The Bishop of Funchal, D. Nuno Brás, marked the celebration of the 53rd anniversary of Dr. Nélio Mendonça Hospital in Madeira on September 9th with a Mass held in the Chapel of the hospital unit. Under the motto "For 53 years, dedicated to what matters most: Life," the anniversary was organized by the Health Service of the Autonomous Region of Madeira (SESARAM, EPERAM), with the presence of the Regional Secretary for Health and Civil Protection, Micaela Fonseca de Freitas, and the President of the SESARAM Board of Directors, Márcia Gomes.
In his address, D. Nuno Brás placed the celebration under the sign of thanksgiving, highlighting the service provided by the hospital to the Madeiran population, healthcare professionals, and visitors to the Region. The bishop expressed recognition for the work carried out daily at the facility and thanked all those who contribute to the care of patients.
In his homily, drawing from the Word of God and the words of St. Paul, the Bishop of Funchal centered his reflection on the passage of time and the fragility of human existence, emphasizing that "the setting of this world is passing." For D. Nuno Brás, the hospital is precisely the place where one realizes that "everything is very brief," confronting life, illness, fragility, and death daily.
From the Beatitudes, the bishop reflected on the apparent contradiction between human suffering and the happiness announced by Jesus, explaining that it is in fragility that the human being recognizes their condition and perceives God's presence. D. Nuno Brás also shared a personal experience related to the death of his mother to underscore the difference between the memory that remains and the Christian hope in eternal life, concluding that earthly life is fleeting, but faith points to an existence that does not end with death. The celebrations continued in the entrance hall with the traditional moment of singing happy birthday to the hospital.
