CHRISTUS Health prepares to sell Saint Joseph Villa in Salt Lake City

IC photo by Marie Mischel

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St. Joseph Villa, which was founded by the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word in 1947, will be sold by its present owners, CHRISTUS Health.

SALT LAKE CITY - The changing needs of the health care profession as well as shifts in the economy have led to another transition for CHRISTUS Saint Joseph Villa, the only Catholic, non-profit senior care facility in Utah. On May 27, its parent company, CHRISTUS Health, announced it would sell the villa.

The decision to sell the villa was made after two years of thoughtful research, analysis, discussion and reflection by not only the national CHRISTUS Health board of directors, but also local management and the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, said William A. Rohloff, interim CEO of CHRISTUS Saint Joseph Villa.

CHRISTUS Health, headquartered in Dallas, Texas, runs the villa under an agreement with the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word. "They've been involved in this whole process," Rohloff said. "They're very engaged going forward, as well."

The villa is the only property that CHRISTUS has in Utah; the company's market area is primarily Texas, Louisiana, New Mexico and Mexico, Rohloff said, adding the location was a factor in the decision.

Another issue is a trend in senior health care for facilities to be adjacent to hospitals and CHRISTUS has no acute care facilities in Utah, he said.

"This facility most likely would prosper with a more local or regional owner," he said.

The process for the sale is just starting, he added; a set of criteria for the sale is being developed. The sisters "would like to see the vision and mission go forward," he said. "There will be a lot of screening criteria to make sure that whoever comes in here is committed to the general mission."

For the residents, staff and volunteers right now, "it basically means no change," Rohloff said. "The process is anticipated to run several months. It obviously is an agonizing time...but at the same time there were a lot of comments made of ‘let's do move forward and look to the future.'"

"St. Joseph Villa has led the way in creating an environment where not only the residents' physical needs are met, but their spiritual and pastoral care is provided as well," according to a statement from the Diocese of Salt Lake City. "The sisters, staff, benefactors and members of the board can take pride in the achievements of these many years. We keep them in our prayers during this time of transition."

Rohloff and other CHRISTUS Health executives have been in communication with local Church officials "so that we have input regarding the concerns of the diocese," said Msgr. J. Terrrence Fitzgerald, vicar general of the Diocese of Salt Lake City. "Saint Joseph Villa has been home for many elderly Utahns and their families for over 60 years. This extraordinary Catholic institution was built on the sacrifice and compassionate love of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word. The prayerful vigils of the sisters supported the dying, including some of our beloved bishops and priests. The hard work and devotion of the sisters, staff, volunteers and benefactors gave the Villa its well-deserved reputation as a leader of quality care for the elderly.

"In recent years the mission of the Villa has been sustained through CHRISTUS Health," he added. "It continues to be home for ill and elderly priests and laity who value the spiritual and pastoral care provided. This is a time of grateful appreciation for the sisters, volunteers, staff and benefactors who have served at the Villa in the past and who continue today. We pray that the present challenges facing the Villa might be resolved for the benefit of the elderly of our community."