“St. John’s Hospital since 1875 has been serving the sick and suffering of this city and beyond,” Bishop Paprocki said in his homily. “With the blessing of the new surgery unit here, that mission of the service of healing, which is at the center of the charism of the Hospital Sisters of St. Francis and this, their flagship hospital, will be expanded to offer even greater opportunities to restore health and well-being to those who experience the difficulties of life.”

Bishop Paprocki reminded everyone that the work of caring for the sick is one that was very close to the heart of the Lord during his public ministry on earth. “Jesus welcomed those who had ailments of every variety and cured them, restoring them not only physically, but spiritually as well.

“Health care in a Catholic institution follows this example by seeking to be attentive to the needs of the entire person, body and soul. It is therefore fitting that we should ask God’s blessing upon this new facility that it might serve this purpose under the direction of the divine physician, Christ Jesus himself.”

Assisting Bishop Paprocki at the blessing were Father Raphael Paul, chaplain at St. John’s and pastoral administrator at St. James in Riverton and sacramental priest for Resurrection Parish in Illiopolis, and Father Charles Hart, OFM, chaplain at St. John’s. Father Brian Alford served as master of ceremonies.