A letter from Bishop Wayne Kirkpatrick:
March 7, 2026
My Dear People,
The well-known proverb “Bad news travels fast,” and today, in our digital age, that speed is even greater. You have likely already heard the concerning news: the end of the Mission Assurance Agreement between the Sisters of St. Martha and the Nova Scotia Provincial Government concerning St. Martha’s Regional Hospital. The Sisters have announced that they can no longer serve as the sponsor for this agreement when it comes up for renewal on September 30, 2026. They had engaged another Catholic agency willing to assume this responsibility, but the Province declined to accept a new sponsor.
Founded by the Sisters of St. Martha in 1906, St. Martha’s Regional Hospital has been a vital part of our community for 120 years. Until 1996, it was operated directly by the Sisters. Since then, it has functioned under a Mission Assurance Agreement with the Nova Scotia Provincial Health Department, a partnership designed to ensure the hospital remains true to its Catholic mission of compassion, service, and spiritual love, values that have defined it throughout its history.
The Sisters of St. Martha recognized that they could not continue with the current Agreement. Since the Agreement was to be renewed on September 30, 2026, they sought a suitable Catholic sponsor to carry on their legacy, reflecting their unwavering dedication to compassionate care and community service. However, the provincial government announced that the Agreement would not be renewed, would end on that date, and that future operations would no longer be under the distinctive Catholic identity that has long distinguished St. Martha’s Hospital.
When I visited the hospital recently, I noticed a poster that read: “Use your voice for kindness, your ears for compassion, your mind for justice, your hands for stewardship, and your heart for hospitality.” I am sure you would agree that such values should be at the core of any healthcare institution.
As Bishop of the Diocese of Antigonish, I support the Sisters of St. Martha and their unwavering commitment to compassionate, faith-based care. Their decision to transfer the Mission Assurance Agreement to another Catholic agency affirms their desire to maintain the hospital’s spiritual and ethical integrity in line with their mission. I commend their dedicated service and had hoped that this transfer would uphold the spirit of their mission for many years to come.
Regrettably, the Nova Scotia Government has decided not to approve this transfer of Mission Assurance. This decision raises important questions—why now? I am compelled to question the reasons behind this decision and to consider what factors may have influenced it. It is possible that the increasing secularism across our country, along with recent complex medical and ethical challenges, played a role in shaping this outcome. It’s worth recalling that Catholic healthcare has a rich history in Canada, spanning over 400 years—instituted by religious congregations dedicated to caring for the sick, the vulnerable, and Indigenous populations. These institutions have played a crucial role in shaping modern Canadian healthcare, often forgotten by a secular society that sometimes overlooks the profound influence of faith-based care.
Our Catholic healthcare tradition is rooted in the Gospel and inspired by Christ’s love. It calls us to serve all people, regardless of faith, with compassion and dignity—offering healing, accompanying the dying with self-sacrifice, and bearing witness to the inviolable dignity of every human person. This calling reflects our shared responsibility to love our neighbour and to serve and defend human life at every stage.
While all hospitals provide skilled medical care, St. Martha’s Regional Hospital embodies much more: it is a living testament to faith in action. Its legacy is woven into the very fabric of our community and our shared values. Without a doubt, the Catholic ethical framework that has guided the hospital’s mission will diminish if that legacy is not preserved.
What changes will this bring to our community? Sister Brendalee Boisvert, Congregational Leader of the Sisters of St. Martha, expressed sadness at the Province’s decision but also hope that “the DNA of the Mission will live on through this new structure.”
I, too, pray that the spirit of their mission endures in future decisions and services. Let us pray for mutual respect and compassion as we face these changes, trusting that the values exemplified by the Sisters of St. Martha will continue to inspire and guide us.
May we remain faithful to the call to compassionate, faith-based care, and may this transition be marked by respect, dignity, and hope.
With gratitude and faith,
+ Wayne Joseph Kirkpatrick
Bishop Wayne Joseph Kirkpatrick
—
Read the government release:
https://news.novascotia.ca/en/2026/03/06/ministers-statement-st-marthas-regional-hospital
Read the statement from the Sisters of St. Martha:
https://www.themarthas.com/csm_news-detail.php?53
