Dominican sisters' 55 years of service to hospital honored

Three sisters moving back to motherhouse in Springfield, Illinois

Published: May 20, 2006

By Marilyn Lanford
Rogers Correspondent

Gerard Davenport

Three of the Dominican sisters greet hospital employees and guests during a reception in the cafeteria at St. Mary Hospital in Rogers May 7.

Gerard Davenport

Three of the Dominican sisters greet hospital employees and guests during a reception in the cafeteria at St. Mary Hospital in Rogers May 7.

ROGERS -- After 55 years of service to northwest Arkansas, the Dominican sisters are reducing their presence.

Three of the five Dominican nuns assigned to St. Mary Hospital -- Sisters Veronica Doolin, Concepta Joerger and Stephanie Kapusta -- will be returning to Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Motherhouse in Springfield, Ill., in early summer.

In honor of the 51 Dominican sisters who have served the medical community over the years, the hospital hosted a reception Sunday, May 7 in the hospital cafeteria.

Several hundred people -- both medical staff and the public -- attended the reception.

Seated in the center of the room, the Dominican sisters listened as guest speakers honored the sisters' dedication and service to St Mary Hospital. In the beginning of the program, Susan Barrett, CEO of Mercy Health System of Northwest Arkansas, spoke of the contribution made by all the sisters to the hospital employees and to the people of northwest Arkansas.

As a lasting tribute to the service of the sisters, the Dominican congregation made a financial gift to the hospital for the new hospital's chapel that will open in late 2007.

"In keeping with the respect shown by the Dominicans for Mother Earth, a flowering peach tree will be planted in the garden on the new medical campus along with a plaque to honor the service of the sisters," Barrett said.

The Dominican order based in Springfield, Ill., entered into an agreement with Rogers Memorial Hospital in 1951 to operate the 30-bed hospital for a community of 5,000 people. They named it St. Mary.

Sister Rose Marie Riley, prioress general of the Convent of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Motherhouse, said, "These pioneering sisters came to Rogers in 1951. They were brought by the board members of the Rogers Memorial Hospital who were looking for people who were experienced in hospital administration. They brought them in under a cloak of secrecy. ... They just weren't sure how the community would respond to bringing in these Catholic sisters from Illinois.

"It was a risk for those board members to take that on," she said. "And for the community. It was a new venture also. But that is the way the Spirit works. The Spirit brings us all together and through the years there has been such a bonding between the people of northwest Arkansas and our sisters who have ministered here."

In 1995 St. Mary Hospital was taken over by the Sister of Mercy Health System in St. Louis, Mo. At the time 11 Dominican sisters were working in the Rogers hospital.

Sister Mary Roch Rocklage, board chairwoman of the Mercy Health System, said before the hospital joined the Mercy Health System both the Dominicans and Mercy sisters had a meeting.

"When we were journeying to see if we would become part of this health system, we attended a meeting in Springfield, Ill. On the table in the room was a red flower, a white flower, and a red and white flower. The red flower represented the Mercy order, the white the Dominican, and the red and white symbolized our coming together."

One of the Dominican sisters returning to the motherhouse is Sister Mary Veronica Doolin. She came to Rogers in 1958 on her way to Texas.

"I came here to relieve someone for two weeks," she said. "One of the sisters had surgery and they asked me to come and help out. I never made it to Texas."

Over the years, Sister Veronica has worked in many different capacities for the hospital. Her first assignment was as a surgical nurse. While here, she graduated from the University of Arkansas with a business degree.

Sister Mary Concepta Joerger, who is also leaving, arrived in Rogers in 1993 to work in pastoral care. One of her special projects in the hospital has been the music program that provides CD players and music for the patients.

Another program she has devoted much time to is Compassionate Friends, a support group for families who have suffered the death of a child.

The third sister to leave, Sister Mary Stephanie Kapusta, arrived in 1997. After a long career in teaching, she has been working in the medical library as well as helping in the business office.

The new world of computers proved a real challenge to her but she accepted.

"I had helped in the business office," Sister Stephanie said. "That was before they had computers and we did it all on typewriters."

The three sisters said they are happy to be closer to their families who live in the area.

"I am looking forward to slowing down, being able to do more reading and reflecting. And yet be active," Sister Concepta said.

She will be continuing to work in pastoral care in area nursing homes.

"But," as she said, "no more pagers. That is the neatest thing."

The other two Dominicans assigned to the hospital, Sisters Bernice Curtin and Josetta Brown, will stay in Rogers and work at the hospital daycare, St. Rose Child Care Center.

Only two Sisters of Mercy are currently assigned to the hospital. Sister Anita Marie DeSalvo works in orientation and mission development for the employees. Sister Lisa Atkins is a nurse practitioner at Convenient Care and Business Health Care, one of the clinics in the health system.