Letters

Catholic hospitals? (letter)

Tom King

Contents - Apr 2003 - Buy a copy now Editorial: Good news on the liturgy - Peter Westmore Dr Claudio Betti's inspiring visit to Australia - Peter Westmore News: The Church Around the World Documents: Church must be outspoken on moral issues: Australian Senator - Senator John Hogg Documents: Archbishop Hickey on Catholics in politics - Archbishop Barry Hickey Archbishop Hickey's pastoral letter on marriage - Archbishop Barry Hickey Ecumenism: Christian unity: major obstacles still remain - David Schutz Film Review: Why 'Gangs of New York' misses the boat as history - William J. Stern Education: Chavagnes International Catholic college update - Br John Moylan Our Lady of Peace: one American parish's successful formula - Arthur J. Brew Letters: Authentic teaching (letter) - Aaron Wright Letters: Vatican II (letter) - Denis O'Leary Letters: Shooting the messenger - Alan Gill Letters: Experiential catechesis (letter) - Fr. G.H. Duggan SM Priestly Fraternity of St Peter - Holy Week 2003 Letters: Infallible? (letter) - Fr John Crothers PP Letters: Life Walk (letter) - Brian Harris Letters: Priorities (letter) - Jeanette Joseph Letters: Stem cell research (letter) - W. Kline Letters: Catholic hospitals? (letter) - Tom King Letters: TV report (letter) - Kevin J. Kerr Letters: Novena (letter) - Robert Anderson Books: Newman, by Avery Dulles SJ - Peter Westmore (reviewer) Books: The First Grace, by Russell Hittinger - Peter Westmore (reviewer) Books: Marian Apparitions, The Bible, And The Modern World - Michael Gilchrist (reviewer) Books: A Seat At The Supper, by Frank Colyer - Mark Posa (reviewer) Books: A Long Way From Rome, edited by Chris McGillion - John Barich (reviewer) Books: Our books are the cheapest! Reflection: The road to Emmaus: coming to terms with the hard reality of loss - Fr Dennis Byrnes PP

I applaud the initiative and lay professional leadership, illustrated by the Cairns doctor who utilised the AD2000 letters section to inform and endeavour to compensate for the loss of yet another Catholic hospital.

We must now add the Brisbane Holy Spirit Hospital to the list of casualties which have succumbed to corporate enticements and an absence of real support and leadership from the Catholic hierarchy.

The fine multi-functional hospital, which was commissioned by the Holy Spirit Sisters in 1946 will now be identified as the Brisbane Private Hospital.

An indication as to priority may be gleaned from the stripping and removal of every Christian symbol from the previously consecrated church-chapel. One might have expected the Catholic identity would be removed; however, not even an ecumenical prayer area has been spared. The church-chapel, now abandoned by the Catholic administration of Queensland, is to become a "coffee shop."

The original mission statement of the good sisters was "to witness, to heal and to offer hope", and the hospital had a client base of 20,000 patients a year. What it did not have was support and leadership from the parent Church to accept the challenge of adopting and supplementing this noble enterprise.

Meanwhile, thanks to the Holy Spirit Sisters for 56 years of excellent medical service to Queenslanders.

TOM KING
Elanora, Qld

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 16 No 3 (April 2003), p. 15