Tribute paid to Knights’ legacy of service as aged care provider gets new custodian
By Wendy Shaw
The transfer of custodianship of the state’s largest aged care provider, from the Tasmanian Knights of the Southern Cross to the Archdiocese of Hobart, has been warmly welcomed.
A letter about the change to the membership structure, sent to residents, staff and stakeholders dated 23 February, from Southern Cross Care’s chair Sonya Beyers and CEO Esteban Cox, said that it was ‘business as usual’.
The letter said in part: “We want to assure you that the focus remains on the continued delivery of Southern Cross Care (Tasmania) mission and there will be no impact to operational effectiveness from this change in membership.
“We pay tribute to the Tasmanian Knights of Southern Cross Care for the last 50 years of hard work and diligence in making the organisation what it is today. We thank them for the important legacy they have created in Tasmania and look forward to ensuring Southern Cross Care (Tasmania) missional activities continue well into the future.”
The move is seen as a symbolic gesture which acknowledges that the Archdiocese is in the best position to continue as the ultimate custodian of the aged care provider.
The Knights are an organisation of Catholic laymen who set up Southern Cross Care more than 50 years ago to provide aged care services.
However, state chairman of the Knights of the Southern Cross, Steve Coleman, said that with an ageing and declining membership, the time had come to hand over custodianship.
“We needed to find a solution where we could pass on the guardianship of Southern Cross Care into safe hands that would protect its Catholic identity as well as keep it Tasmanian and also contribute to ongoing improvements, success and growth,” Mr Coleman said.
“We were praying for a guidance in how to resolve the dilemma. We needed to honour the work of all those Knights past and present who have worked tirelessly across Tasmania volunteering and fund raising to establish the large organisation that everyone sees today.
“The Holy Spirit answered our prayer when Archbishop Julian … [suggested] the Archdiocese become the guardian of Southern Cross Care. That was a joyful meeting and an answer to our prayers.”
Since then, the Knights had carried out extensive collaboration and consultation with its members, the Archdiocese and the board to facilitate the transition.
Archbishop Julian Porteous thanked the Knights of the Southern Cross for their many years of service to the Catholic community in Tasmania.
“The Tasmanian Knights of Southern Cross Care are to be recognised and congratulated for their years of hard work and we thank them for the important legacy they have created in the state,” Archbishop Julian said.
In a statement, Ms Beyers said: “On behalf of the Board of Southern Cross Care, I pay tribute to the Tasmanian Knights of Southern Cross and pledge to continue their legacy of service to the elderly in Tasmania.”
Mr Coleman praised “the absolutely remarkable men who are our brothers in the Knights of the Southern Cross, who went to extraordinary effort despite illnesses and other inhibitors, to contribute to the success of this transition”.
He also said that the “unrelenting trust, confidence and respect” of those involved in the transition, including Archbishop Julian, AOH Executive Director Chris Ryan, the board of Southern Cross Care, and particularly Ms Beyers and Mr Cox was “applaudable and heartening”.