(Catholic Herald photo/Kat Wagner
JANESVILLE — On December 3 and 4, St. Mary’s Janesville Hospital and Dean Clinic hosted an open house to begin a new chapter in health care for the Rock County and surrounding area.
The new hospital is a part of the St. Louis-based SSM Health Care, sponsored by the Franciscan Sisters of Mary, which also includes St. Mary’s Hospital and St. Mary’s Care Center in Madison, St. Clare Hospital in Baraboo, and several others in the Diocese of Madison.
The new hospital located on E. Racine St., a 50-bed facility offering inpatient and outpatient treatment and diagnostic services in primary care and a wide range of specialties, will be opening January 9, 2012. The open house offered the public an opportunity to see many parts of the hospital that would soon be trafficked only by doctors, staff, and the patients in care.
On December 3, officials and community leaders gathered in the main entrance and “Town Square” at the junction of the hospital and clinic for a dedication of the new facility. The ceremony, which included an opening of a large book to signal the “new chapter” of health care here, was conducted beneath the wall bearing the largest painted motto in the SSM health care system: “Through our exceptional health care services, we reveal the healing presence of God.”
Throughout the dedication ceremony, the 165,000-square-foot hospital and 150,000-square-foot clinic was swarming with people eager to see the insides of the facility.
The open house also gathered a large collection of new and gently used children’s or young adult books to be donated to Janesville’s YWCA and the Salvation Army.
Msgr. James Bartylla, vicar general for the Diocese of Madison, offered a blessing on the new hospital. He brought greetings from Bishop Robert C. Morlino, since the bishop was celebrating the Mass at the Apostolate to the Handicapped Christmas event in Monroe the same day.
Following the blessing and dedication ceremony, Monsignor Bartylla was given a tour of the hospital during which he blessed the rooms. The hospital’s chapel is expected to be dedicated in mid January.