Saint Joseph Berea Hosts ‘Blessing of the Rigs’ for First Responders

BEREA, Ky. (June 17, 2021) – Saint Joseph Berea hosted a “Blessing of the Rigs” event today to honor and bless first responders in the Berea area, who each day give selflessly to others in urgent time of need. The facility invited first responders to attend the event, where they each received a non-denominational blessing over themselves, their rigs and the patients they transport.

CHI Saint Joseph Health held this event at facilities across the state on Thursday, including Saint Joseph East, Saint Joseph Hospital, Saint Joseph Jessamine, Saint Joseph Berea, Saint Joseph London, Saint Joseph Mount Sterling, and Flaget Memorial Hospital.

The event is part of CHI Saint Joseph Health’s “A Year of Humankindness,” which began in January with the launch of the health care system’s new brand messaging, “Hello humankindness.” Humankindness, the one word for the connection we share … the healing power in each of is, is the ultimate principle that guides the work of CHI Saint Joseph Health.

“The COVID-19 pandemic really showed us all the importance of showing kindness, not only during the difficult times, but also during everyday encounters that we have with patients, colleagues and the community,” said John Yanes, president, Saint Joseph Berea. “We continually look for ways to display humankindess in our communities. As a Catholic hospital, one way we can do that is to extend a blessing of encouragement and protection for our EMTs and firefighters as they bring patients to and from our hospital.”

As part of the “Blessing of the Rigs” event, first responders were treated to lunch and received a blessing memento – key chains featuring the patron saint for each profession, St. Florian for firefighters and St. Michael the Archangel for EMTs, as well as a prayer card that asks for protection and guidance.

About CHI Saint Joseph Health
CHI Saint Joseph Health, part of CommonSpirit Health, is one of the largest and most comprehensive health systems in the Commonwealth of Kentucky with 100 locations in 20 counties, including hospitals, physician groups, clinics, primary care centers, specialty institutes, home health agencies and an ambulatory Care Center. The hospitals in CHI Saint Joseph Health are Flaget Memorial Hospital, Saint Joseph Berea, Saint Joseph East, Saint Joseph Hospital, Saint Joseph Jessamine, Saint Joseph London, Saint Joseph Mount Sterling, and Women’s Hospital at Saint Joseph East. In total, the health system serves patients in 35 counties statewide. CHI Saint Joseph Health is dedicated to providing a wide array of services toward a goal of building a healthier future for all. CHI Saint Joseph Health embodies a strong mission and faith-based heritage and works through local partnerships to expand access to care in the communities it serves. 

About Saint Joseph Berea

Saint Joseph Berea is a 25-bed critical access hospital located in Berea, Kentucky. Established in 1898 on the grounds of Berea College, the facility serves residents of Madison, Estill, Garrard, Jackson and Rockcastle counties. Saint Joseph Berea recognizes the importance of family, friends and familiar surroundings in the healing process and provides a breadth of services so that getting first-rate care doesn’t have to mean being far from home.

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