The 77-year old Bishop Agnelo Gracias, auxiliary Bishop of Bombay, has
decided to donate his organs after death.
This trend has grown
tremendously in the Christian community: an increasing number of
priests, religious and faithful are willing to donate their organs in
the event of brain death.
"I thought I would be of help to mankind, and I
told my family my intention to donate organs after my death", explained
the Bishop.
"If someone can see through my eyes, or use my kidney to
live longer, I think this would be a service to God", he added. As Fides
learns, the Bishop has promoted the practice of organ donation by
writing on local magazines to encourage the community, talking about it
during liturgies and conferences. According to Gracias, it is important
to increase awareness within the Christian community on how "one can
serve God and humanity even after death".
In October 2014, Pope Francis spoke of organ donation as a "witness of
love", and Bishop Gracias used these words to amplify the message,
recalling that even the Archbishop of Mumbai Oswald Gracias, is an organ
donor.
In 2016, there were 58 organ donations in Bombay which helped 91
patients with kidney failure, 58 cases of chronic liver disease and 34
patients with heart problems.