VATICAN APPOINTS CHAIR OF CHA ROWENA MCNALLY FROM AUSTRALIA

Catholic Communications, Sydney Archdiocese, 

6 May 2013

CHA Chair Rowena McNally with Fr Piotr Supierz and Archbishop Zydmunt Zimowzski in Sydney last month

The Vatican has appointed Rowena McNally, Chair of the Stewards Board of Catholic Health Australia (CHA) as a board director of the International Committee of Catholic Health Care Institutions where she will join other Catholic health leaders from around the globe as a member of this important Pontifical body. 

The appointment was announced at the weekend by President of the Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers, Archbishop Zygmunt Zimowski who returned to Rome after an 11-day visit to Australia two weeks ago.

During his time in Australia, Archbishop Zimowski visited Catholic hospitals and aged care facilities in Sydney. During his seven-day visit to the city he visited the St Vincent's Hospital campus at Darlinghurst. There he toured the newly-opened Kinghorn Cancer Centre as well as the Garvan Institute, a world leader in medical research, and visited staff and patients in both St Vincent's public and private hospital.

A guest of CHA, Archbishop Zimowski took time out during his visit to Sydney to pray at the tomb of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop. He was also keynote speaker at the Catholic Health Governance Conference which was held in Manly. After addressing delegates from across the country at the Conference, he travelled to West Australia where he visited Catholic hospitals in Perth and aged care facilities there.

Archbishop Zimowski visited St Vincent's Hopsital and says Catholic health and aged care services in Australia are in the best hands

The Archbishop was accompanied Msrg Darius Giers and Fr Piotr Supierz from the Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers. On the eve of their departure, Archbishop Zimowski said as soon as he returned to Rome he would tell Pope Francis that Australia's Catholic health and aged care system were in the "very best of hands."

Now two weeks later, he has announced the appointment of Rowena McNally, chair of CHA to the board of the International Committee of Healthcare Institutions.

Ms McNally who took over as chair of CHA in August last year, describes the appointment as first and foremost a recognition of the reputation Catholic health and aged care services in Australia have at the Vatican.

CHA represents 75 Catholic private and public hospitals across Australia as well as 550 residential and community aged care facilities and Ms McNally says Church leaders worldwide are increasingly aware of their outstanding work and of the ongoing expansion of the CHA family.

"Church leaders internationally are also very much aware of the positive relationships CHA has with state, territory and Commonwealth governments," she says.

Archbishop Zygunt Zimowski gives comfort to a patient at St Vincent's Hospital, Darlinghurst

Ms McNally was one of five directorial appointments announced by Archbishop Zimowski to the Committee of Catholic Health Care Institutions. In addition to Australia, appointees to the Board include Catholic health representatives from Italy, India, Canada and Uganda.

CHA's chief executive, Martin Laverty described Ms McNally's vast experience in the law, in government-appointed positions and in Church-aligned roles as great asset to the International Committee of Catholic Health Care Institutions.

"We consider ourselves very lucky to have someone of Rowena's calibre assisting CHA in our mission, and we now see that her skills have been recognised by our friends at the Vatican," he said this morning.

"Rowena's appointment, as a lay woman, can also be seen as recognition of the crucial role women - especially religious women - have played in the development of Catholic health and aged care, as well as the emerging influence of lay women and men in leadership roles as Catholic ministries adapt to the changing landscape of religious life."

SHARED FROM ARCHDIOCESE OF SYDNEY