Save Kenneth Hall For Mary, The Mother Of Our Lord God Jesus Christ

Let's always remember who we have on our side in this struggle: From the Kenneth Hall Regional Hospital website:

While the name Kenneth Hall Regional Hospital has only been in existence for a short time, the history of this healthcare institution spans more than a century.

Long before 1890 it had been realized that the rapidly developing city of East St. Louis had great need for a hospital. The sick and injured had to be taken to St. Louis for treatment, and the length of the trip was often of vital consequence to the patient. In 1890 Rev. Father C. Koenig began the construction of St. Mary’s Hospital. The hospital had a capacity of 30 beds and was dedicated on June 1, 1890 by Bishop John Janssen. During the next ten years the hospital continued to prosper and expand while the population of the city of East St. Louis continued to increase.

The years that followed 1900 saw many changes in St. Mary’s Hospital that were particularly influenced by the progress of the era. In January 1903, the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ, an order of nuns from Fort Wayne, Indiana, took control of St. Mary’s Hospital. Soon the Poor Handmaids realized that their existing facility was wholly inadequate to handle the rapid growth of the community and the influx of patients it created. In 1926 a new hospital was constructed which increased it’s capacity to 339 beds.

The Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ continued their mission of health and healing in East St. Louis for more than 75 years. In 2003 the order of nuns began discussions with Southern Illinois Healthcare Foundation to continue thier mission. On February 1, 2004, the hospital officially changed its name to Kenneth Hall Regional Hospital. Although the name changed, the same dedication to providing quality healthcare remains today.

Editor's Note: Tomorrow will be the fourth anniversary of the name change from St. Mary's Hospital to Kenneth Hall Regional Hospital in 2004. The name St. Mary's Hospital graced East Saint Louis for 114 years from 1890 to 2004 before the name change on February 1, 2004. As a Christian - my wife, Maribeth, is a Catholic Christian - I acknowledge our Lord through Mary and have been praying the rosary daily since 9/10/04. After I posted this I noted the time, 9:10, which mirrors the day, 9/10, that my parents first met way back in the year 1948. The Divine Providence of our Lord God Jesus Christ is perfect!