My daughter was taught by the Daughter’s of the Cross and last week qualified as a Doctor; but  I think that the Daughter's are right to sell St. Anthony’s Hospital. 

The question is why the Church has not helped them to sell this world class hospital, originally built for the NHS, sooner?  In this country we have an NHS, private medical care is for a few – the Catholic Church is for all. 

The mission of the Daughter’s is about the love of Jesus and by loving and serving Him working with the poorest and weakest and most suffering people. 

This is best seen in their quiet work with: those at the end of life, at the school for children with moderate to profound disabilities, together with their care and support of disabled people with long term health conditions and of course locally in maintaining an ethos of Christian hope & charity  in the young at St. Philomena’s High School for Girls, Carshalton.

These are difficult times for Christians who seek to profess their true faith and belief. I also know from personal experience, and as a Christian that NHS provision for end of life care and maternity services can often have little respect for our Catholic belief. 

However these are not services directly  offered by St. Anthony’s.  Which is why the sale of St. Anthony’s is something that should now pass without party political campaigning by a former health minister who has failed to protect local mainstream NHS services for the majority.

The real story here is that the Daughters have always looked to see how they can best serve Christ, by serving their community - let us have faith that with the sale of St. Anthony's they will be better able to focus on spreading the good news and increasing supporters.

Alexandra Ankrah
Cheam


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