Palliative care by Caritas Christi continues healing ministry of Jesus

Music, art, joy, humour and beauty. For most people, these aren’t the words that come to mind when they think of a facility dedicated to palliative and end-of-life care. But that’s exactly what Archbishop Peter A Comensoli encountered when he visited Caritas Christi, a specialist palliative care service run by St Vincent’s in the eastern suburb of Kew.

‘Warmth and light—these are the first things you notice when you enter Caritas,’ said Eleni Haramis, Pastoral Care Manager at St Vincent’s, who has worked at Caritas Christi for over a decade.

Warmth and light are part of the built environment, which has all patient rooms on the ground floor, with large opening doors and patios filled with native plants. ‘People who are dying always appreciate being able to experience the natural environment, see the sky and borrowed landscape, and experience the freshness of outside air,’ said Associate Professor Mark Boughey, Director of Palliative Medicine at St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne. And the architecture of the facility makes that happen.

At Caritas Christi, Associate Professor Boughey works with a team of nearly 100 medical, nursing, allied health and hospitality staff.

During his visit, one of Archbishop Comensoli’s reflections was how the warmth and light of the facility is also reflected through the staff. ‘A team of people deeply committed to caring for their patients was a daily reminder of the mission of St Vincent’s—continuing the healing ministry of Jesus,’ shared the Archbishop.

That mission was first expressed in Australia in 1838 when five Sisters of Charity arrived from Ireland in Sydney and immediately started providing care to those most in need: women in prison. This was the first Australian episode of a long legacy of their courageous and compassionate care. The Sisters opened their first hospital in Melbourne in 1893 and then established Caritas Christi in 1938—Victoria’s first inpatient palliative care service—in response to a need for dedicated end-of-life care services.

Each time Caritas was rebuilt it was in response to new needs, and new discoveries about how best to provide palliative and end-of-life care.

‘The facility was the first of its type in Victoria and has been rebuilt four times in its history,’ explained Associate Professor Boughey. ‘Each time Caritas was rebuilt it was in response to new needs, and new discoveries about how best to provide palliative and end-of-life care.’

Those needs remain today. A 2022 report on the Sustainability of Palliative Care in Victoria found that 75% of providers do not believe they can meet future demand for palliative care, which is anticipated to rise by 50%. But it’s not just meeting needs that’s important, it’s how they’re met.

Caritas Christi is on the forefront of best practice when it comes to palliative and end-of-life care. ‘When it comes to the end-of-life, health care priorities change,’ said Caroline Scott, End of Life Care Program Manager at Caritas Christi.

‘It is important for us to know the values and preferences of our patients, so we can provide care and treatment that aligns with these.’

And all this care is patient-directed: what they want, their preferences.

Some prioritise time with family. Some engage with the arts. Some listen to music. Some play with their grandkids. Some enjoy meals they’ve long loved. Some laugh, some cry. Some reconcile with estranged family or friends. Some reconcile with their past. Within the walls of Caritas Christi, all of this is made possible through the accompaniment of a remarkable group of St Vincent’s staff, and the best health care expertise available.

Archbishop Comensoli reflected on one of the many stories of care he heard while at Caritas Christi. ‘A young mother dying from cancer, and her husband and two young children coming to terms with it, became a particular time of grace, despite the tragedy,’ he shared.

‘Through the team’s efforts at Caritas Christi, the young mother was able to watch her children play nearby, listening to their laughter, and feeling the love of family, even to the moment of her death. That’s the healing ministry of Jesus, and the accompaniment throughout a whole-of-life journey. It shows what’s possible in end-of-life care when it’s done well.’

The Archbishop also spent time in prayer with a number of Catholic patients at the hospice. ‘That was a beautiful experience,’ reflected Archbishop Comensoli. ‘When I returned from seeing the patients, one of the St Vincent’s pastoral carers said I was “lit up”—and it was true.’

‘Today’s visit was a great gift to my own priestly ministry, and I was humbled to have been able to accompany these people and their families—even if just briefly—at this time. It is important that we keep our families, and the staff of Caritas Christi in prayer.

‘This work, and this place, enables the heart of Christ to shine among us when we are in most need.’

That’s the healing ministry of Jesus, and the accompaniment throughout a whole-of-life journey. It shows what’s possible in end-of-life care when it’s done well.

New discoveries are also part of the Caritas Christi ecosystem. The centre was the location for an Australian-first: a St Vincent’s study which considered the use of psilocybin—a compound found in magic mushrooms—as part of a therapeutic response to anxiety in patients nearing the end of life. The study was the focus of an Australian Story profile in 2023.

‘This kind of innovation is as much about the past as it is about today,’ said Dr Dan Fleming, who leads ethics and formation for St Vincent’s. ‘The Sisters of Charity were incredible caregivers, and they were also at the leading edge of innovation. When it comes to end-of-life care, we continue both aspects of that legacy today,’ he said.

Caritas Christi is a public facility and—true to the vision of its founders—provides care to anyone who needs it. People of all faiths and none; high and low income, all are cared for in the facility with the same compassion and excellence. Morgan Sterley, a St Vincent’s nurse who recently chose to focus on palliative and end-of-life care, reflected on the way the founder of the Sisters of Charity inspired this way of caring.

‘One of Mary Aikenhead’s ambitions was that the poor would receive for love what the rich get for money. And I’ve seen that made real here,’ said Morgan. ‘All people are treated with the same care, no matter who they are.’

Patients and families come from all over Victoria to receive care at Caritas Christi. And it’s connected to the broader St Vincent’s health network in Melbourne, including the main hospital in Fitzroy.

‘It’s special being part of St Vincent’s. To be able to provide care with creativity and compassion, especially in life’s most fragile moments. It’s a privilege,’ said Associate Professor Boughey.

Public debate around end-of-life care often becomes dominated by contentious issues like euthanasia, which can overshadow the compassionate, beautiful work happening every day in places like Caritas Christi.

As demand for high quality palliative and end of life care continues to grow, Caritas Christi remains a profound gift to the community from Catholic ministries such as St Vincent’s.