[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 87 (Thursday, May 23, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E667-E668]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          CONGRATULATING THE CHRISTUS SANTA ROSA HEALTH SYSTEM

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOAQUIN CASTRO

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 23, 2019

  Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the 
CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Health System on its 150th anniversary year serving 
the health care needs of San Antonio and South Texas. Three Catholic 
Sisters left their families and native country of France 150 years ago 
in 1869, and traveled to San Antonio, Texas to answer a call to care 
for victims of a deadly cholera outbreak. This marked the beginnings of 
the Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word in San 
Antonio and the Santa Rosa Infirmary, which still serves the community 
today. A century and a half later, the infirmary, now known as CHRISTUS 
Santa Rosa Health System and The Children's Hospital of San Antonio, 
has grown and expanded to meet the new health care needs of diverse 
populations throughout the south Texas region.
  From those three founding Sisters, a network of hospitals and clinics 
has grown around the world, employing thousands of health care 
professionals who are still responding with compassion and love to 
Bishop Dubuis' call 150 years ago.
  In 2019, we celebrate the Congregation's Sesquicentennial in CHRISTUS 
Health locations throughout Texas, Mexico, South America and the United 
States. And during this celebration, we remember the first ministry, 
where it all began--CHRISTUS Santa Rosa. CHRISTUS Health is now one of 
the top ten Catholic health systems in the United States and a leading 
provider of uncompensated care among not-for-profit health care 
systems.
  I congratulate CHRISTUS Santa Rosa on its 150th anniversary and 
recognize its significant contribution to the state of Texas as a 
leader

[[Page E668]]

and provider of quality, faith-based compassionate healthcare. Patients 
served by CHRISTUS Santa Rosa, including my constituents of the 20th 
District, are grateful to each of the thousands of nurses, doctors, 
associates and volunteers who have helped their communities through the 
years with a commitment to the CHRISTUS Santa Rosa mission of 
``extending the healing ministry of Jesus Christ.''

                          ____________________