Since its establishment in 1982, the Sisters of Charity Health System has promoted collaboration among its various ministries while providing them with oversight, leadership and strategic direction.
Sponsorship — a formal relationship recognized by both civil and canon law between an authorized Catholic organization and a legally formed entity — was provided during this time by the Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine (CSA). The CSA Congregation exists in the Catholic Church as a Public Juridic Person of pontifical right (PJP). Often compared to a civil corporation, a PJP is described in canon law as a group of persons or things that performs work in the name of the Church, not merely in its own name.
In 2001, the CSA Congregation reviewed the corporate Membership structure for the Sisters of Charity Health System and designated that the Congregational Leader and two Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine be named as Members. These two Sisters were chosen based on their individual expertise as well as their knowledge of Catholic healthcare. Soon after, the Congregation began a process to consider a new model of sponsorship that would ensure the mission and ministry of CSA and our Catholic identity into the future.
In June 2007, the Vatican approved a request to restructure the sponsorship of the Sisters of Charity Health System to a new Public Juridic Person. This action shifts corporate decision-making authority from the exclusive scope of CSA to the new PJP which is governed by both CSAs and laity. Most importantly, the new canonical structure guarantees the preservation of the Sisters’ mission and the Catholic identity of their sponsored ministries into the future.
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