“St. Luke’s Hospital in Bolesławiec” is the new name of the Bolesławiec county hospital. According to Catholic tradition, Luke was one of the authors of the Bible, the religious book of Christians. The same Bible indicates that Luke was also a physician, while other writings state that he was a painter.
Several hospitals in Poland bear this name. From 7 April, the Bolesławiec facility on Jeleniogórska Street will also be called this. The head of the Legnica diocese, Bishop Andrzej Siemieniewski, was invited to the ceremony and will perform the blessing.
– The decision on the hospital’s name was mine. St. Luke is the patron saint of physicians and is associated with good hospitals in Poland and around the world. The name St. Luke has positive associations; this is for marketing reasons – says Kamil Barczyk, director of the county hospital.
The Bolesławiec county head, meaning the head of the county that owns the hospital, was asked why the name would be associated with a particular religion. He immediately answered with a question: – Because most Poles are Catholics?!
Later, Tomasz Gabrysiak added: – Besides, St. Luke is the patron saint of physicians. It is a branding name. The old name, Zespół Opieki Zdrowotnej w Bolesławcu, remains in the statutes.
Both men nevertheless acknowledge that the Catholic Church, of which Luke is a saint, does not contribute anything at all to financing the hospital.
– The Church does not give money to the hospital, at least I have no knowledge of that – says Tomasz Gabrysiak.
– The Church does not contribute to financing the hospital. In fact, the opposite is true: we have to employ a chaplain and maintain a chapel; these are statutory obligations. We are financed mainly from National Health Fund resources – adds Kamil Barczyk.
So why will the Bolesławiec facility, which is developing and receiving increasingly better assessments, promote a Catholic saint even though its money comes from the secular state and not the Church? Will the name really add anything to the hospital, or will the hospital and the people employed there instead build the Church’s image?
We asked the Bishop of Legnica, Andrzej Siemieniewski, whether the Catholic Church would co-finance the hospital’s operations. Have collections been held, or will they be held, in parishes in Bolesławiec County for the hospital? Does the diocesan curia and His Excellency foresee providing financial support to the facility?
We received the following response from the press spokesperson for the Diocese of Legnica:
The Bishop of Legnica received an invitation to the ceremony marking the Bolesławiec hospital’s adoption of the name St. Luke from the hospital management and the authorities of Bolesławiec County.
Regarding financing the facility, please direct the question to the managing authority – the County Office.
Regards,
Rev. Waldemar Wesołowski