CURA

CURA is a voluntary pregnancy counselling service established in 1977 by the Irish Bishops.

A large crowd attended the launch including doctors, nurses, social workers, school principals, teachers, gardaí, and members of local organisations in County Tipperary and further afield. Archbishop Clifford said in his address, that the right to life is a basic human right, adding that CURA endeavours to protect children in the womb so that this right might be theirs. The right to life transcends all religions, it is basic to human nature, the Archbishop said.

Caring and Understanding

CURA was first established in 1977 as an initiative of the Irish Bishops to provide for all women who found themselves unhappily pregnant. It was established to provide a professional caring pregnancy counselling service. CURA originated from humble beginnings when it established a telephone support service for people with crisis pregnancies. The aim of this service was to provide a caring and understanding environment. It was also to be a support service for parents, fathers, boyfriends, classmates and friends of those affected by an unexpected or unplanned pregnancy. CURA has since grown into an almost nation-wide counselling organisation which has adapted to the changing environment in which it finds itself. It has also enlarged its services in response to new demands and circumstances.

Easy Access to Help

CURA is committed to respecting human life. It values deeply the dignity and worth of the human person. The human person, at every stage of life, is entitled to this kind of protection. The organisation’s name ‘CURA’ comes from the Latin, meaning ‘to care’ and is intended to express the organisation’s concern to provide for the needs of both mother and child.

CURA’s services are offered to all who are affected by an unexpected pregnancy. Special attention is devoted to maintaining the dignity of the client, irrespective of circumstances. CURA volunteers are trained to provide the highest possible standards of care. The objective is to ensure that every woman who is unhappily pregnant has immediate and easy access to the help which she needs. All contacts between the client and the centres are totally confidential, and all services offered, are free of charge.

The people who become CURA members volunteer their time because they believe in, and are committed to what they do. Volunteers come from all walks of life, many with families of their own, some work full-time in the home, others in employment outside the home. The vast majority are women, but men are also welcome to join. Currently, some volunteers are in training for ‘Post Abortion Counselling’. The Thurles centre expects to be able to offer this additional service in the near future.

The following services are provided by CURA centres throughout the country;

• Pregnancy Testing,
• Information and Advice on Social Welfare Entitlements
• Counselling
• Post-Abortion Counselling
• Pre-Natal Accommodation
• Post natal Accommodation
• Adoption Information

The clients’ freedom of choice will always be respected and safeguarded by the organisation. CURA attaches great importance to respecting the values and beliefs of all its clients.

Thurles Centre

The new CURA centre is located at No 48A, Liberty Square, Thurles. Volunteers are available on Tuesday evenings from 7:00-9:00 p.m. and on Saturday mornings from 10:00 to 1:00 p.m. Anyone who would like to contact the Centre can do so by ‘phoning (0504) 26226 at those times or by leaving a message at anytime using the answering service.

Regional Information

Call 1850 622 626 from anywhere in Ireland for a local call price.

Written by Marie Buckley. First published in Foundations Winter 2000.