Bishop Cesare Di Pietro visits Locri’s Neurolesi Center and Hospital

On 27 July 2026 Monsignor Cesare Di Pietro, bishop of the Locri‑Gerace diocese, toured the Centro Neurolesi and the Ospedale di Locri in southern Italy. Accompanied by diocesan chancellor Don Lorenzo Santoro and deacon Domenico Franco, he met health officials including Dr. Maddalena Berardi, administrative director of the ASP of Reggio Calabria, Dr. Antonio Macrì, the new director of the Jonic health district, Dr. Claudio De Luca, Dr. Santina Bruno and volunteers from the local Unità ALSI.

At the hospital he was received by Dr. Giuseppe D'Ascoli, medical director of the Presidio, and chaplain Don Zepherin Ombomi. The bishop praised the staff, describing his visit as “a caress for the sick and a comfort for the suffering.” He highlighted the growing demand for care in summer, urging that service require both competence and compassion, and quoted, “If not now, when? If not here, where?” The visit concluded with a blessing for patients and personnel.

The pastoral tour underscored the bishop’s commitment to direct engagement with fragile members of the community and to fostering communication between faith and healthcare providers.