Diocesan News14 Jan 11

Bishop of Cork elected to three-year leadership role in major Cork charity

At recent meetings of the Boards of Directors of Saint Luke’s Home, Cork, the Bishop of Cork, the Right Reverend Paul Colton was elected as chairperson of the boards for a further three-year period. Although Bishops of Cork are ex officio President of the charity, the chairperson of both the charity and the operating company (which run this residential care facility and its education and outreach activities), are independent roles.

Bishop Colton said that this is both a challenging and exhilarating time to be asked to continue leading this important work for the coming years. He said:

‘Caring for the elderly here is immensely rewarding and a great joy. This is the Gospel in action. It also gives me a hands-on engagement with one aspect of healthcare in our country at a very difficult time, not least because the so-called Fair Deal is so ‘unfair’ and under-funded. ‘

‘However, for us at Saint Luke’s it is a hugely exciting time: it is challenging and exhilarating. Our work is needed more than ever. Our experience in dementia care is valued and others are asking to share in it. Our training courses are proving hugely popular. In a few months’ time we will be opening our new Saint Luke’s Home Education Centre to help others to meet their training needs throughout the region.

At a time when other healthcare facilities are withdrawing beds, we are also planning to open additional dementia beds and to expand our daycare facilities. We are also supporting the Diocese by co-funding a wholetime chaplaincy at Cork University Hospital, the largest hospital in the country. Work on setting up a new Saint Luke’s Home Foundation has already begun.

It is, therefore, an immense privilege to be asked by the two Boards of Directors to lead them for the coming period.’

Saint Luke’s Home Website: www.stlukeshome.ie