ST. LOUIS — The Grand New SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital hosted a small gathering to bless and dedicate the chapel in the new facility on Sunday.
The new facility is set to open on Sept. 1. It's located at the SLU hospital campus on Grand Boulevard.
Auxiliary Bishop Mark Rivituso, Archdiocese of St. Louis, and Concelebrant Father Suwalsky, SJ, VP of Mission and Identity at Saint Louis University, held Mass in the new chapel and blessed the rest of the hospital after the service.
“It’s a wonderful occasion that we gather for, asking God to bless all of our labors of love, our labors of caring and healing,” said Rivituso. “And as we gather together, we remember all the blessings that we have received and all those who are so supportive of this Mission. We remember them at this Mass asking God to bless all of us as we continue the good work that the Lord asks of us, especially through Saint Louis University Hospital.”
The gathering included leaders from SSM Health, SLU Hospital, Saint Louis University and SSM Health Foundation – St. Louis, according to a news release.
“We are grateful to the Archdiocese of St. Louis for conducting our first-ever Mass in the new chapel of our Grand New SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital,” said Steven Scott, president of SLU Hospital. “And we appreciate all those in our SSM Health and Saint Louis University family who could be a part of this special occasion and to all those who watched the service online.”
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The chapel will be open 24/7 for patients, visitors and staff.
“It is a special place of respite, faith sharing, sacrament, solitude, community and prayer,” the hospital said in the release.
Nearly 100 people tuned in to the live stream of the chapel blessing, which can be viewed online here.