Several weeks ago, you may have heard that the sale of the Ascension Health System was completed to Beacon Health Systems. In our area, Borgess Hospital has not only been our Catholic Hospital, but it has served our community since the late 1800’s. The original hospital was opened and served by the Sisters of St. Joseph at the direction of Bishop Borgess from Detroit. With the sale of the Ascension Health System, we no longer have any health care organizations in our diocese that have a Catholic identity.
What does that mean for us and for our parishes in the Kalamazoo area? It means that our parishes will be the primary providers of Catholic ministry to any of health care facilities, nursing homes, and any assisted living centers. For those who have family in any of these facilities in the Portage area, we will continue to serve these facilities as we always have.
As we don’t know exactly how all these changes will affect our ability to know if someone is in the hospital, our offices, priests and deacons will appreciate a call or email to let us know that someone is in the hospital or a care center so that we can visit or give the sacraments. Thank you for your patience with all these changes.
If someone is planning to have surgery and would like to be anointed with the Sacrament of the Sick, I would ask that you contact our office before surgery or stop and talk with Fr. Joseph or myself after Mass. We also make home visits. If it is a sudden emergency, please use our emergency number to contact us. If you are in Bronson Hospital and need to be anointed, please contact one of the Bronson staff chaplains and they will contact a priest.
As we continue in this Jubilee Year, there will be a special opportunity this week Thursday at St. Augustine Cathedral as it will be a pilgrimage site on the Feast of St. Augustine (the patron saint of our Diocese). If you have a chance, please use this opportunity in this special Jubilee year.
If you’ve been wondering about the 2025 Bishop’s Appeal, we officially made our goal! Your help and prayers to make this possible are greatly appreciated!