SALT LAKE CITY, UT (Oct. 24, 2025) – CommonSpirit Health celebrated the 150-year health care legacy of Holy Cross in Utah on October 23 with a Catholic Mass, an announcement of a $10 million fundraising campaign to restore the historical chapel located on the campus of Holy Cross Hospital – Salt Lake, the awarding of a $5,000 scholarship to a nursing student, and the unveiling of a stained-glass work of art commissioned in commemoration, and the reading of a declaration by Governor Spencer Cox proclaiming October 25 as the 150th Anniversary of Holy Cross in Utah.
“This is a huge milestone for Utah as we recognize the work that two Catholic sisters began in 1875, when they opened one of Utah’s first hospitals – a 12-bed facility located on 500 East in Salt Lake City,” said Jeremy Bradshaw, President of CommonSpirit’s Utah market. “That legacy lives on in the work that CommonSpirit is doing at its five hospitals in Utah. When CommonSpirit acquired the hospitals in 2023, there was great intentionality in re-introducing the Holy Cross name in Utah. We are pleased to be serving Utahns in a faith-based approach to care.”
At the special anniversary celebration, Bradshaw announced a philanthropic effort to restore the chapel that was built by the sisters in 1904. The chapel had not been properly maintained prior to CommonSpirit’s arrival, and it sustained significant structural damage in the 2020 earthquake.
“This chapel is a community treasure, and we are excited to announce that CommonSpirit has pledged $4 million toward the restoration, which is estimated to cost close to $10 million. We invite the community to help on this important initiative to preserve this sacred space,” Bradshaw said.
Also at the event, Utah businessman Kim Wilson was honored with a CommonSpirit Humankindness Award for his work to raise several hundred thousand dollars for the chapel. Wilson had spent many hours in the chapel, seeking solace while his first wife was in intensive care at Holy Cross. He also had officiated at regular worship services for members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints held in the chapel a number of years ago.
“We so appreciate the passion that Kim Wilson has had for restoring the chapel. The money he and his colleagues raised provides a nice starting point for this philanthropic effort,” said Kyle Braithwaite, Chief Philanthropy Officer for CommonSpirit’s Utah Market.
Also at Thursday’s event, Andrew Gaasch, President of CommonSpirit’s Mountain Region, which includes Utah, Colorado, and Kansas, presented a $5,000 scholarship to Nathelie Tucker of Murray, Utah, a nursing student who is enrolled in the Grand Canyon nursing program. Nathelie was selected from more than 20 applicants for the scholarship.
CommonSpirit unveiled a stained-glass work of art that was commissioned for the event. The piece, which stands 6 1/2 feet tall and 3 1/2 feet wide, and is backlit, depicts historical scenes from the Sisters of the Holy Cross and modern-day caregiving, representative of the history and future of health care in Utah. The artwork, which was crafted by Holdman Studios in Lehi, Utah, will hang in the main lobby of Holy Cross Hospital - Salt Lake. Replicas will be displayed in the other four Holy Cross hospitals.
“We wanted to memorialize this special occasion by paying respect to the legacy we inherited and indicating our commitment to the future here in Utah. We thought stained-glass was a beautiful way to visually represent that message,” Bradshaw said.
A celebratory Mass was also held at the hospital, conducted by Father Evans, Vicar General of the Diocese at Salt Lake. Father Evans also blessed the artwork during the event.
Learn more about the 150-year history of Holy Cross in Utah at a special website celebrating the legacy of care in Utah.
Inspired by faith. Driven by innovation. Powered by humankindness. CommonSpirit Health is building a healthier future for all through its integrated health services. As one of the nation’s largest nonprofit Catholic healthcare organizations, CommonSpirit Health delivers more than 20 million patient encounters annually through more than 2,300 clinics, care sites and 137 hospital-based locations, in addition to its home-based services and virtual care offerings. CommonSpirit has more than 155,000 employees, 45,000 nurses and 25,000 physicians and advanced practice providers across 24 states and contributes more than $4 billion annually in charity care, community benefits and unreimbursed government programs. Together with our patients, physicians, partners, and communities, we are creating a more just, equitable, and innovative healthcare delivery system. Learn more at commonspirit.org.
