North Holds Blessing Ceremony for New MRI Machine

On Wednesday, North leaders and the chaplains of CHI St. Vincent held a blessing ceremony for a new MRI machine. The new GE Signa Artist Evo 1.5T scanner will help the hospital see more patients in less time and produce cleaner scans. The new machine comes with a reorganization of North’s scanning facilities to allow MRI and CT stations to be located closer together.

“It allows for us to do more MRI exams with capabilities of testing those patients that have certain conditions, like pacemakers and implants that can tolerate the 1.5T,” said Michelle Starken, radiographic technologist and Imaging Manager at North. “It has decreased our scan time so we’re able to get patients through the scanner in and out quicker. It’s enabled us to scan more images with better quality and higher resolution, and for that we are very thankful for the images that will help with our patient care.”

Father Warren Harvey and Father William Carpenter led the blessing ceremony, reading from 1 Corinthians and leading the group in a prayer for the sick and for those who care for them. The fathers showered holy water on the attendees and, finally, on the equipment itself.

“The Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who strengthens us through his Son and the Holy Spirit, showers his love and blessing in a particular way on those who are in distress, on the sick, and on those who assist in ministering to the sick in any way,” said Father Carpenter. “Did He not say that whatsoever we do to one of them, we do to Him? In this realization then, let us ask for God’s blessing on all those who will be patients here or devote themselves to caring for the sick, and let us ask for a divine blessing on this new equipment.”

Blessing ceremonies are customary at CHI St. Vincent anytime a new clinic or service line opens, or when a new, permanent piece of equipment is installed. The blessing is made for the benefit of those who will use the new feature to touch the lives of their patients.