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By Gordon Absher External Communications Manager Dignity Health-St. Rose Dominican Hospitals
May 9, 2025, Las Vegas, Nevada – Dignity Health Las Vegas President and CEO Katherine Vergos received her official commissioning recently as leader of the St. Rose Dominican mission and ministry in southern Nevada. The blessing and exhortation were delivered by the Most Rev. Gregory W. Gordon, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Las Vegas, during Mass at the San Martin Campus.
A Catholic commissioning ceremony is a religious rite in which individuals are formally recognized and blessed for a specific ministry or role within the Church, signifying their acceptance and empowerment to serve.
“The presidential commissioning is a longstanding tradition in Catholic healthcare,” said Coy Raiford, Interim Director of Mission Services for Dignity Health Las Vegas. “This ceremony symbolically marks the Adrian Dominican Sisters' exhortation and blessing to Katherine as the leader of the St. Rose ministry, commissioned to continue the long legacy of the Adrian Dominican Sisters in southern Nevada.”
Many leaders and members of the Dignity Health Las Vegas family attended the event, including CommonSpirit Health Central Division President Tim Bricker; John Brothers, Central Region Chief Mission Officer; and Tom Burns, President and CEO of San Martin and Rose de Lima Hospitals.
“I am humbled and honored to be entrusted with this responsibility,” Katherine said. “With the faith and support of the Adrian Dominican Sisters and our compassionate caregivers, I will strive to lead our healthcare ministry into the future, with a mission of making the healing presence of God known to our world by improving the health of the people we serve, especially those who are vulnerable, while advancing social justice for all.”
Sisters who minister at St. Rose Dominican were also involved in the commissioning. They include Adrian Dominican Sisters Jean Williams, OP, Elisabeth Nguyen, OP, and Kathleen McGrail, OP. San Rafael Dominican Sister Cynthia Cammack, OP, serves on the hospital board.
Sister Jean, in presenting a candle to Katherine, noted that it represents “the continuation of the ministry from us Dominican Sisters and also the gifts you bring as an individual to our ministry here in Southern Nevada.”
“We are very pleased with Katherine and her leadership,” Sister Kathleen said. “With her energy, enthusiasm, and true heart for the mission, she has been warmly embraced and respected by our St. Rose Dominican community.”
Feature photo at top: Katherine Vergos, newly commissioned President and CEO of St. Rose Dominican Hospitals, receives a blessing from, from left, San Rafael Dominican Sister Cynthia Cammack, OP, and Adrian Dominican Sisters Jean Williams, OP, Kathleen McGrail, OP, and Elisabeth Nguyen, OP.