Capital Campaign

Holy Spirit Westcourt – Bethlehem Redevelopment

Holy Spirit Care Services is a not for profit charitable organisation touching the lives of people and caring for the frail, aged, disadvantaged and seniors since 1962.

The organisation is owned by the Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters, an international group of Catholic women living and working in more than 40 countries.

Their ministries cover a wide range of services in education, health care, spirituality, pastoral care, community and personal development, justice, peace and environmental issues.

In 1962 the sisters opened Holy Spirit Home for the Aged at Carseldine.  Holy Spirit Home is now one of the largest, oldest and most respected aged care facilities in Australia having pioneered innovative mission ventures through values leadership.  It is one of three Queensland facilities in the Holy Spirit Care Services group, which also includes Holy Spirit Bethlehem, Holy Spirit Mary Potter and Holy Spirit Coral Sea Gardens in Cairns.

Holy Spirit Care Services acquired Diocesan Aged Care (which included Bethlehem Home for the Aged) in November 2006 from the Catholic Diocese of Cairns.

The decision was based on an identified need to maintain Catholic Aged Care services in the region and Holy Spirit Care Services received considerable community support and acknowledgement for its decision.  Holy Spirit Care Services negotiated to purchase the facilities and have since undertaken a project to consider all possible options for the rebuilding of Bethlehem Home.

This includes the major redevelopment of the site as a ‘State of the Art’ aged care and senior living complex.

Bethlehem Home was built in 1968 and has had only minor renovations performed throughout its life.

The design and functionality of the building is no longer suitable for maintaining the efficiency of service delivery or meeting the increasing expectations of our community for improved accommodation services.
The rebuilding of Bethlehem Home will be an example of person centred care and a benchmark for how we should be caring for those in our community who need compassionate care and service.

The new Bethlehem Home is Stage 1 of the $100m Holy Spirit Westcourt redevelopment project.  This project will not only support real choice in meeting the future needs of the Cairns elderly but also provide sustainable employment for Cairns people which flows through to supporting the general community and local economy.

At the launch of the Holy Spirit Westcourt development project a challenge was placed before the Cairns community to match the contributions made by the Diocese of Cairns and the Sisters of Mercy, and raise a further $250,000 towards a target of $500,000 to fund necessary equipment, furniture and fittings required for the care and comfort of Bethlehem’s residents.

If you value the change that Holy Spirit Care Services is providing to residential aged care in the Cairns region, and would like to consider offering a gift, please contact me for further information.

Ailsa Brown
Community Programs Manager Holy Spirit Care Services
Phone 07 3863 5232
Mobile 0427 721 725
P.O. Box 429
WESTCOURT QLD 4870
Email: abrown@holyspirit.com.au