St. Joseph’s Medical Center Celebrates 125 Years of Caring for the Stockton Community with Anniversary Event on March 19th

(STOCKTON, CA) March 19, 2024 - On March 19th, St. Joseph’s Medical Center hosted a special anniversary celebration in honor of the laying of the cornerstone and founding of St. Joseph’s Home and Hospital 125 years ago on March 19, 1899. In addition to an anniversary mass and ceremony, hospital leadership, staff, physicians, donors and dignitaries witnessed the unveiling of the Hospital’s Legacy Wall commemorating SJMC’s 125th year of serving our community, as well as celebrating our legacy, sharing stories of our past and looking forward to a bright future. 

“The history of St. Joseph’s is an integral part of the Stockton community, and I am grateful for the continued support we receive from our community every day,” said Donald J. Wiley, President and CEO of St. Joseph’s Medical Center. “I could not be more proud and more humbled of all we have accomplished over the last 125 years, from becoming a nationally-recognized medical center in quality care to instituting our Graduate Medical Education program. Among many other achievements, these would not be possible without the support of our physicians, nurses, staff, volunteers and the Dominican Sisters.”

From the laying of the cornerstone in March 1899 to today, what was originally St. Joseph’s Home and Hospital, has grown far beyond the dreams of founder Father William O’Connor and sponsors Dominican Sisters of San Rafael to become a nationally-recognized medical center serving the broader community of San Joaquin county and educating the nurses, clinicians and doctors of tomorrow.

“I am overjoyed to be celebrating St. Joseph’s 125th anniversary of the laying of the cornerstone,” said Sister Abby Newton, OP, Vice President Mission Integration with St. Joseph’s Medical Center. “This milestone anniversary allowed us to pay tribute to those who walked before us in these hallways and pave the way for those who will follow us.”

The events were open to members of the Stockton community, with over 300 people in attendance. For interview opportunities, please contact Kellie Ryan at [email protected].

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About St. Joseph’s Medical Center:

Dignity Health St. Joseph's Medical Center is a not-for-profit, fully accredited, regional hospital with 355 beds, a physician staff of over 700, and more than 2,700 employees. Specializing in cardiovascular care, comprehensive cancer services, and women and children's services, St. Joseph's is committed to delivering compassionate, high-quality, affordable health care services with special attention to the poor and underserved. As a Sponsoring Institution for Graduate Medical Education, St. Joseph’s supports rapidly growing educational programs for both resident physicians and medical students. In addition to being nationally recognized as a quality leader, St. Joseph's is consistently chosen as the "most preferred hospital" by local consumers. St. Joseph's is the largest hospital, as well as one of the largest private employers in San Joaquin County. Founded in 1899 by Fr. William O'Connor and administered by the Dominican Sisters of San Rafael, St. Joseph's continues to lead the region in medical innovation. St. Joseph's Medical Center is a member of Dignity Health/CommonSpirit Health, a nonprofit Catholic health system with care sites across 21 states dedicated to advancing health for all people. For more information, please visit DignityHealth.org/Stockton.