150 Years of Healing and Hope

Since 1904, the Holy Cross Hospital Chapel has stood on South Temple in Salt Lake City, welcoming the community as it celebrates weddings and births, mourns losses, shows support in times of illnesses and injury, quietly contemplates our inner lives, worships, and so much more.

Many hospitals, even those without any religious affiliation, have some space
devoted to prayer and reflection. But for more than a century, the chapel at Holy Cross Hospital - Salt Lake has been a formidable spiritual anchor for the community amidst the changing world swirling surrounding it. 

Photo used by permission, Utah Historical Society.

Upon first seeing it rising from the street at South Temple, you are immediately struck by its singularity - an impressive structure composed of angles of brick and gleaming stained glass. The chapel was designed by the architect Carl M. Neuhausen, who was also the architect of several other notable landmarks, including the Cathedral of the Madeleine, the Thomas Kearns Mansion, and the St. Ann Orphanage.

When its doors were opened in 1904, the chapel was dedicated and the altar was consecrated by Rt. Reverend Lawrence Scanlan, the Bishop of Salt Lake. 

Ecclesiastical details, such as 11 stained glass windows depicting important Biblical scenes and colorful frescoes on the walls and ceiling, make the chapel as much a center of religious art as it is an historic landmark. Achille Peretti, an Italian painter, and sculptor from New Orleans, painted the murals.

Photo taken by Jacob Barlow
 

The chapel is now on the National Historic Registry and the Utah Register of Historic Places, making it a landmark that draws interest across our nation. It is thought to be the oldest Catholic church in Utah and the only structure remaining from the original Holy Cross Hospital. When it was decommissioned in 1995, it became a nondenominational chapel, but it has been in continuous use since its founding.

Over the years, the chapel, like any century-old building, has fallen into some disrepair. While minor projects have been completed, major renovations, such as plumbing, floor repairs and similar, are decades overdue. 

Worsening matters dramatically, the building sustained significant damage in a 2020 magnitude-5.7 earthquake that shook much of the city - the first major earthquake on record in a city not built to withstand such events.

For seven decades, the Holy Cross Nursing School stood as a beacon of excellence, shaping the lives and careers of more than 1,000 nurses who went on to serve communities throughout Utah and beyond. More than just a training ground, it was a place where compassion, dedication, and a commitment to patient care were instilled in generations of healthcare professionals. The school's impact resonates even today, through the countless lives touched by its graduates.

Photo used by permission, Utah Historical Society.

One such graduate is Joan Averett, 86, of Murray, whose nearly 50-year nursing career exemplified the values instilled at Holy Cross. Joan's journey began with a powerful image: witnessing her cousin's graduation from the Holy Cross Nursing School. She remembers watching the nurses, dressed in their white uniforms and carrying red roses, walk from the nursing school on South Temple and 10th East to the Cathedral of the Madeline for the ceremony. That moment ignited a passion within her, a desire to dedicate her life to caring for others.

The Holy Cross Nursing School provided more than just an education; it offered young women like Joan a pathway to opportunity. Coming from humble beginnings in Kemmerer, Wyoming, Joan wasn't sure how she could afford nursing school. However, through hard work and determination, she secured grants that covered nearly her entire tuition, opening the door to a life-changing experience.

Life at the school, housed in the Moreau building, was structured and disciplined. Joan recalls the strict rules, such as young men having to check in with the receptionist and wait in the lobby for their dates. These rules reflected the values of the Sisters of the Holy Cross, who emphasized professionalism and dedication.

After graduating in 1960, Joan embarked on a diverse and fulfilling career. She worked at St. Mark's Hospital, a rural hospital in Wyoming, and eventually returned to Holy Cross Hospital in Salt Lake City, where she dedicated 28 years of service. She was a pioneer in IV therapy, one of the hospital’s first nurses trained to manage PIC lines, and witnessed firsthand the evolution of nursing practices over five decades.

Photo used by permission, Utah Historical Society.

Joan's story is a testament to the enduring legacy of the Holy Cross Nursing School. As Cloe Wilson, a current nurse at Holy Cross Hospital – Salt Lake and former colleague of Joan's, notes, "Patients always loved Joan – she knew how to put them at ease. She loved them." This sentiment encapsulates the spirit of the Holy Cross Nursing School: a commitment to compassionate, patient-centered care that continues to inspire nurses today. The school may be closed, but its impact on Utah healthcare lives on through the dedication and skill of its graduates.

History of the Holy Cross Nursing School Booklet