21 August 2019

Former Catholic Church Now Serving as Hospice

"Tom and Fran Libous had been through plenty of rough rides in their 40 years of marriage and his 14 terms in the New York State Senate. But nothing matched what confronted them in April 2016, the seventh year of 63-year-old Tom’s battle with prostate cancer. . . .

"A nurse herself, Fran protested that surely she could take Tom home and care for him - until a doctor escorted her into the hallway and out of Tom's earshot. He quietly explained that now was the time to let trained hospice professionals manage Tom's pain and ensure his comfort. Fran should spend her remaining time with him as his wife, rather than as his caregiver. . . .

"Hospice accommodations could be found near the hospital in New York City, but the extensive Libous clan lived hours away in Upstate New York. Fortunately, a new residential hospice facility called Mercy House of the Southern Tier had just opened one month prior in the Binghamton area, and it had a room for him. . . .

"Housed in the former St. Casimir's Roman Catholic Church, Mercy House opened three years ago, its name echoing Pope Francis' designation of 2016 as the 'Year of Mercy.' It's a community care shelter that offers 10 beds to people of all faiths who need end-of-life accommodation.

"The structure's previous purpose as a place of worship foreshadowed its current function. St. Casimir's stained glass windows remain as part of Mercy House, some depicting the corporal works of mercy."

A recent U.S. Catholic article profiled Mercy House and its ministry.

To access the complete U.S. Catholic article, please visit:

U.S. Catholic: In Upstate NY, an old church becomes a new home for hospice patients (August 2019)

Background information:

Mercy House of the Southern Tier (Endicott, NY)

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