Na srečanju stanovalcev Doma matere Romane in njihovih sorodnikov ali njihovih legalnih predstavnikov v Kew v soboto, 15. septembra 2012, ob 2. uri popoldne, je bila sporočena odločitev, da se Dom matere Romane kot 'Nursing Home' zapre.
V nedeljo, 16. septembra, je bila ta odločitev sporočena občestvu po sveti maši v Kew. V ponedeljek, 17. septembra 2012, so bili s to odločitvijo in z novimi možnostmi zaposlitve seznanjeni zaposleni v Domu matere Romane. Zvečer istega dne je bila seja Pastoralnega sveta Slovenskega misijona v Kew.
V torek, 17. septembra 2012, je o zaprtju DMR poročal slovenski program Radia SBS in v sredo zvečer Radio 3 ZZZ.
V nedeljo, 23. septembra 2012, bo pogovor na radiu SBS o zaprtju Doma, razlogih in novih možnostih s provincialnim ministrom p. Stanetom Zoretom in patrom Cirilom Božičem. Na spletni strani Radia SBS Slovenian Program bo objavljen celoten pogovor.
Provincialni minister pater Stane Zore je na razpolago za pogovore še v nedeljo in ponedeljek, 23. in 24. septembra 2012. V ponedeljek zvečer se vrača v Slovenijo. Seveda ostaja na razpolago za pojasnila preko pošte tudi po tem dnevu.

Thank you all for coming in today.

On behalf of Fr. Paul Smith OFM, Australian Provincial Minister of The Association of the Franciscan Order of Friars Minor, representing the legal owners of Mother Romana Home, Fr. Stane Zore OFM, Provincial Minister of the Slovenian Franciscan Province and Fr. Ciril A. Božič OFM OAM, head of the Slovenian Mission in Kew – Melbourne, together with members of the Board of Trustees of Mother Romana Home: Mr. Marko Zitterschlager, Mrs. Ana Maria Cek, Mr. Simon Grilj, Mr. David Hvalica and myself as a president of the Board of Trustees of MRH - Ivan Stan Prosenak:
After many months of discussions, soul searching and evaluating, the future sustainability of operating a 30 bed home has become no longer viable and as a consequence MRH will not be reapplying for further accreditation as an aged care provider. The current Accreditation expires on 28th June 2013.

We are facing constantly changing legislation, ever increasing fees and overheads and the constant struggle to maintain Government subsides are just a few,  however in particular, is the fact that our 30 bed home which initially was to cater for low care residents only, is no longer able to meet the ever growing high care needs of our residents. New legislation in the near future will require significant upgrades be made to our existing facility. At present our building code no longer complies with the satisfactory standards and requirements being enforced from the department. Shared bathrooms and toilet facilities are no longer desired by most residents seeking accommodation. The rooms are much too small to provide adequate space for lifting aids to be used, for High Care residents. This represents current and future work health and safety concerns. Without the majority of High Care residents and government subsides that High Care residents attract, a 30 bed facility in today's modern times cannot financially survive. 

Another key reason has been simply the lack of interest or need by members of Slovenian Community to use the services provided by Mother Romana Home. For example; the number of Slovenians using the facility, since it opened in 1992, is less that 50 % of total 30 place capacity. The number of Slovenians at the Home at any one time has ranged between 9 to 15. The largest number of Slovenians was only once 18. Mother Romana home cannot accept residents who need High Care, but as we all know very well the elderly – not just Slovenians - are preferring to stay in their own home as long as it is possible. It is always difficult for both relatives and resident to make the decision to move to Residential Care. The Commonwealth, state and local governments are now financially supporting staying at own home as long as it is possible.

