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Amid a festive atmosphere of balloons, glowing candles, and hundreds of colleagues and well-wishers, Catholic Health East commemorated the tenth anniversary of its "birth" as a health system at a January 8th Heritage Day celebration. Founded on January 8, 1998 by the coming together of Eastern Mercy Health System, the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany Health System and the Sisters of Providence Health System, Catholic Health East is now one of the largest health systems in the United States, employing 50,000 people in its health care facilities located in eleven states stretching from Maine to Florida. Our celebration included a panel of "story tellers" assembled to informally share some of their memories from the early days, followed by a poignant candle-lighting ceremony held in recognition of the Sponsors of Catholic Health East A very special part of the ceremony involved the recognition of CHE's Sharing the Heritage contest winners. Initiated in November 2007, Sharing the Heritage invited colleagues from throughout the System to share their personal expressions and thoughts on how they live out the Catholic health care mission and ministry in their daily lives. Colleagues at each RHC/JOA then submitted their creative expressions in the form of essays, poems, artwork, and video productions. RHCs/JOAs reviewed the submissions they received and selected one "winner" to represent their organization. The twenty selected colleagues were then invited to attend a January 7th reception held in Philadelphia, PA in their honor, and they were each individually recognized at the Heritage Day celebration on January 8th. The feelings that our colleagues shared about their personal journeys, and why they choose to work in Catholic health care, are truly inspiring. The text from all of our winning entries can be found in the CHE Portal's Communications community at Sharing the Heritage Winners I've shared excerpts from a few of the winning submissions below. Cecilia Mace, marketing/communications project manager from Mercy Medical, Daphne, Alabama, writes "Working in Catholic healthcare means being influenced and inspired by amazing people and their experiences. The Sisters, volunteers, patients, residents, families, and dedicated health-care professionals instill in me a passion for excellence in communicating their stories through art, photography, and writing. What an honor it is to be a part of any group that strives to continue the healing ministry of Jesus. And to be the one designated to witness people living the mission and tell their stories has become one of my greatest fortunes in life." Deborah Mondon, RN shared how her personal journey began with the tragic death of her son, and how it set into motion a series of events that culminated in her decision to join Saint Joseph's Health System, Atlanta, GA. "For many of our patients, being hospitalized is a time of uncertainty, a time of being away from support systems, away from those they love. It is often an experience in the dark of night, wondering about the future. God uses these experiences to speak quietly to the heart...to dispel the fear and worry which rushes in where the way ahead is unknown. What a wonderful opportunity for a nurse to be used of God...to give care, comfort, hope and encouragement...to reassure a patient that there is a purpose we cannot always see, and that God is with them through it all.
A nurse manager at Lourdes Medical Center of Burlington County, Monica Lozaga, RN, MSN-Ed says she came to Lourdes at a time in her life when she needed to believe that there was more to healthcare and nursing leadership than just meeting the bottom line. "We pray before meetings for help to do the right thing. We offer charitable services to the poor and not just because we have to, but because it is the right thing to do. We have celebrations based in faith that are inclusive of all faiths and cultures. We have hospital wide sales and campaigns with proceeds going back into our hospital to provide services for those in need. Plus we pray with our patients every morning over the PA System and are reminded that a smile is an easy way to share kindness and fellowship." According to Steve Suprenant, Mercy Community Health's senior vice president and chief operating officer, Catholic health care means service to him. "Within our aging services ministry, service is our connection to the crucified and risen Lord. Service is our public and personal expression of our faith commitment. Service is the great equalizer within our ministries for all who come here are treated as individuals in need of care. Service is our connection with the past, it is our calling today and it must be the legacy that we extend to those who follow us in the future." Darlene Morocco, RN, BSN, a nurse manager at St. Mary's Health Care System, Athens, GA, says that "I love Catholic health care because it feels right to me. It is what I think God wants me to do and expects of me as a Christian. I admire that Catholic health care is sensitive to all religions because of the spiritual-based component of respecting all life. I thank God for Catholic health care because in this very difficult world we live in, Catholic health care is a constant that comforts a community and lets them know they will be there for them in their time of rejoicing, in their healing and in their pain and suffering. I have the most respect for Catholic health care because of its value for all life even at the time of death and sorrow." Grace Cardona, a recent college graduate, was unsure of what career path to take, or even what industry would be best for her. According to Grace, "I allowed God to guide my steps in the search for a vocation – for I desired something more than 'a job' – and constantly worked at calibrating my will to His. She found her calling at Mercy Hospital, Miami. "I view each day of work at Mercy as a devotion of my brief life towards a ministry I firmly believe in. I contemplate this daily on my way to and from work, lest I should ever forget that each of the individuals whose physical ailments bring them to Mercy are an opportunity to exercise the virtues which God has asked us to practice. I do my best to keep in mind that each challenge and difficulty is only a call to patience and dependence on God. Even in the routine activities of my position, I find myself thankful for an occasion to apply to God for his direction. At the other end of the spectrum, Marjorie Dyson, RN, BS has been working in Catholic health care for forty years. A nurse who joined BayCare's St. Anthony's Hospital right out of nursing school in 1968, Marjorie shared that "My professional life is slowly coming to a close, but I will always be grateful for the opportunities provided and the people I have met through my career. It is comforting to know that St. Anthony's and other Catholic hospitals remain in our world showing us the standards needed for care, compassion and love of mankind." These words speak volumes. We are truly blessed and deeply indebted to the nearly 50,000 colleagues working throughout the healing ministry of Catholic Health East…and to the Sponsors who a decade ago had the vision and courage to create this health system. Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, their dedication to our Mission…and to be a transforming, healing presence in the communities we serve…is making a difference in the lives of so many.
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