2015, it has also accommodated similar requests to other special events organized by the Philippine Catholic Church such as the Fun Run organized by the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines – Episcopal Commission on Migrants, the Archdiocese of Manila’s various liturgical activities, the alumni homecomings of the San Carlos Seminary and the first aid and emergency services during the arrival of the His Holiness Pope Francis in 2015.
