Dominican Sisters of Peace Sansbury Care Center in St. Catharine, Ky., celebrates 50 years

On Sunday, July 10, Sansbury Care Center celebrated its Golden Jubilee anniversary: 50 years of nurturing healing, comfort, and faith in St. Catharine, Kentucky. The celebration included a Mass, reception, and tours on the grounds of the Dominican Sisters of Peace Motherhouse in St. Catharine.

Founded by the former Dominican Sisters of St. Catharine (now Dominican Sisters of Peace) in 1961, Sansbury Care Center had its beginnings as an infirmary for elderly and infirm sisters, housed within the motherhouse. As the needs of the congregation and technologies of the day changed, a separate, more modern facility was needed. The new center, dedicated and blessed by Auxiliary Bishop Charles Maloney on July 9, 1961, was the fulfillment of the community’s prayers, brought by the encouragement, courage, sacrifice, and generosity of the sisters and countless friends and benefactors. In his homily at the dedication, the Very Reverend Patrick J. Conaty, OP, declared, “…we know that Sansbury Hall is much more than brick and stone, tall white columns, long corridors, wide rooms, and gleaming appliances of a modern age… Rather, do we find here a holy place, a new home in an old mission, a gateway to Heaven.”

Originally called Sansbury Memorial Infirmary (named after Mother Angela Sansbury, founder of the Dominicans of St. Catharine), the facility included accommodation for the many modern advances in health care of the day. With the opening of this new building, more professional help was added to the staff and, over the years, series of improvements to keep abreast of current standards helped Sansbury to become a licensed health care facility in 1978. The center has continued to evolve since then, as the field of health care itself has evolved, and along the way has garnered the respect of residents, staff, the community, and the larger healthcare industry. Among other recognitions, Sansbury Care Center was honored as the Central District Facility of the Year in 2008 by the Kentucky Association of Health Care Facilities, and in 2010, Administrator Darlene Herald was named Central District Administrator of the Year.

Today, as Sansbury celebrates 50 years of service, the center houses 59 beds (currently serving 56 residents) and offers hospice care, skilled nursing care, intermediate nursing care, and personal care. It employs 102 people in areas such as nursing, physical and occupational therapy, pastoral care, social work, housekeeping, food services, and administration.

To see photos and read a summary and reflection on the celebration by Sr. Diane Traffas, OP, click here.

To read a brief history of Sansbury Care Center by historian Sister Paschala Noonan, OP, click here.

To read the full homily given by Very Reverend Patrick J. Conaty, OP, at Sansbury’s dedication in 1961, click here.

Story submitted by Karen Clay, Communications Director, Dominican Sisters of Peace.