August 27, 2019

Mary’s Meadow celebrates 10th anniversary with ceremony, blessing

REGIONAL
Story and photo by Sharon Roulier

HOLYOKE – Mary’s Meadow at Providence Place marked its 10^th anniversary Aug. 23 with a special ceremony and blessing by Springfield Bishop Mitchell T. Rozanski.

The long-term living and short-term rehabilitation facility, located on the hill below Providence Place, has been offering a different approach to the traditional nursing home model of care for the last decade.

Care is provided in a small-house complex designed to look and feel like a real home.

“I have visited many people here at Mary’s Meadow in the five years that I’ve been here. Just to see the care that’s given in the rehab department, the progress that people make there. And really the atmosphere of caring because of our Catholicism really permeates the whole place,” said Bishop Rozanski, in an interview with Catholic Communications before his address to the Sisters of Providence, staff and local dignitaries attending the morning celebration on the grounds of the Holyoke facility.

“And so we’re very grateful as a diocese that the Sisters of Providence had the foresight to build Mary’s Meadow 10 years ago,” Bishop Rozanski said. “And for the ten years of care, we give thanks to God that continues to go on here in such a wonderful way.”

Mary’s Meadow comprises four separate houses, each of which has accommodations for 10 residents. All rooms are private, with full baths, and each house has a shared living room, dining room, den, and kitchen.

The four houses are connected to a central chapel, open to people of all faiths, providing a space for prayer and reflection.

The Sisters of Providence were the first in New England to build a facility of this kind.

A framed photo with a description of the vision behind Mary’s Meadow was unveiled during the ceremony. It is a tribute to the late Sister of Providence Joan Mullen, who was president of the congregation from 2001-2009. She oversaw the planning and development of Mary’s Meadow, a concept brought about by Sister of Providence Mary Caritas Geary, the order’s current vice president, and past president from 1969-1977.

“It was a dream. It’s one thing to have a dream. It’s another to bring it to reality,” said Sister Caritas in an interview with Catholic Communications. “It took a lot of people. Believe me. I don’t take the credit. Sister Joan Mullen had faith in me and let me do things that most people wouldn’t take a chance on.”

Sister Caritas said that what makes Mary’s Meadow a success is the “home atmosphere” where “the patient comes first.”

“The people are here are just so special,” she said. “Anybody who comes here, I don’t know of anybody who has not had a good experience.”

A video version of this story will be featured on an upcoming edition of “Real to Reel,” which airs Saturday evenings at 7 p.m. on WWLP-22NEWS and in the Berkshires Sunday mornings at 5:30 on Albany’s Fox 23, WXXA.