For Immediate Release

Contact:

Bobby Maldonado

Saint Joseph Mercy Health System

248-858-6662

Bobby.Maldonado@stjoeshealth.org

March 6, 2019

Photo Caption: From March 6 through June 30 St. Joseph Mercy Oakland will publicly display The Saint John’s Bible in the South Lobby of the hospital. The sacred text is the first completely handwritten and illuminated Bible since the invention of the printing press. Photographed at the unveiling were hospital leaders (from left to right) Kelly Herron, Chief Mission Officer; Shannon Striebich, President; and Charles Kibirige, Hospital Chaplain.

PONTIAC, Mich. (March 6, 2019) – St. Joseph Mercy Oakland is opening its doors to community groups and individuals from Oakland County for a rare opportunity to view The Saint John’s Bible, the first completely handwritten and illuminated Bible since the invention of the printing press more than 500 years ago. The Bible was unveiled overnight during a special procession held for colleagues working the midnight shift. It was presented to the entire staff this morning during a prayer service held inside the South Lobby of the hospital.

"The presence of The Saint John's Bible helps foster a healing environment within our hospital and offers spiritual nourishment for our patients, visitors and staff," said Shannon Striebich, president of St. Joseph Mercy Oakland. "Whether viewed as a work of art or the illumination of sacred text, The Saint John’s Bible offers something for everyone."

The Saint John's Bible was commissioned in 1998 by Saint John’s University and the monks of Saint John’s Abbey, located in Minnesota. Its purpose is to “ignite the spiritual imagination of people throughout the world” by uniting iconic visual artistry with a clear translation of the Bible that illuminates the world today. Smithsonian magazine called The Saint John’s Bible "one of the extraordinary undertakings of our time."

St. Joseph Mercy Oakland will host Historical Books, the second of seven volumes of The Saint John's Bible Heritage edition, from March 6, 2019 to June 30, 2019. St. Joseph Mercy Oakland chose to display the Bible so that Oakland County communities can become inspired by its richness, beauty and faith traditions.

As the largest book in the series, Historical Books features more than 30 stunning illuminations as well as multiple text treatments and marginal details that dramatically depict the Bible's inspiring and thought-provoking passages. Through beautiful handwritten script and elegant design, the volume illustrates how the grace of God's justice and peace can rise from the most unlikely of places, reminding us that our redemption is always close at hand.

The Saint John’s Bible was produced on calfskin vellum using hand-cut goose quills and paints made from hand-ground precious minerals and stone. The pages feature both handwritten calligraphy and hand-drawn illuminations. All of the artwork was done by hand and it took a team of calligraphers and artists, led by Artistic Director, Donald Jackson, senior scribe to the Queen of England, from 1998 to 2011 to complete The Saint John's Bible. The illumination of a manuscript is a centuries-old practice which uses gold leaf to accent brightly colored illustrations. The Saint John's Bible features 160 illuminations, which include a blending of religious imagery from various traditions, cultures and creeds as well as contemporary visuals.

People from many religious traditions played a role in the formation of The Saint John’s Bible. According to The Saint John’s Bible website, Episcopalian, Protestant and Jewish advisors helped to form the vision for the Bible, serving as consultants and as members of committees dedicated to assisting in its creation.

Schools, churches and other community groups are invited to visit St. Joe's, where they can view the Bible in an exhibit located inside the hospital's South Lobby. To have a guided experience, members of the community should contact Kelly Herron, the hospital's Chief Mission Officer, at 248-858-6191.

###

About St. Joseph Mercy Oakland

St. Joseph Mercy Oakland is a 443-bed community teaching hospital and a long-time leader in health care in Oakland County. Founded in 1927 by the Sisters of Mercy, St. Joseph Mercy Oakland has won numerous local and national awards for patient safety, quality and performance, and consistently ranks in the top 10 percent of hospitals nationwide. A member of the Saint Joseph Mercy Health System, St. Joseph Mercy Oakland is a technologically leading hospital that combines advanced medicine and personal care to assist patients on their path to wellness. With dedicated physicians, nurses and hospital staff committed to providing quality care throughout the patient stay, St. Joseph Mercy Oakland has truly personalized the patient care experience.

For more information about health services offered at St. Joseph Mercy Oakland, please visit stjoesoakland.org.

About Saint Joseph Mercy Health System

Saint Joseph Mercy Health System (SJMHS) is a health care organization serving seven counties in southeast Michigan including Livingston, Washtenaw, Wayne,

Oakland, Macomb, Jackson, and Lenawee. It includes 537-bed St. Joseph Mercy Ann Arbor, 443-bed St. Joseph Mercy Oakland in Pontiac, 304-bed St. Mary Mercy Livonia, 136-bed St. Joseph Mercy Livingston in Howell, and 133-bed St. Joseph Mercy Chelsea. Combined, the five hospitals are licensed for 1,553 beds, have five outpatient health centers, six urgent care facilities, more than 25 specialty centers; employ more than 15,300 individuals and have a medical staff of nearly 2,700 physicians. SJMHS has annual operating revenues of about $2 billion and returns about $115 million to its communities annually through charity care and community benefit programs.

SJMHS is a member of Trinity Health, a leading Catholic health care system based in Livonia, Mich. Trinity Health operates in 22 states, employs about 133,000 colleagues, has annual operating revenues of $17.6 billion and assets of about $24.7 billion. Additionally, the organization returns almost $1.1 billion to its communities annually in the form of charity care and other community benefit programs.

For more information on health services offered at Saint Joseph Mercy Health System, please visit www.stjoeshealth.org.