March 19, 2023

Dear Friends,

On the feast day of St. Joseph, we are given the perfect opportunity to reflect on our mission at St. Joseph’s Health System: Living the Legacy. Compassionate Care. Faith Discovery. Our Patron, St. Joseph, demonstrated the value of dedicated labour. As health care providers, we follow his example and the enduring legacy of our founders, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Hamilton, through a united system of care offering healing where possible, soothing the worried spirits of our patients, and demonstrating God’s love through compassionate service “to the dear neighbour.”

The past several years have pushed us beyond our comfort zone. COVID-19 swept through our communities without mercy, testing our skills, exhausting our spirits, and leaving many of us feeling unmoored in a new reality that was most often isolating, lonely, and gruelling. I am inspired by your steadfast commitment to the service of the sick and dying in our communities; even in our bleakest moments you held fast, weathered the storm, and shone as beacons of light and faith during dark moments.

As a health system, we are one of the largest corporations delivering care to our communities and within this ecosystem; you are each individually leaders and champions of our integrated care approach. Your commitment to excellence, innovation, and leadership from local to international levels has yielded so many achievements to be proud of and celebrate because they distinguish who we are as a united system. A few examples come to mind:
• Evidence-based research, education, and evaluation to support the advancement of Integrated Care across Canada
• COVID Care @ Home Integrated Comprehensive Care Program
• Integrated Comprehensive Care
• International outreach programs and our work in partnership with Nunavut’s Department of Health promoting thought leadership, skills development, administrative guidance, and improved care
• Compassionate care to patients wherever we meet them: long-term care, homecare, acute, chronic, mental health, and end of life care
• Nurturing whole person care with interdisciplinary team cooperation, including our robust spiritual care team.

We owe our gratitude to the individuals who generously volunteer their time on the member and foundation boards of our institutions, sharing their expertise, keeping us focused on our mission, vision, and values, while also ensuring good governance and stewardship throughout the year. Our leadership’s teams must also be acknowledged for their unwavering dedication to the people we serve and the talented team who deliver on our promise of care daily. Your ability to work together for the benefit of all is inspiring.

As we celebrate everything we have accomplished together, we remain committed to the privilege of service embedded in our mission and vision as a health system and the values of dignity, respect, service, justice, responsibility, and enquiry that personify our leadership as healers and as people of faith.

Be assured of my continued support and that of the Diocese of Hamilton for each of you as you serve our patients and families with dedication, excellence and enthusiasm. I pray for you, sisters and brothers in Christ, in my daily prayers, as faithful leaders in our community and steadfast carers who serve those seeking help and who continually stretch out a hand of peace and love “to the more” in our communities.

Today, and every day, as we serve in our respective roles, please remember that “we are all Sisters of St. Joseph.”

Happy St. Joseph’s day!

Sincerely in Christ and Mary Immaculate,


(Most Rev.) Douglas Crosby, OMI
Bishop of Hamilton