During the weekend on October 31 and November 1, 2020 seven Slovak Jesuits helped as volunteers in the all-over testing on Covid-19 in Slovakia. In this testing there was tested every citizen over the age of 10 for coronavirus (about 4 million people).

Fr. Martin Halčák and Fr. Peter Buša came out with their own initiative. In the spring 2020 both of them helped during the first wave for a whole month in the quarantine center on the university campus in Bratislava. They volunteered to help the Civil Protection. These Jesuits assisted in the administrative operations of the collection point in Bratislava. Fr. Jozef Šofranko, the Slovak provincial of the Society of Jesus, also joined them in the last testing. He said: "Actually, in this pandemic situation, we have more free time at the weekends, so we would like to help for the common good".

At the other off-take point in Piešťany there were other four Jesuits assisting: Fr. Peter Zahoránsky, Fr. Róbert Gočala, Fr. Jakub Garčár and Fr. Adrián Čontofalský. All of them work in the Retreat house in Piešťany. These fellow Jesuits responded to the call of the local town.

Fr. Provincial Jozef Šofranko added: "Because our pastoral activities are limited at this moment, we want to serve people in this way."

We are so grateful to our Jesuits together with the provincial for their participation and willingness to help in the current situation. We would also like to ask you to pray for them.

Pictures: Fr. Martin Halčák (@Peter Mayer, Hospodárske noviny)/ Fr. Provincial Jozef Šofranko helping with testing