The formation of Catholic Health East was and is an expression of faith.

CATHOLIC HEALTH EAST declares itself to be "a community of persons and a system of health services who participate in the healing ministry of the Catholic Church." This community of persons officially formed the system of health services in the late fall of 1997. They declared their mission, their reason for existence: "Catholic Health East is a community of persons committed to being a transforming, healing presence within the communities we serve." The system did not come from nowhere, nor was it a merely practical way for different health systems to join together to increase market share, secure more favorable bond ratings, or simply stay in business. The formation of Catholic Health East was and is an expression of faith.

CHE is the result of careful study and reflection on the part of the leadership of 12 congregations and/or regional communities of women religious. These women recognized both the gift and the task of stewardship that was theirs as sponsors of health care institutions, facilities and services. How best care for and enhance the work of these organizations? How best shepherd these into the next millennium? What form should they take? They asked themselves: How can we ensure that there will continue to be a ministry to serve those in need, to be witness to the God who inspires and grounds them? Further, how can we assist other sponsors who strive to secure the future of their work?

The members of the sponsoring groups did not discuss, pray and plan in isolation. They were joined by the leaders within the Catholic systems that would eventually form CHE. Dedicated administration, knowledgeable and committed management also worked to find the ways, work out the processes, envision a future for Catholic health care in the eastern United States.

Catholic Health East rests upon the firm faith that God has called people to this work as a manifestation of the limitless healing grace of God. Because this is true, this work must be continued. Because this is true, this work will be continued. Formation of a health system the size and complexity of CHE is a great risk, a risk based upon trust in God and in the people God calls. It is an act of faith.

This new system was formed through the joining of three Catholic health systems: Allegany Health System, Eastern Mercy Health System, and Sisters of Providence Health System. While all of these systems were profoundly committed to Catholic health care, each had its own history, its own flavor.

The Allegany Health System was an expression of the Franciscan heritage. Founded in 1859 in New York State by a Franciscan priest, Pamfilo da Magliano, three young women (including Mary Anne O'Neil, the first superior) began the community in order to educate the children of the area. From there, the community grew and responded to needs in New York, New Jersey, Florida, Peru, Brazil, and Bolivia. The Franciscan charism stems from the great heart of Francis of Assisi and reflects his love for all of creation, his simplicity and harmony. The Allegany Franciscans speak of love for the poor, of a contemplative spirit, of the call to be and to witness. They call themselves to be "women of hope." Their spirit finds expression in a CHE mission statement that calls for a community of persons who will be a transforming and healing presence. Franciscan warmth marks a system whose values include a reverence for all persons. Franciscan simplicity and unity with creation stress the importance of a stewardship that cares for and enhances all resources... including those of the earth.

The Sisters of Providence of Springfield, MA, sponsors of the Sisters of Providence Health System, represent another manifestation of the gift of religious life to the Church and to the world. Through Catherine Horan, their first superior, these sisters trace their lineage to the Providence Sisters of Montreal and ultimately to St. Vincent de Paul. Their documents and their lives speak of trust, great hope and the profound conviction of the presence of God in all that is and happens. The Sisters of Providence strive to "reveal in the Church the mystery of God's Providence." They stress the great gifts of hope and healing and seek to bring "hope to those in need through ministries of healing, attending particularly to the cry of the poor and oppressed" (Sisters of Providence Constitutions). These commitments find expression in a health system that stresses a healing presence and that recognizes the manifestation of the sacred that is each person. The establishment of a system such as Catholic Health East, with its wide range of services and multitude of ministries, bespeaks a creativity of which Vincent would be proud.

The nine regional communities which comprised the original Eastern Mercy Health System came to the system from different geographic locations but with the same spirit - that of Catherine McAuley. Founded by a daring and courageous woman in Dublin in 1831, the Sisters of Mercy have always been marked by great compassion for those who suffer, those who are poor and/or vulnerable. These sisters have also a heritage of breaking new ground and of addressing the injustices of society. A global community, the Sisters of Mercy recognize and honor diversity and invite collaboration with many groups. They work for systemic change, even as they address the pain that stands before them. The Mercy gift manifests itself in the foundation of a health system that is collaborative, open to new members, that is committed to advocate for a just society, that declares its commitment to those who are poor.

The Franciscan Sisters of St. Joseph, who joined Eastern Mercy Health System in 1997, are yet another expression of the Franciscan charism. They live by simplicity, servanthood and joy, and cherish the spirit of their foundress Mother Colette Hilbert whose motto was "In all things charity." Since their beginnings in 1897, the Franciscan Sisters of St. Joseph have moved from Pittsburgh, PA to Hamburg, NY. They have expanded their work to include education, care of the elderly, and healthcare. The sisters serve in both the United States and abroad. The joy and love for charity of this community find new expression in a health system committed to being a transforming presence, to treating all with respect and compassion, to seeking ways to assure access to persons most in need.

Catherine McAuley, Vincent, Francis: each of these great individuals stood at a moment in history that demanded great courage and fresh vision. Each of these three took risks that transformed the face of religious life in her/his time. They moved away from comfort into companionship with those who were most in need. They went among the people to witness to God's saving presence in the midst of society. Each was profoundly faithful to the Catholic tradition, yet each stretched the vision of that tradition. And we remember them, claim them, and recognize ourselves as their descendants.

As the system grows and develops, it must continue to remember the gifts of the holy women and men who have gone before it. It will do so through celebration and ritual, through intentional recall of moments of significance and honoring those whose lives and work reflect the spirit of those who have shown us the way. These gifts cannot be lost.

At the same time, these gifts must and will be transformed - as they were in the case of each of the founding communities. Catholic Health East is a new entity, gifted with the history and tradition of the founding groups. It will, however, develop its own character and history and tradition. Faithful to its origin, its memory, it will nonetheless be a new and rich articulation of the one healing ministry out of which all come. Further, a major purpose for the establishment of Catholic Health East is to welcome new partners, to grow the ministry and expand its field of influence. New sponsors bringing new gifts will enrich the reality of CHE, make more powerful its witness to the saving presence of God.

There is another facet to this witness and the way it is lived out: the gifts of the lay women and men who also lead Catholic Health East. There are among us many who are steeped in the tradition and values of Catholic health care. They have shared the vision of a Francis, a Catherine, a Vincent. They are inheritors of the courage of Catherine Horan, Colette Hilbert, Mary Anne O'Neil and they express this every day in their work.

For those whose memories rest on faith, the fact that the majority of leaders in Catholic health care are members of the laity is neither tragedy nor failure nor mistake. It is, rather, a working of God's Spirit, a sign of the times. This fact, more than any other, will influence the ways in which the founding sponsors' gifts and passions are carried on. If lay leaders are both enriched through solid experience and learning of the tradition, if they are then encouraged to express that learning in their own ways, the ministry can only be richer, the healing presence more powerful. The mission statement of CHE recognizes this when it states that "we identify and develop leaders in Catholic health ministry." As we expect professionals to be steeped in the knowledge of their field, so too we recognize the need for leaders in ministry to be steeped in knowledge of and commitment to the spirit and soul of the health care ministry. All need to remember and to claim the memory that impels us.

• Who have been heroes in your life?
• Who are your organization's heroes?
• How have they affected you, your organization?
• How do they remain present?

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