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On Thursday, August 14th,
2003, the Living Water Community Hospice celebrated its 20th
Anniversary with an Open House; and a Thanksgiving Mass which was held on
Saturday, August 16 at the LWC Chapel. Long Service Awards were given
out to the many, many persons who have
given faithful and caring service to the Hospice over these 20 years.
Special tribute was paid to
Gloria Maul, who has been the Matron of the LWC Hospice from
its inception and to Dr Richard Clerk, the Doctor in charge. They have both
been trained in Hospice care and have been in service to the many people who
have come and received great comfort.
Gloria Maul, Matron
Special thanks and God's
blessings to  all
those who work at the Hospice, the many volunteers, all in household, our
many benefactors and all those who support us in prayer.
May God be thanked and
praised for the 20 years of committed service to His people and for many,
many more years of faithful loving service.
(Click here
for audio of Homily by Fr Mike de Verteuil at Thanksgiving Mass)
History and Beginning of
Hospice
The Community heard the
Lord's challenge to be open to the needs of his people and to care for those
who were terminally ill. "The poor would die in the arms of the rich".
A prophecy that has been fulfilled.
Early in 1983, Dr Richard
Lamberton, a pioneer in Hospice
ministry and care of the dying gave a seminar and visited our Community to
teach us about this wonderful ministry.
The physical, spiritual and
training preparations were well on the way, and Deo, the first patient, was
admitted on August 14, 1983. Since then, there has been a steady
stream of people being cared for at the Hospice.
The Hospice for those who
came there is a great support for the broken body of Jesus - truly "the gate
of heaven" (Genesis 28:17). And so it has been a great
privilege for us to prepare hundreds of souls for the ultimate moment of
their lives.
Aim and Mission
The Aim and Mission of the
Hospice of the Living Water Community is to care for socially deprived
people, who are terminally ill and have no one to care for them. It is
to offer support - spiritual and emotional - in the care of the dying
person.
Hospice care affords a dying
person the comfort of never being alone and pain controlled death.
The approach of the Hospice
is to make each patient peaceful in mind and comfortable in body. It
is to help them live with maximum quality of life until death.
The care given involves
counselling of the family and in some cases arranging for a Christian
funeral.
Who Can Be Admitted
 Who can be admitted to the
Hospice? Anyone with terminal cancer or someone who is terminal and
cannot be cared for at home in the time of great need.
How can someone be admitted?
Anyone terminally ill, in need and socially deprived can be admitted with a
letter from his or her doctor to the Doctor in charge of the Hospice - Dr
Richard Clerk.
Dedication
The Hospice is dedicated to
St Maximilian Kolbe. This was inspired when the Saint appeared one
night to a dying woman,
who had no faith. St Maximilian told her that he was sent to prepare
her for the final banquet. He told her his name - Maximilian Kolbe.
This patient died a very peaceful and holy death. It was this saint
who spent his time in the concentration camp during World War 11, preparing
people for death and eventually he himself suffered martyrdom. St
Maximilian had a wonderful devotion to the Heart of Mary and this is the
essence of devotion in the Hospice.
Prayer to St Maximilian Kolbe
Almighty and eternal God you
gave us in the person of
Saint Maximilian an example of true devotion to the
Immaculate Mother of our Saviour and of unselfish
love for our neighbour.
Grant we beseech you his intercession that we may
grow in our understanding and love of the Immaculata,
that we may recognize her presence, her voice, her love
and her power with us, and be filled with an ardent desire
to fulfill her will in every detail, and thus become sharers
and true instruments of her most perfect response to you
in the Holy Spirit.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
St Maximilian - Pray for Us!
Mary Immaculate Heart - Pray for Us!
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