Governance and Sponsorship

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.

PUBLIC JURIDIC PERSON

• John Bastulli, MD
• Jack Bedell, managing director, Freitag & Co
• Lisa G. Bernardin
• Anthony Coyne, president, Mansour Gavin
• Sister Susan Durkin, OSU, president, Ursuline Sisters
• Sister Miriam Erb, CSA, vice president of mission & ministry, St. Vincent Charity Community Health Center (VICE CHAIR)
• Sr. Joanne Gross, OSU, legal counsel, Ursuline Sisters of Cleveland
• Sister Judith Ann Karam, CSA, congregational leader, Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine (CHAIR)
• Patricia Moore Pastides
• Tari Rivera, president, Regency Construction Services Inc.
• Leo M. Spellacy Jr. Esq., principal, Thrasher, Dinsmore & Dolan LLP

SISTERS OF CHARITY HEALTH SYSTEM BOARD OF DIRECTORS

• John Bastulli, MD
• Jack Bedell, managing director, Freitag & Co
• Robert Belden, president & CEO, Belden Brick Company
• Lisa G. Bernardin
• Anthony Coyne, president, Mansour Gavin
• Sister Susan Durkin, OSU, president, Ursuline Sisters
• Sister Miriam Erb, CSA, vice president of mission & ministry, St. Vincent Charity Community Health Center (SECRETARY)
• Michael J. Goar, president & CEO, Sisters of Charity Health System
• Sr. Joanne Gross, OSU, legal counsel, Ursuline Sisters of Cleveland
• Sean Hennessy, senior vice president of finance & CFO, The Sherwin-Williams Company (TREASURER)
• Gary Isakov
• Sister Judith Ann Karam, CSA, congregational leader, Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine
• Edward (Mac) McIlver Leppard Jr. M.D.
• J. Michael McCabe, senior vice president – wealth management, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner and Smith Inc.
• Patricia Moore Pastides
• Tari Rivera, president, Regency Construction Services Inc.
• Clinton Simmons
• Leo M. Spellacy Jr. Esq., principal, Thrasher, Dinsmore & Dolan LLP
• Robert W. Varley (CHAIR)

SCHS CORPORATE OFFICERS

• Michael J. Goar, president & CEO, Sisters of Charity Health System
• Melissa Rogers, senior vice president & CFO, Sisters of Charity Health System

SCHS CORPORATE STAFF

• Shannon Jerse, general counsel and compliance officer, Sisters of Charity Health System
• Miguel Chavez, senior vice president, Mission and Ministry, Sisters of Charity Health System