Governor-General at Blessing of Calvary Adelaide Hospital

10th March 2020

Calvary national CEO, Martin Bowles, and the Chair of the Calvary Board, Jim Birch, together with His Excellency General the Honorable David Hurley AC DSC (Retd) Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia and The Most Reverend Gregory O’Kelly Apostolic Administrator of the Archdiocese of Adelaide and Bishop of Port Pirie will today officially open and bless the new Calvary Adelaide Hospital.

There also will be a traditional smoking ceremony from Kaurna and Narrunga man, Jack Buckskin.

A relative of Jack, the late Mary Joan Buckskin nee Karpany, was the first Indigenous Registered Nurse to graduate from Calvary North Adelaide Hospital in the late 1970s.

Mary was instrumental in South Australia’s bipartisan signing of the Oxfam Closing the Gap Statement of Intent to address Aboriginal health inequities. Calvary Adelaide Hospital now houses the Mary Buckskin Auditorium on Level 1 in tribute to her monumental contribution to improving health outcomes for Aboriginal people within South Australia and across the whole country.

The official opening, preceded by the Blessing of the hospital by Bishop O’Kelly Apostolic marks a significant day for Calvary’s largest healthcare investment in Australia.

In the Catholic tradition, blessing is a rite of dedication and a petition for God’s favour. In this instance, it is a particular recommitment of the Calvary community to bring wholeness and health to all those we serve. As with the Kaurna smoking ceremony, the rite is understood to free hearts and endeavours from evil (or life-sapping) influences.

Mr Bowles acknowledged the importance for each hospital within the Calvary network to be blessed.

“Calvary South Australia has been caring for South Australians since 1900. We are incredibly proud of our history here in South Australia and today marks a special day for the entire Calvary community as we continue to deliver the highest quality, compassionate healthcare,” Mr Bowles said.

Calvary Adelaide Hospital features 16 state-of-the-art operating theatres, including five dedicated day surgery theatres, Adelaide’s first hybrid theatre, two angiography laboratories and four procedural rooms.

Calvary Adelaide Hospital also houses many consulting tenancies with more than 70 specialist doctors now conducting their practices on the site. Other features include:

  • 344 beds
  • 66-day patient beds
  • The only 24/7 Emergency Department in South Australia
  • Onsite radiology and pathology
  • Retail pharmacy

Calvary Adelaide Hospital is one of three Calvary hospitals in South Australia. The others are Calvary North Adelaide and Calvary Central Districts.