Bishop calls for hospice funds

PUBLIC health authorities who finance abortions, but fail to fund effectively hospices for the dying were criticised last week by Bishop David Konstant of Leeds.
Preaching at a Mass of Thanksgiving in Leeds Town Hall to mark the tenth anniversary of St Gemma's Hospice, Moortown, Leeds, the bishop remarked that only 5.6 per cent of running costs were contributed to St Gemma's by local Area Health Authorities which are "so ready to finance abortions in National Health hospitals."
Bishop Konstant took the opportunity to thank those who helped with the running of St Gemma's especially the siters of the Cross and Passion Order who run the home for the dying. He also commented how the sisters' concern for life should be reflected in society as a whole.
"Newly conceived human life can be legally destroyed before birth up to the 28th week of pregnancy ...It is said that 98 per cent of all abortions are performed in this country for so-called social reasons. If this is the measure of the way society values life, the moral and spiritual health of our nation is in a sad way," said the bishop.
At the other end of the spectrum Bishop Konstant made reference to those who are facing death saying that hospices such as St Gemma's testified to the fact that "dying is a centre piece of living."
"It is because a hospice speaks so clearly and positively about the living that it can care so genuinely for the dying", he added.
Bishop Konstant reserved special thanks to private patrons of the hospice who together meet three quarters of its running costs in the absence of effective Health Authority funding.