Appeal by Our Lady Queen of Peace Franciscan Province in Southern Africa

By Br Ashley Tillek, OFM – May the Lord give you peace! I write to you today to ask for your help. Our Province of Our Lady Queen of Peace in Southern Africa is increasingly having to face the challenge of sick and aged friars. The cost of providing for their care in retirement and medical care facilities is becoming more and more expensive and is, unfortunately, not provided for by any insurance scheme in which we are enrolled. This results in a very heavy burden on our already stretched financial resources.

Faced with this situation, we have concluded that, in as far as possible, we would like to provide appropriate accommodation for our sick and aged brothers in one of our own friaries. This would allow them to be cared for in a fraternal environment where they will be able to participate in some of the activities of the fraternity and be accompanied by friars in this the last stage of their lives. We believe that this project would considerably reduce the present costs of frail care which we are having to face, as well as providing a quality of care which is somewhat lacking now.

Our plan is to convert four rooms in one of buildings of the present Postulancy House into medicalised rooms. The Postulancy House, situated on the outskirts of Pretoria, benefits from a large garden and is in pleasant surroundings in a quiet neighbourhood.

There is easy access to local medical facilities for the brothers who will need the attention of doctors and other medical personnel. The friary, besides being a Postulancy, is also a place for meetings and gatherings of the Province, and so the sick and aged brothers would be able to enjoy regular visits from our brothers. This is not the case in the facilities in which these brothers presently reside.

The estimated cost for the conversion of one of the buildings into medicalised rooms is in the region of Euro 50.000. The conversion work will be closely supervised by Brother Siphelele Gwanisheni, OFM and by myself, since I do have some experience in this domain.

It will, of course, be necessary for us to hire a qualified nurse to assist in looking after the sick and aged friars. Our Province undertakes to provide for this aspect of the project.

I would be very happy to provide you with more details of the plans and costs should you think that you can assist us with a project of this nature. This is simply a first approach.

We would be immensely grateful for any help you can give us to realise this project in favour of those who have so faithfully served the Church and the Order in Southern Africa.

With every best wish, I am,

Yours Fraternally,

Br Ashley Tillek, OFM
Development Office (Our Lady Queen of Peace Province)