By Paula Day

Stella Maris Outpatient Center, named in honor of a woman Religious who spent the last decade of her life ministering to critically ill and dying patients, was blessed Aug. 15 by Bishop James P. Lyke, OFM.

The three-story, 88,000 square-foot center is dedicated to Sister M. Stella Maris Bergin, RSM, who died Sept. 2, 1987. She had been a Sister of Mercy for 65 years. The last 12 years of her life, she was a member of the St. Joseph's Hospital staff.

Before the hospital initiated its pastoral care department, Sister Stella Maris visited patients and their families. She "took calls" and was available whenever staff called her for a dying patient or other emergency situations, according to Sister Michelle Carroll. "Availability was her great characteristic."

While she was untiring in her effort to do anything to console and comfort patients and their families, she could also be very matter-of-fact and businesslike with them, the senior vice president of sponsorship for Mercy Health Services of the South said. Sister Carroll knew Sister Stella Maris for 30 years. The pastoral minister would point out that the patient had to do his or her part to recover, that family members needed to "get a hold of themselves" in their grieving, "come to terms with it and get on with the business of living," according to Sister Carroll.

Sister Stella Maris' "tough love" approach was legendary throughout the hospital community. One anecdote circulated concerning a physician, not on staff, who was a patient in the hospital. He reportedly told a fellow physician, "You know, she bossed me to recovery."

Stella Maris is Latin for Star of the Sea, a title attributed to Mary, the mother of Jesus. In remarks at the dedication ceremony, Sister Angela Marie Ebberwein, RSM, provincial administrator for the Sisters of Mercy of the Baltimore province, found a connection.

"This title of the mother of God, so faithfully worn by our Irish sister for over 60 years, provides some meaningful clues for us about what this dedication signified," the Religious said.

"In the Catholic tradition, Mary, Star of the sea, symbolized a hope, a light and a refuge for those who are lost and vulnerable, for those whose confidence and strength is weakened in the wake of conditions that threaten their lives or well-being.

"Stella Maris was so utterly and profoundly sensitized to others' needs in vulnerability that she consistently reached out to extend hope and refuge to those whose diminished health or threat to health led them to St. Joseph's."

Sister Stella Maris was born in Errill, County Leix, Ireland, in 1906. She entered the Sisters of Mercy of Savannah in 1922. At one time she was provincial of the Baltimore province as well as assistant administrator general for the Sisters of Mercy of the Union, a national position.

Her fellow religious remember her sensitivity, kindness and generosity or availability. "She loved the outdoors and gardening and would spend her leisure time tending the rose garden," Sister Carroll recalled. "She worked and worked with the vegetable garden, but maybe with not as much success as she hoped for," the Religious added.

Up until the last year of her life, she insisted on cooking the sisters' Christmas dinner. Included in the menu was a special kind of plum and fig pudding. She always made "quarts and quarts" of eggnog, Sister Carroll recalled, adding that the excess was deliberate so she would have some left over to give to hospital employees.

Stella Maris Outpatient Center adjoins the east side of the hospital. It houses the majority of St. Joseph's outpatient services ranging from plastic and reconstructive surgery to orthopedic and cataract surgery. The cardiac catheterization labs, EKG area, Steiner Lung Center and Hispanic Services are also located in the Center.

The mission of the Center, according to William T. Foley, president and CEO of St. Joseph's hospital, is "to improve the well-being of those requiring care. By combining these services St. Joseph's is able to simplify the experience and therefore benefit the patient."

St. Joseph's Hospital was founded in 1880 by the Sisters of Mercy. It began as Atlanta Hospital on Courtland Street in downtown Atlanta and moved to the present Peachtree-Dunwoody location in 1978.