Speaker urges better theological formation for health executives

Published: 2004-05-21

NEW YORK (CNS) -- A nun who is a prominent voice in Catholic health care said May 20 that more attention should be given to the theological formation of lay executives in Catholic hospitals. Sister Jean deBlois, a Sister of St. Joseph of Carondelet who directs a master's degree program in health care mission at Aquinas Institute of Theology in St. Louis, said some religious orders neglected the need for such formation during the initial period of transition to largely lay leadership in their institutions. She spoke in New York to the Catholic Healthcare Administrative Personnel Program, which is held annually at St. John's University with co-sponsorship by St. Vincent Catholic Medical Centers. Sister deBlois began her career as a nurse and later worked on the staff of the Catholic Health Association. She now is a trustee and sponsor liaison for her order at Ascension Health, a St. Louis-based alliance of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Nazareth, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet and four provinces of the Daughters of Charity. It is described as the largest Catholic and largest nonprofit health system in the nation.

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