News

Give the Gift of Spiritual Care

We are deeply grateful for the €58,000 we received in response to our Spiritual Care Centre appeal last November.

During the past year we welcomed hundreds of people, many of whom were experiencing bereavement and loss, burnout, recovery from treatment or life-limiting illness.

Guests on Support Breaks were offered one-to-one sessions on a donation basis, with listening support and advice on meditations and contemplations beneficial for all, regardless of background.

Please take a moment to read Sadhbh’s moving testimonial (below).

Sadhbh’s experience with her husband Sam and their friends says so much about the benefits of a stay at the Spiritual Care Centre and the importance of financial support: “The Spiritual Care Fund is a lifeline for people in our situation.”

We aspire to help more guests like Sadhbh and Sam to come to the Spiritual Care Centre for respite but our Spiritual Care Fund was already depleted by last August.

We need €80,000 if we are to meet demand for Support Breaks in the year ahead. Can you help?

If you wish to help please make a one-off donation here to ‘Support the Spiritual Care Centre’.

Or find our bank details here to make a bank transfer or set-up a direct debit.

Whatever you can afford will help us to help those who are navigating the greatest of life’s challenges.

If you would like to make a donation to the Spiritual Care Centre you can do so in your name, the name of a loved one, or of somebody who has passed away.

See here for details on making a bank transfer or to set up a standing order.

A word from Kirsten DeLeo from our Spiritual Care Centre team

Sadhbh and Sam’s Care Break

Early in 2023, I attended a free Carers Course at the Spiritual Care Centre. It was my first time in the building, and I was very impressed; it was accessible and spacious, and its attention to detail was excellent. There was an atmosphere of peace, care, and deep understanding. I had never experienced a sense of coming home in a building before.

My husband Sam has progressive multiple sclerosis. He needs full-time care and has been unable to travel for a holiday in 10 years. When I saw the building, I knew that here was a place that could accommodate his physical and spiritual needs.

It took a lot of organising and many people to make this trip happen. I brought a small team with me, including a full-time carer, a friend to share the driving, and three other friends to support us. The Red Cross helped with the loan of a wheelchair-accessible van.

I care for my husband full-time. I could not have financially attended the course, or we could not have stayed in the Spiritual Care Centre without the help of the Spiritual Care Fund. It is a lifeline for people in our situation.

The team did everything possible to make our visit comfortable and memorable. We brought Sam’s bed into the conservatory, where he could experience the full moon and sunrise over the ocean. He could hear the sound of the waves, the feel of the ocean breeze, and the smell of the saltwater. He never thought he would have the opportunity to experience these sensations in his lifetime again.

We meditated in the beautiful and peaceful meditation room. We cooked in the kitchen and ate together at the large table. We had a lot of fun. These sound like simple things, but for us in our lives, they were monumental.

I feel such gratitude to have been able to have experienced this time with Sam and our friends. Although we were at the Spiritual Care Centre for only four days, we felt we had been there for weeks. We all felt rested, spacious, and peaceful when we left. It was a dream come true.