Vilnius, Lithuania, Easter 2010
Dear Friends in Jesus Christ,
RENOVATION OF THE BLESSED FATHER MICHAEL SOPOCKO HOSPICE IN VILNIUS, LITHUANIA
Responding to the needs of individuals coming towards the end of life and the desire of Cardinal Audrys Backis of Lithuania to meet their needs by opening a hospice in Lithuania, the Congregation of the Sisters of Merciful Jesus accepted the Cardinal’s request to create the first hospice in this country. From the bottom of my heart, I would like to ask you on behalf of the dying to assist us in raising the necessary finances for renovating the building dedicated for this purpose.
The hospice was named after Blessed Father Michael Sopocko and was opened in Vilnius in February 2009 during a conference in which over 150 people took part. After the conference a large number of volunteers - doctors, physiotherapists and nurses came forward offering to help in caring for people at the end of their lives. I have organised training for volunteers in Vilnius and in our hospices in Poland. Our volunteers also met the Apostolic Nuncio, Luigi Bonazzi who celebrated Mass in our chapel on the first Feast Day of Blessed Father Michael Sopocko.
Since this project began, I have been trying to explain the importance of caring for people at the end of life to different health and religious groups in Lithuania during lectures, conferences, TV and radio interviews and in newspapers.
Together with the renovation of the hospice building, the Hospice in Vilnius started caring for individuals in the community. Every day we go to people diagnosed with terminal illnesses to care for them in their homes. We have received equipment and medication from Poland. From the 11th February to the end of the year 2009, we had cared for eighteen individuals in the community hospice. Currently we help nine people in their homes and one bedbound patient is cared for in our convent.
I hope that the current situation which I am describing to you, will demonstrate the importance of constant care for individuals towards the end of life in a hospice in Lithuania. Sick individuals without specific care suffer tremendously. This is what we experience every day in caring for them in Vilnius and in the surrounding areas. I am afraid to say that in Lithuania there has not been any hospice and a number of people die without proper support. For that reason, the Blessed Father Michael Sopocko’s Hospice will be the first hospice in Lithuania providing important support for individuals towards the end of life. Our Congregation of the Sisters of Merciful Jesus is creating the hospice based on many years experience gained during establishing and managing our Hospice of Saint Camillus in Gorzow Wielkopolski in Poland. I have personally managed the hospice for the last 13 years.
At present, renovation work has been carried out inside the building and we have already paid out 10,000 Euros. The first phase of the renovation will cost 450,000 Lithuania’s Litas, which is about 131,000 Euros and should be accomplished in May this year. Please find enclosed some pictures from the first phase of the renovation.
Afterwards, we will start the next phase which will include electrical works, plumbing, installing lifts and decorating. After the renovation work is finished, we will be looking into installing medical equipment in rooms, hospital beds and furniture. The estimated cost of the renovation would be 866,082 Euros.
In conclusion, I would like to say that we accepted this Divine Mercy work with hope to consider the needs of the dying and to help them to prepare for death with dignity and love. This is why, we will endeavour to create for them a loving and prayerful environment in which they can prepare for their departure from this world into the next.
I am writing this letter with hope – ‘Help Us To Bring HOPE To The Dying’
In the love of Jesus and Mary,
Sister Michaela Rak
Project Coordinator
BREAKDOWN OF COSTS:
1. Architectural projects, experts, and authorizations of the project: 80,538 Litas = 23,300 Euros
2. The overall cost of the renovation of the hospice: 2,699,103.80 Litas = 782,348 Euros
3. The cost of equipment (including furniture, hospital beds, medical equipment, fitting for
toilets, kitchens, laundry rooms, wheelchairs, oxygen tanks, antibacterial lamps, hoists: 174,000 Litas = 50,434 Euros
Total the cost: 866,082 Euros
NB. The Congregation of the Sisters of Merciful Jesus was founded in 1941 by Blessed Father Michael Sopocko the Spiritual Director of Saint Faustina. Visit our website at http://www.faustina-message.com/
