On 17 March 2023, the St John of God
Care Centre in Malaga celebrated the opening of its first centenary under the
theme "100 years with you". A centenary dedicated to caring for
people with mental health problems and disabilities in Malaga, but also in the
whole of Andalusia, as a referral centre for the treatment and hospital
admission of these patients.
It was inaugurated with the
celebration of the Eucharist presided over by Mgr Jesús E. Catalá, the Bishop
of Málaga, concelebrated with the Prior General of the Order of St John of God,
Brother Jesús Etayo and the Provincial Superior of Spain, Brother Amador
Fernández, and other priests of the Order and the diocese.
Then there was time for
speeches by Brother Jesús Etayo, the territorial delegate for Health and
Consumer Affairs, Dr. Carlos Bautista, the second vice-president of the Malaga
Provincial Council, Natacha Rivas, the territorial delegate for Social
Inclusion, Ruth Sarabia and the Mayor of Malaga, Francisco de la Torre, who on
behalf of the city thanked and congratulated the entire St John of God Family
on its "100th birthday" and for the mission it has been performing to
this day at the service of people with mental health problems. Earlier, Brother
Jesús Etayo had stressed that "mental health continues to be one of the
most important needs of today's society and a real priority, just as it was 100
years ago. For this reason, the Order of St John of God will continue to
support care in this area in Malaga, providing
the resources at its disposal to carry forward this work,” and asked the
public social and health care authorities of Malaga and Andalusia for their
help and collaboration, “by improving existing agreements and bearing in mind
that while the Order was a private institution, it was a not-for-profit entity,
with a public service vocation, our mission being to serve and care for the
health of the citizens". The Prior General thanked the Hospitaller Family
and the people of Malaga for the concern they had always shown for the most vulnerable
people, adding that "It is our wish that this Centre, like every other
centre of the Order in so many different territories throughout the world, can
continue performing its mission for a long time to come".
One of the most moving moments
in the celebration was provided by patient in f the Mental Health Unit for the
past 8 years, who expressed his thanks for the professionals who champion the
value of Hospitality in this St John of God Centre, "by the way they
become involved with us and how they treat us. I have stayed in many places,
but it is in this centre that I feel more stable", he explained. After the
speeches, Brothers Jesús Etayo and Amador Fernández unveiled a plaque
commemorating the Centenary on the façade of the emblematic Nadales building,
where the Order first began its care work in 1923.
For the occasion a
photographic exhibition was also inaugurated in the greenhouse in the centre's
gardens; a special place which is enjoyed by the users and patients of the
centre and which over the next few days will be hosting this exhibition of
photographs of the early years of the centre, a fledgling 'San José Sanatorium'
founded in March 1923 to respond to the lack of psychiatric care provision in
those days. The celebration concluded with refreshments in the gardens, around
the greenhouse.
