BUFFALO, N.Y. — Catholic Health held a "Lights of Hope" event Friday night at Sisters of Charity Hospital. The event was aimed to honor those patients and residents at the hospital who lost their lives to COVID-19.
"Today is actually the National Day of solitude, which is a time to reflect and unplugging," Catholic Health President and CEO Mark Sullivan said.
Friday also marked the one-year anniversary of Sister of Charity being converted to a COVID-19 hospital during the first wave of the pandemic.
"We wanted to make sure that we remember that one year ago today, it's hard to believe it's been a year," Sullivan said.
Some 600 luminarias were lit to remember as a memorial to those lives lost and to thank caregivers for their efforts during the pandemic.
"We're tremendously grateful for all the associates not only here at St. Joseph's, but throughout Catholic health caregivers of physicians," Sullivan said. "Also [those] across the region, across the state nationally, and across the world that have really tried to combat COVID-19."
Sullivan says the luminarias have special significance and will be lit up through Easter week.
"The light of hope is to guide a dark path for an Easter week coming up next week," Sullivan said. "It's allowing us to celebrate and hope of coming, the resurrection, but most importantly, the three key items for us be focusing on the hope that we have instilled in our hearts every day here Catholic health, the gratitude for all the associates, the caregivers, the bedside, and throughout the region."