NEWS

Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation Offers Coronavirus Aid to the Vatican and Beyond

By Justin Whitaker | | Buddhistdoor Global

The Taiwan-based Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation—popularly known as Tzu Chi—has partnered with the Taiwanese embassy to the Holy See and other parties to offer help to Vatican City in response to the coronavirus crisis. Tzu Chi has also donated masks to critical organizations in the tiny country of St. Maarten in the Caribbean, and produced 80,000 DIY face shields, while providing other essential food and equipment to hospitals and clinics in Malaysia. Tzu Chi and the Taiwanese embassy have given some 4,000 masks to the Vatican Pharmacy for the sake of “the safety and protection of those Catholic nuns, priests, and workers who are committed to providing comfort, guidance, and spiritual relief in times of fear and anxiety.” In giving the donation, Taiwanese ambassador to the Holy See Matthew Lee said, “Helping is a moral duty for us.” (Crux) The embassy also donated some 600 cans of tuna to Polish Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, who is in charge of the pope’s charities, noting that the canned fish represents “the love of Taiwan for those people who have nothing at all.” (Crux)

As of this writing, the Vatican has only seven confirmed cases of COVID-19. However, given the small population of Vatican City, only 618 people, this represents the highest case-per-capita percentage of any state in the world, at over 1 per cent. In the small island nation of St. Maarten, a part of the kingdom of the Netherlands, Tzu Chi has donated a number of masks to critical organizations, including the police force, prison, a detention facility, and an elderly care foundation, as well as to volunteers and leaders working with people in the community.