HARTFORD, Conn. — It began as just a four-story brick building on Collins Street in Hartford in 1897. Now, Saint Francis Hospital is billed as the largest Catholic Hospital in New England.
Hospital staff members joined state leaders Friday to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the medical center.
Thomas Burke, the president of Saint Francis, said the 125th celebration is particularly poignant since so many of the Saint Francis employees have had to endure so much in their continued fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This celebration is really more meaningful because we’re celebrating not only the last 125 years but especially those last two years where we fought the COVID pandemic on the front lines day in and day out, and, in a sense, we’re still doing that,” Burke said.
“It’s a milestone for healthcare in Connecticut because this isn’t just looking backward at 125 magnificent years, but also forward,” said U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal, who presented citations to a number of Saint Francis workers.
“This is one of those great teaching hospitals that will provide the kind of expertise and caring that we need in the next 50 to 100 years,” Blumenthal added.
Then, a team from Saint Francis took a shovel to dirt and buried a time capsule with letters and small statues inside.
“The best part of today is the recognition of who we are – the public recognition of who we are,” said Vernette Townsend, the chief nursing officer at Saint Francis.
The plans are to dig up the time capsule on Aug. 25, 2047, to celebrate the hospital’s 150th anniversary.
Jimmy Altman is a reporter at FOX61 News. He can be reached at jaltman@fox61.com. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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