We need a new sense of our common responsibility for the sick, the lonely, the troubled and those who are weak with the passage of years, Archbishop Diarmuid Martin of Dublin has said.
"They all belong to our community. We have to ensure that the sick can live within their own familiar environment for as long as possible and with the highest degree of dignity possible," he said.
Speaking at the weekend at an awards ceremony at the biennial International Assembly of the Leprosy Mission, in Termonfeckin, Co Louth, Dr Martin warned against healthcare being left to the experts to such a degree "that the community stands back and leaves hope to technology". He said sick people needed human warmth and caring for them was a responsibility for the entire community.
In many ancient traditions people with leprosy were rejected, he said. Last night's winners were: Zilda Maria Borges (40), Brazil, and Jamnian Rakwong (69), Thailand.