St. Clare Hospice

Before St. Francis’ conversion, he was sickened by the sight of lepers. After he began listening to God speak to his heart he, one day, reached out and touched the leper. In helping his eyes on the leper, in thinking only of this person before him, he forgot himself. Francis was able to embrace the leper with love and happiness. Today those with AIDS are often treated as the leper during the time of St. Francis.

At St. Clare Hospice, the patients are embraced with that same love and happiness in which St. Francis embrace the leper.
St. Clare AIDS Hospice for terminally ill and the dying is a Franciscan response to the signs of the time. Seeing a great need to care for the poor who were dying with AIDS, the friars in Thailand decided to open St. Clare’s House on the premises of The Garden of Gospel Peace. St. Clare Hospice adds a perfect blending to the Franciscan charism of action and contemplation. St. Clare House received its first patients on July 5, 1993.

We provide a clean, dignified and caring home for the dying. The criterias for admission are simple: patients must be poor, homeless and diagnosed as being in the final stage of AIDS disease. Daily patient care is provided by skilled nurses from the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul. The sisters are assisted by other helpers, both paid and volunteer. The friars and sisters are available for spiritual assistance and guidance when needed.

Generally our patients are men and woman ranging in age from twenty-five to sixty. The hospice is supported by Thai Government, Missionzentrale and local friends and benefactors.