Since it became clear on August 17th 2012 that Catholic Homes, an agency of the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne, could not enter into a management agreement with Mother Romana Home for reasons stated in paragraph 2 and 3 above. It became obvious that to reapply for further accreditation would require updating the building or completely rebuild in order to accommodate future High Care residents and to comply with health and safety issues. To go down the path of rebuilding would require a huge investment of many millions of dollars. A further investment of this magnitude was simply not an option that The Franciscan Order of Friars Minor Australian province was going to support. A joint decision was taken by Board of Trustees together with the Head of the Slovenian Mission, Australian Franciscan Provincial Minister Fr. Paul Smith OFM and Slovenian Franciscan Provincial Minister Pater Stane Zore OFM with his Definitorium (Counsellors) not to apply for further accreditation. 
 
As a result of the reasons previously stated we are forced to take the decision to close the facility: Mother Romana Home will close as of the 28th of February 2013.

We knew that this day would eventually come; even Fr. Basil knew – he wrote about this day in his letter to the first members of the Board of Trustees on 2nd September 1987; however we never anticipated ever having to be the bearers of such news.

Since making the decision to close MRH, the wind down operations will be undertaken by Catholic Homes, an agency of the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne. Catholic Homes has been involved in the day to day management of MRH, under a Consultancy Agreement, since December 2011. Without their professional help MRH would not be operating till today. The consultancy agreement will continue for as long as it is necessary to complete the winding up process.

The experience and resources available through Catholic Homes will provide for an orderly and professional process in the winding down process of services at Mother Romana Home. The whole process will be done in accordance with the Aged Care Act and the Industrial Awards to protect the rights of residents, relatives and current employees.

The future of Aged Care services will continue to be offered by Catholic Homes to all members of Slovenian Community well after the closure of MRH. They have modern facilities all over Melbourne area and dedicated and professional staff. Across the road – just opposite of our church - is the Uniting Care Aged Facility Carnsworth with 145 High Care beds. One of the Registered Nurses working at Carnsworth is Australian born but speaks fluent Slovenian. We have been able to relocate our residents to this facility in the past and there is the opportunity in the future to accommodate people from the Slovenian community.

On behalf of the Provincials, Fr. Ciril and all members of the Board we sincerely wish to thank each and every staff and volunteer member for their years of service, dedication, loyalty and hard work over the last 21 years. Your contributions made MRH a truly remarkable home and the home took pride amongst the Slovenian community not only here in Melbourne but also abroad.

For our dear residents words cannot express our sadness in having to close the facility in which you have made new friends and have called Mother Romana your home.

To everyone associated with MRH we wish you all the very best for the future, thank you and God bless. We are confident and sure that with the support of the professional team from Catholic Homes and acting manager of MRH, Mrs. Janine Golding, we will find the best possible solution for everybody.
Thank you!

Ivan Stan Prosenak, President of the Board of Trustees of Mother Romana Home
Marko Zitterschlager, Trustee
Ana Maria Cek, Trustee
Simon Grilj, Trustee
David Hvalica, Trustee

Fr. Ciril A. Božič OFM OAM, Head of the Slovenian Mission in Melbourne, Victoria

Kew, 15. 09. 2012

I will now ask Father Paul Smith OFM, Australian Provincial Minister of The Association of the Franciscan Order of Friars Minor, representing the legal owners to say a few words.
He has worked and helped the Board of Trustees and the Slovenian Franciscan Province for years to always find the best solution for MRH. The Australian Franciscan Province welcomed Fr. Basil in 1956 and through the years of his service they have supported and helped him. The Australian Franciscan Province has provided legal and financial support to commence the Slovenian Mission, Baraga Hostel and then Mother Romana Home for the Elderly. Thank you, Fr. Provincial, for the help of the Australian Franciscan Province to the Slovenian Missions here in Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide for over 60 years and for your personal help to us for the last five years. Hvala – Thank you!

Fr. Paul Smith OFM, Provincial Minister
Fr. Stane Zore OFM, Provincial Minister
Mrs. Joan Donoghue, CEO Catholic Homes
Mrs. Janine Golding, Active Manager of Mother Romana Home, Kew

Statement of closure Province of the Holy Spirit Australia

Dragi člani Slovenskega verskega središča sv. Cirila in Metoda v Kew.

