Sometimes when we can’t go to church, the Church comes to us, especially in times of illness.
One such recent case has gone viral -- that of 14-year-old Paulo Eliadi Viana, who lives in southern Brazil, and who received the sacrament of Confirmation from his bishop in an unusual way.
Paulo, who is part of a very Catholic family, did all the preparation for the sacrament of Confirmation at the parish near where he lives, in Marilândia do Sul, in the southern Brazilian state of Paraná.
However, almost at the end of his preparation, the young man began to feel intense headaches. Precisely on the eve of the date scheduled for Confirmation in his parish, he had to be hospitalized.
The diagnosis came soon after: Paul had a brain tumor.
For the young man, the impact of the news came along with the disappointment of not being able to participate in the celebration of Confirmation at his church.
Paul’s mother Maria told the local press:
Confirmation at the hospital
The local ordinary, Bishop Carlos José de Oliveira, went to the hospital to confer the sacrament on the young man. The celebration took place in the presence of the sponsor, family members, and the religious sisters who run the hospital.
In the chapel, a "little corner of the Holy Spirit" was set up, where the young man posed for pictures. It was a very moving moment of gratitude. His mother told the press:
Because of the tumor, the young man has difficulty with speech and motor coordination. He was scheduled to undergo high-risk surgery in December, although we haven’t been able to find any news about his ongoing condition. Let’s keep him in our prayers!
