ST. LOUIS, March 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Babies born at
Mercy hospitals on March 17 will
receive a special keepsake, a green onesie with a shamrock to
celebrate both their arrival on St.
Patrick's Day and Mercy's Irish roots.
While many mark the holiday by donning green clothes, decorating
with leprechauns and drinking green beer, the 1,500-year-old
holiday is a nod to Saint Patrick,
Ireland's most famous patron
saint. Patrick is credited with using the three-leaf shamrock as a
symbol of the Holy Trinity − Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. The
clover has also become associated with faith, hope and
love.
"Like many holidays, St.
Patrick's Day has become one that people celebrate even if
they have no Irish or religious connection," said Mary Beth Bulte, Mercy vice president of mission
and strategic initiatives. "With its ties to joy and festivity, we
thought it was a fun way to celebrate new life and our Irish
heritage, as well as the unique history of the Sisters of Mercy,
who began caring for women and children in Dublin, Ireland, almost 200 years ago. Our
Sisters were known for their devotion and their joy, and they were
one of the first religious orders to insist on a life that wasn't
cloistered so they could be out in the community serving those in
need. As Mercy, we have much to celebrate."
Catherine McAuley, Mercy's
foundress, opened the first House of Mercy in Dublin in 1827. In 1843, the Sisters of Mercy
came to the United States and in
1871 traveled to St. Louis, where
they would eventually establish hospitals throughout the
Midwest.
Anyone planning to welcome a little leprechaun can visit
mercy.net/green to download Mercy's Pregnancy guides.
Saint Patrick's Day
Facts:
- Not Originally Green: The holiday was originally
associated with the color blue in medieval times but later shifted
to green, possibly influenced by Ireland's nickname as the "Emerald Isle," the
country's lush green landscapes, the green shamrock and the green
in the Irish flag.
- St. Patrick Wasn't Irish: Although he was the patron
saint of Ireland, he was born in
Britain.
- Global Celebration: Despite its Irish origin, the day is
celebrated in more countries than any other national festival and
on every continent.
- Lenten Reprieve: The holiday falls during Lent, a 40-day
period of spiritual reflection between Ash Wednesday and Easter,
but the restrictions on eating and drinking alcohol are lifted for
the day.
- Largest St. Patrick's Day Parade: New York City's parade attracts millions of
participants and spectators each year.
- Irish Ancestry: Irish roots are the second-most-commonly
reported in the U.S. (after German) with some 35 million Americans
claiming Irish heritage.
- Patty or Paddy? Either is correct, but St. Paddy's
Day is more popular and came from shortening the Irish spelling of
Patrick, which is Pádraig.
Mercy, one of the 20 largest U.S. health systems and
named the top large system in the U.S. for excellent patient
experience by NRC Health, serves millions annually with nationally
recognized care and one of the nation's largest and
highest performing Accountable Care Organizations in quality and
cost. Mercy is a highly integrated, multi-state health care
system including more than 50 acute care and specialty (heart,
children's, orthopedic and rehab) hospitals, convenient and
urgent care locations, imaging centers and pharmacies. Mercy
has over 900 physician practice locations and outpatient
facilities, more than 4,500 physicians and advanced
practitioners and 50,000 co-workers serving patients and
families across Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma. Mercy also has clinics, outpatient
services and outreach ministries in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. In fiscal year 2023 alone, Mercy
provided more than half a billion dollars of free care and other
community benefits, including traditional charity care and
unreimbursed Medicaid.
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SOURCE Mercy