The Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine, which is the founding religious community of the Sisters of Charity Health System, has elected Sr. Judith Ann Karam, CSA, as congregational leader. As a result, Sr. Karam announced her resignation as the Sisters of Charity Health System's president and chief executive, effective July 26, according to a statement from the religious community.
As congregational leader, Sr. Karam will assume the role of chair of the Public Juridic Person of Pontifical Right of the Sisters of Charity Health System. The PJP is the health system's Catholic sponsor. She will serve as a member of the Sisters of Charity Health System Board of Directors and continue her participation on CHA's Board of Trustees, among other health and human service leadership commitments.
Terrence P. Kessler has been named as the interim president and chief executive of the Cleveland-based Sisters of Charity Health System, effective July 28 until a president and chief executive is recruited. He is currently the system's general counsel.
Health system leadership praised Sr. Karam for her vision and leadership for the past 15 years, noting the system's growth in responding to the unmet needs of the communities it serves, as well as positive trends in the system's fiscal operations and strategic direction to continue its faith-based mission.
The health system owns St. Vincent Charity Medical Center in Cleveland; Mercy Medical Center in Canton, Ohio; and Providence Hospital and Providence Northeast in Columbia, S.C. In a joint venture with University Hospitals of Cleveland, the system also co-owns St. John Medical Center in Westlake, Ohio. It also oversees three grant-making foundations in Cleveland, Canton and Columbia.
Also elected to serve with Sr. Karam for the Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine are Sr. Katherine Andrews, CSA, as first assistant, and Sr. Marian Durkin, CSA, as councilor.