Besedam, s katerimi sta gospod Stanko Prosenak, predsednik odbora zaupnikov Doma matere Romane, in p. Paul Smith, provincial avstralske frančiškanske province, spregovorila o odločitvi glede Doma matere Romane, so jasno opisale razmere in razloge za odločitev o njegovi prihodnosti. Njunim pojasnilom želim dodati nekaj pojasnil z vidika vodstva Slovenske frančiškanske province.

Morda se bo kdo vprašal, kakšna je moja vloga kot provinciala Slovenske frančiškanske province Svetega Križa pri odločitvah o vprašanjih, ki zadevajo Slovensko versko središče svetih bratov Cirila in Metoda v Melbournu in s tem tudi Doma matere Romane, ki je del tega verskega središča. Ne smemo pozabiti, da je Slovensko versko središče svetih bratov Cirila in Metoda tudi del njene pastoralne in prav tako personalne skrbi in odgovornosti. Pod tem naslovom je v vsem času življenja in delovanja tega središča Slovenska frančiškanska provinca spremljala, spodbujala in tudi nadzirala delovanje naših bratov, ki so delovali v tem središču. Vse svoje življenje mu je praktično posvetil p. Bazilij Valentin, ki je bil s svojim navdušenjem in zagnanostjo motor gradnje Doma matere Romane. Vendar pri delu ni bil sam. Provinca mu je v pomoč pošiljala brate, ki so skupaj z njim delovali med vami, da je zmogel delo, ki je bilo potrebno za rast in razvoj verskega središča in vseh njegovih dejavnosti.

Skrb za delovanje Doma matere Romane je provinca pokazala tudi s tem, ko je p. Bazilija spodbudila, naj za vodenje Doma matere Romane dobi pomočnike, zaupnike, ki ga bodo razbremenili, da se bo sam lahko v večji meri posvečal pastoralnemu in apostolskemu delovanju med Slovenci. Na tej osnovi je bil ustanovljen odbor zaupnikov, med katerimi so bili najprej Stanko Prosenak, Simon Špacapan, Marko Zitterschlager, Tone Brne in Francka Anžin. Potem so njihovo delo in odgovornost prevzeli Stanko Prosenak, Marko Zitterschlager, Ana Maria Cek, Simon Grilj in David Hvalica, ki to skrb nosijo tudi danes. Vsi ti so darovali in darujejo svoj čas ter s svojim znanjem in sposobnostmi skrbijo za delovanje Doma matere Romane v razmerah, kakršne je narekoval in jih narekuje čas.

V zadnjih letih so se razmere in pogoji za delovanje Doma matere Romane zaostrile. Pogoji, ki jih je predpisovala država, so postajali vedno strožji in vedno težje jih je bilo izpolniti. Zaupniki so se vprašanj in izzivov vedno lotevali z odgovornostjo do oskrbovancev in do zaposlenih. Niso se zanašali samo na svojo pamet in znanje, ampak so se obrnili tudi na ljudi in ustanove, ki se ukvarjajo s tem področjem. S pomočjo agencije Catholic Homes melbournske nadškofije so iskali rešitev ne samo za preživetje doma, ampak tudi za njegovo čim bolj uspešno in učinkovito delovanje. V imenu Slovenske frančiškanske province in njenega vodstva se zato iskreno zahvaljujem vsem zaupnikom Doma, avstralski frančiškanski provinci in njenemu sedanjemu provincialnemu ministru p. Paulu Smithu osebno, melbournski  nadškofiji in odgovornemu osebju Catholic Homes za čas in delo, ki so ga vložili v iskanje najbolj primernih rešitev.

