Since its founding on December 18, 1950, Mercy Hospital has upheld its mission to deliver quality, compassionate care to those in need – an undertaking widely based on the principles of Catholic Healthcare Ministries. As Miami-Dade County’s only Catholic hospital, Mercy and the Sisters of St. Joseph have taken justifiable pride in its distinguished heritage, seeing as those longstanding, faith-based values have become the cornerstone of the hospital’s driving force behind its patient-centered care.
Sister Edith Gonzalez, S.S.J., Vice President of Mission Integration at Mercy Hospital shared, “We think of a person in three dimensions: mind, body and spirit. If we are going to care for an individual, we want to make sure that all aspects of that person are tended to. Studies continually show that if we care for the spiritual dimension of a patient while caring for the physical, we will facilitate a quicker healing. It’s a more holistic approach to medicine, not concentrating on specific religion, but overall spirituality – a wider-encompassing practice that puts a person in touch with their whole being. This also translates to spirituality in the workplace for Mercy employees. Essentially, every action and decision is nurtured by this common goal of ‘bringing persons to recognize the good that dwells within each of us.’”In an added effort to both honor and further these traditions, Mercy Hospital and St. Thomas University have created the Legacy Institute, a two-year-long educational program. Now in its second year, the intent of the Legacy Institute has been to assist interested employees in becoming informed stewards of the culture and customs of faith-based institutions. Utilizing teachings and experiences by program administrators, Legacy explores Catholic Healthcare Ministries and the spirit and charisma of the Sisters of St. Joseph.
“As Catholic institutions see religious men and women diminish, we need to prepare new generations to understanding the commitment and knowledge that has sustained our culture until now,” added Sister Edith. “It has become a catalyst for creating a program like Legacy – a chance to prepare those who will take up leadership of our institute and become more knowledgeable members of its culture and traditions. Much of the feedback, thus far, has been very positive. Participants are not only acquiring new knowledge about Mercy’s founding, but have gained much at the personal level – and to me, that’s what it’s all about.”
