By Sister Eileen Hurley
On May 27, caregivers, volunteers, faith leaders, and community members gathered at St. Vincent Regional Hospital for a special blessing ceremony — marking the arrival of two new Leaven crosses that will soon be installed on the hospital’s exterior.
The crosses feature two shades of blue representing the merging of two mission-aligned legacy health systems united by a common purpose: to help people live the healthiest lives possible and to reveal and foster God’s healing love, with special attention to the poor and vulnerable.
Bishop Jeffrey Fleming of the Diocese of Great Falls-Billings led the blessing, honoring more than 125 years of faith, service, and compassionate care at St. Vincent. Hospital leaders and members of Leaven Ministries — the organization that upholds St. Vincent’s Catholic mission — also shared reflections on what the crosses mean for the hospital and the communities it serves.
On May 28, the ceremony was repeated at Holy Rosary Hospital in Miles City. Caregivers, Residential Living members, volunteers, community members, and Montana Regional Intermountain Board Members were in attendance, including Sister Judith Jackson and Sister Eileen Hurley.
The crosses are visual reminders of the faith and compassion that have guided St. Vincent since its founding and will continue to light the way forward.
The blessing of the cross for St James Hospital in Butte will take place later this summer.
Intermountain St. Vincent Regional Hospital Press Release:
On May 27, caregivers, volunteers, faith leaders, and community members gathered at St. Vincent Regional Hospital for a special blessing ceremony — marking the arrival of two new Leaven crosses that will soon be installed on the hospital’s exterior.
The crosses feature two shades of blue representing the merging of two mission-aligned legacy health systems united by a common purpose: to help people live the healthiest lives possible and to reveal and foster God’s healing love, with special attention to the poor and vulnerable.Bishop Jeffrey Fleming of the Diocese of Great Falls-Billings led the blessing, honoring more than 125 years of faith, service, and compassionate care at St. Vincent. Hospital leaders and members of Leaven Ministries — the organization that upholds St. Vincent’s Catholic mission — also shared reflections on what the crosses mean for the hospital and the communities it serves.
The crosses will be installed in the coming weeks — a visual reminder of the faith and compassion that have guided St. Vincent since its founding and will continue to light the way forward.
If you’d like a longer version, here’s a more detailed summary of the celebration that we posted to MyIntermountian:
On the morning of May 27, caregivers, volunteers, community members, and faith leaders gathered on the lawn of St. Vincent Regional Hospital for a moment both joyful and sacred – the blessing of two new Leaven crosses that will soon be installed on the hospital’s exterior walls.
The ceremony marked a visible and distinctive expression of St. Vincent’s Catholic identity and its enduring commitment to the healing ministry of the Church.
A Message to the Community
Lee Boyles, President of St. Vincent Regional Hospital and the Montana | Wyoming Market, opened the ceremony by reflecting on the deeper meaning the crosses carry – not just for those inside the hospital, but for everyone who sees them.
“These crosses represent our ongoing participation in the healing ministry of the Catholic Church and are a public expression of our enduring commitment to reveal and foster God’s healing love by helping people live the healthiest lives possible, particularly our neighbors who are poor and vulnerable,” Boyles said.
The Story Behind the Cross
Rita Turley, Chair of Leaven Ministries, the Canonical Sponsor of St. Vincent Regional Hospital and all Catholic ministries within Intermountain Health, shared the history and significance of the cross’s distinctive design.
Turley explained that in 2008, the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth asked the Vatican to create and appoint Leaven Ministries as the Sponsor of what were then SCL Health ministries. Today, that sponsorship maintains a formal connection with the Vatican and ensures the faithful living of the hospital’s mission and Catholic identity.
“The cross has been at the heart of Christian theology since the early Church and remains a symbol of the mission of God; ‘a mission of drawing everything that has been created into the deepest possible relationship with the Creator, the source from whom it comes,’” Turley said.
She reflected on how the cross calls the St. Vincent community to honor the dignity of all people, advocate for a just and equitable healthcare system, and follow Jesus’ example of caring for the poor and vulnerable.
Turley also invited attendees to look closely at the cross’s design: two distinct shades of blue form its shape, representing the two mission-aligned legacy organizations – one secular and one Catholic – that merged with a shared purpose. “This cross, a symbol of our Catholic health ministry, not only reminds us of our two legacies, but, in a more profound way, calls us forward to advance our Mission, now and into the future,” she said.
A Blessing Rooted in History
Bishop Jeffrey Fleming of the Diocese of Great Falls-Billings led the blessing, grounding the moment in the hospital’s rich heritage. He recalled that St. Vincent’s roots trace back to November 11, 1858, when Mother Xavier Ross and a small group of religious Sisters arrived in Leavenworth, Kansas, to begin their ministry. In 1869, six pioneer Sisters answered Father Pierre DeSmet’s call to serve the people of Helena, and later, Dr. Henry Chapple helped persuade the Sisters to establish Billings’ first hospital – extending a spirit of service, faith, and care for the poor and underserved that has continued for over 125 years.
“Today, let us ask for God’s blessing on all those who will see these crosses and who will devote themselves to caring for the sick in this place,” Bishop Fleming said. “Let us ask the divine blessing on these crosses, being erected as a sign of hope, healing, and love to the world.”
Light to the World
Mission Integration Director Deborah Simmen proclaimed the Gospel according to Saint Matthew: “You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden… Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.”
Bishop Fleming tied the scripture directly to the hospital’s work, calling the Catholic health ministry at St. Vincent “the ongoing fulfillment of Jesus’ command to be a lamp on a stand, illuminating the world with His promise and love.” He described the crosses as “new lamps, inviting all to experience God’s love through your service for those who are injured, sick, and in need of care.”
Looking Ahead
Boyles closed the ceremony with gratitude for all those “who make the healing work we do here every day a light to the world.”
The two new Leaven crosses will be installed on the hospital building in the coming weeks – a lasting, visible reminder of the faith, compassion, and mission that have guided St. Vincent Regional Hospital for more than a century and will continue to guide its future.
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