Mercy Hospital and Medical Center (Library of Congress/Wikimedia Commons)
Chicago’s oldest hospital, founded by the Sisters of Mercy in 1852 and the first Catholic hospital in the nation to partner with a medical school, may soon be relegated to history. Citing years of struggling finances, changes in health care and the lack of support from government leaders, Trinity Health announced earlier this year that the 412-bed hospital located in a predominantly Black Chicago neighborhood would close early next year.
A group of neighborhood activists are trying to convince the Catholic health system that runs Mercy Hospital and state lawmakers to save the storied institution, saying that closing a hospital in an underserved community during a pandemic is unconscionable and calling its survival a matter of racial justice. On Tuesday, Dec. 16, a state commission rejected Mercy’s application to close, giving at least temporary hope to community members who want to see the institution r