Ker so vse analize in perspektive kazale, da Dom matere Romane v spremenjenih razmerah ne more preživeti, smo se v vodstvu Slovenske frančiškanske province odločili, da Dom v tej obliki preneha delovati, dokler skupaj z odgovornimi še lahko poskrbimo za miren in obvladovan prehod. Vsi pogovori so namreč pripeljali do spoznanja, da Dom sicer lahko dobi akreditacijo še za eno, morda dve leti, potem pa bi ga bilo treba zapreti. Posledica odlašanja s to odločitvijo pa bi bila, da bi podaljševanje delovanja Doma pomenilo tudi izgubo vsega stvarnega premoženja, ki je povezano z domom: stavbe in zemljišča. Prepričani smo, da ne vi ne p. Bazilij ne bi hoteli, da bi se kaj takega zgodilo. Zato smo tudi ob upoštevanju prizadevanja in žrtev, ki ste jih vložili v pridobitev zemljišča in gradnjo stavbe sprejeli odločitev, da ohranimo stavbo in zemljišče, da bosta še vedno lahko služila Slovenskemu verskemu središču v Kew. 

Odločitev nikakor ni bila lahka, saj se zavedamo, kaj Dom pomeni za slovenske vernike v Melbournu, koliko je vanj vložil p. Bazilij in ljudje, ki so mu pri tem pomagali, predvsem pa kaj to pomeni za oskrbovance, njihove svojce in sorodnike in za osebje. Ravno ti dve skupini ljudi smo imeli še posebej pred očmi. Če bi namreč z odločitvijo čakali do trenutka, ko bi razmere postale neobvladljive, ne bi več mogli na dostojen način poskrbeti tako za oskrbovance kot za zaposlene. Ker nismo čakali tako daleč, mislim, da bomo lahko ob pomoči Catholic Homes za vse oskrbovance skupaj z njihovimi sorodniki našli ustrezno novo namestitev po njihovi želji, pa tudi za zaposlene bo tako lažje poskrbeti.

Tej skrbi bodo namenjene vse dejavnosti v naslednjih mesecih. Veliko bo pogovorov z oskrbovanci in z njihovimi svojci, da bi mogli v teh spremenjenih razmerah, ki jih narekuje odgovornost do vseh oskrbovancev in zaposlenih, poiskati za vsakega najbolj primerno rešitev glede na želje in potrebe, ki jih bo vsak izrazil.

Stavba Doma matere Romane in zemljišče bosta torej še naprej služila slovenski skupnosti. Kakšen bo njun konkreten namen, se bo potrebno še odločiti. Odprte so različne možnosti. Pri odločanju glede prihodnje namembnosti bo treba upoštevati državne predpise in potrebe, ki jih ima Slovensko versko središče sv. Cirila in Metoda danes in jih bo imelo v prihodnosti. Lahko bo Dom matere Romane ostal hostel, v katerem bodo bivali tisti, ki bodo lahko še skrbeli zase. Takšna je bila tudi prvotna zamisel patra Bazilija. Na žalost Dom zaradi že vsega povedanega ne more služiti kot 'Nursing Home'.

Prepričan sem, da je prav, da smo ponosni in hvaležni za delo vseh vpletenih, od p. Bazilija do p. Cirila in vseh drugih bratov, ki so delovali v Kew, od vseh članov odbora zaupnikov Doma matere Romane, od vseh zaposlenih do vseh prostovoljcev, ki so skrbeli za to, da je Dom matere Romane mogel biti dom za tiste, ki niso mogli več skrbeti sami zase. V imenu province in v svojem imenu jim vsem izrekam iskreno priznanje in zahvalo. Ker je prišel čas, ko smo skupaj po odgovornem iskanju in razmišljanju prišli do spoznanja, dom ne bi mogel več varno in ustrezno skrbeti za tiste, ki so se vanj zatekli, hočemo skupaj z vsemi kompetentnimi poskrbeti za varno prihodnost vseh sedanjih oskrbovancev. To je in ostaja prva in največja skrb vseh nas.

p. Stane Zore OFM,
provincialni minister Slovenske frančiškanske province