MADISON — SSM Health has pledged a major gift of $250,000 to the Diocese of Madison’s Priests for Our Future: The Church Is Alive!” campaign to educate seminarians.
Damond Boatwright made the gift on behalf of SSM Health as one of his first acts as the new regional president/CEO of Hospital Operations in Wisconsin. SSM Health is the parent company of St. Mary’s Hospital in Madison, St. Clare Hospital in Baraboo, and St. Mary’s Janesville Hospital.
“For more than a hundred years, our Catholic health care mission has relied on direction from and collaboration with local clergy,” said Boatwright. “Our support in educating future priests for spiritual caregiving is at the core of who we are.”
“It is a great blessing for patients to have clergy they know visit them in the hospital,” said Fr. Pat Norris, priest chaplain for St. Mary’s Hospital in Madison and Wisconsin’s regional ethicist for SSM Health.
“These diocesan priests help us in our own work to reveal the healing presence of God as an integral part of our patient care. Further, retired diocesan priests help with ministry inside the hospital, from being on-call chaplains, to presiding at Masses, to administering sacramental anointings, to celebrating emergency baptisms,” said Father Norris.
“In our health care ministry, we understand the deep need for educated guidance in spiritual health as well as for a knowledge of the important ethical issues in health care which seminarian formation provides,” he added.
Bishop Robert C. Morlino thanked SSM Health for their gift, “The work of this [Priests for Our Future] Campaign has been an effort of the whole diocese in an united way, and SSM Healthcare of Wisconsin has stepped forward to lead in their role as an essential actor in the work we do as a Church.
“From the care provided to people around the diocese (whether the patient be Catholic or not), to the reality of so many of their staff and physicians being active members of parishes in the diocese, to the spirit of Christ which animates their very mission to heal, SSM is an important part of our local Church. This gift is only a sign of that reality,” said the bishop.
Msgr. James Bartylla, vicar general of the Diocese of Madison, also commented on the SSM gift, “We’re so grateful for the wonderful generosity of SSM Healthcare Wisconsin to the Priests for Our Future: The Church Is Alive! Seminarian Campaign.
“Their major gift to the Bishop’s Leadership Phase of the campaign is a firm demonstration of SSM Healthcare Wisconsin’s commitment not only to providing top-quality health care to the community through its doctors, nurses, and staff, but also to providing the spiritual care through priests so necessary for the dignity of the human person, especially in the mission to heal.
“I know our seminarians are very touched by this outpouring of generosity from SSM Healthcare Wisconsin and from the faithful throughout the diocese as these young men prepare to sacrifice their lives to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ and provide pastoral care in the parishes and in the health care environment,” said Monsignor Bartylla.