March 28, 2022 – Before this year comes to an end, senior Jesuits in the USA Central and Southern (UCS) Province will have a new place to live. Based in North St. Louis County, the new community will provide a safe, supportive and welcoming home for approximately 70 men, about one-fifth of the men in the UCS Province.
The as-yet unnamed community will replace Jesuit Hall, a 100-year-old former hotel that has been serving as a Jesuit community for several decades, but which is too large for the number of Jesuits who live there and in need of renovations that would cost millions of dollars.
Jesuit Hall originally served as the Jesuit Community at Saint Louis University. Over the years, the composition of the community has changed to include fewer teachers and administrators and many more retired and semi-retired men. Since 1990, a province infirmary has been located in Jesuit Hall, with the province providing around-the-clock nursing care for a relatively small number of men.
Province leadership decided it is time for a new model of community living and care, one that utilizes the experience and skill of a proven healthcare provider. After an exhaustive search, the province formed a partnership with Delmar Gardens, a St. Louis-based healthcare provider with an excellent reputation and a corporate commitment to providing compassionate care for the elderly.
Delmar Gardens is renovating one section of their existing retirement community in North St. Louis County and adding on to meet the needs of the Jesuits, including a special program and secure area for Jesuits with memory challenges. The state-of-the-art residence will have a “stand-alone” feel with a distinct entrance to the Jesuit community so that visitors and residents alike have a sense that they are entering a community that is distinctively Jesuit.
With both supportive community living and warm hospitality in mind, the new construction will include a large community chapel as well as several smaller chapels; a dining room that can accommodate both daily community meals and special events; a large rec room, a lounge with fireplace and bar, a library with computer lab, a fitness and wellness center and a hobby room.
A wide range of healthcare professionals will be available on site.
For information on donating to this project, contact Paula Parrish, chief advancement officer, at UCSAdvancement@Jesuits.org.
If you feel called to contribute to this community, you can donate through this website.