Dignity Health Las Vegas President and CEO Katherine Vergos received her official commissioning today as leader of the St. Rose Dominican mission and ministry in southern Nevada. The blessing and exhortation was delivered by The Most Rev. Gregory W. Gordon, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Las Vegas, during a Catholic mass held at San Martin Hospital.
A Catholic commissioning ceremony is a religious rite where individuals are formally recognized and blessed for a specific ministry or role within the Church, signifying their acceptance and empowerment to serve.
“The presidential commissioning is a longstanding tradition in Catholic Healthcare,” said Coy Raiford, Interim Director of Mission Services for Dignity Health Las Vegas. “This ceremony symbolically marks the Adrian Dominican Sisters' exhortation and blessing to Katherine as the leader of the St. Rose ministry, commissioned to continue the long legacy of the Adrian Dominican Sisters in southern Nevada.”
Many leaders and members of the Dignity Health Las Vegas family attended the event, including CommonSpirit Health Central Division President Tim Bricker; John Brothers, Central Region Chief Mission Officer; and Tom Burns, President & CEO of San Martin and Rose de Lima Hospitals.
Commissioning ceremonies are a way for the Church to publicly recognize and support the ministry of its members, and for individuals to reaffirm their commitment to serving God and the Church.
Ms. Vergos said, “I am humbled and honored to be entrusted with this responsibility. With the faith and support of the Adrian Dominican Sisters and our compassionate caregivers, I will strive to lead our healthcare ministry into the future, with a mission of making the healing presence of God known to our world by improving the health of the people we serve, especially those who are vulnerable, while advancing social justice for all.”