Our Lady of Lourdes sponsor takes over St. Dominic Health Services in Jackson

Baton Rouge's Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System is taking over sponsorship of Jackson, Mississippi-based St. Dominic Health Services from the Dominican Sisters of Springfield, Illinois.

The move makes St. Dominic Health Services the seventh regional center served by the non-profit Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System, which includes Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center and Women & Children's Hospital in Lafayette.

"We admire the service-driven organization that the Dominican Sisters of Springfield, Illinois built over the last 70 years, and they have lent amazing support to St. Dominic’s," President and CEO of FMOLHS Richard Vath said in a release. "We feel honored to continue their legacy and grow the healing mission of Catholic health care in Mississippi as part of our thriving integrated health care system.”

The transfer includes St. Dominic Hospital in Jackson, the Community Health Clinic in Jackson, St. Dominic Medical Associates (a physicians network), New Directions for Over 55 (an elderly health program), about 17 MEA Clinic locations across Mississippi, The Club at St. Dominic’s, the School Nurse Program, St. Dominic Health Services Foundation, St. Catherine’s Village (a retirement community) and Care-A-Van.

The change was announced Monday in a release from FMOLHS.

"Today is a significant day for so many reasons, but most importantly is how St. Dominic’s is now better positioned to extend its mission to faithfully serve the Jackson community,” St. Dominic Health Services President Lester Diamond said. “With our companions in Baton Rouge, I am confident that we have a partner whom we know will support us and the Jackson community.”

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