In the 1960s, the Sisters of St. Basil sponsored long term care at Maria Manor in Ebensburg, Pennsylvania. Today, the Sisters continue to sponsor this ministry of providing compassionate care at Mount Macrina Manor in Uniontown. The Manor has served the local and neighboring communities of Fayette County since 1971. It began as a 54-bed long term care facility and later expanded in the 1990s to its present capacity of 139 beds. The Sisters’ commitment to compassionate care currently includes skilled nursing,
hospice care, a dementia care unit, and the Hearth, along with rehabilitation services.
The history of the Sisters’ commitment to compassionate care of the sick and needy dates back to the 4th century, in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey). St. Basil the Great, Bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia, and founder of the Sisters of St. Basil the Great, was devoted to the plight of the poor and disenfranchised of his day. His advocacy for widows, orphans and the elderly led him to develop what was known as the “New City,” later known
as the Basiliad. This city organized within its walls educational facilities, hospital and hospice facilities, as well as orphanages, food pantries, and more, which allowed the poor
of the region to be serviced with care and dignity. The Basiliad, administered by the monks and nuns of St. Basil, continued long after the death of their founder.
Today, in order to keep pace with the ever-changing field of medical practices, and in order
to further develop excellent service for our residents, the Sisters of St. Basil are embarking
upon a major renovation of Mount Macrina Manor. Planned upgrades of the Manor include a new rehabilitation addition, expansion of the Manor chapel, and many other essential improvements, the topmost being the installation of new mechanical systems – heating and air conditioning – to provide a safe, comfortable environment for the facility’s cherished residents.
Metropolitan Archbishop William C. Skurla has formally approved and endorsed this
major renovation to Mount Macrina Manor. “The Sisters have admirably kept pace
with the new techniques and procedures constantly being introduced in the fields of
medicine and therapy, and they likewise have seen that the facility itself has been expanded, renovated, and improved many times over the years,” writes the Metropolitan in an open letter to all friends of the Sisters of St. Basil. “However, as with every structure,
needed renewal, restoration and repair are constant. Now as the Sisters see the necessity
of a major renovation to the Manor and the construction of a new outpatient rehabilitation building, plans are underway to undertake and complete these projects.”
A Book of Memory will be installed to acknowledge benefactors donating $500 through $2,500. A Tree of Life will be installed to acknowledge benefactors donating $2,500
and above. A number of tiered “Opportunities for Giving” also are offered, from small appliances ($250) to the New Rehab Addition ($1.2 million). Several affordable 3-year gift
plans also are available, with monthly contribution amounts as nominal as $28. “It offers
opportunities for giving at any level,” says Sister Seraphim Olsafsky, OSBM, who along with Sisters of St. Basil Provincial Sister Ruth Plante, trust that with God’s help and that of benevolent donors, Mount St. Macrina will be able to continue to “provide a hallowed place where many residents, whether temporary or long-term may live in the peace of His loving care.”
The sisters conclude, “Because we believe that our ministry of compassionate care gives witness to the sacredness of life at every stage, we have committed to a lofty goal which will require a tremendous amount of resources and backing. We once again trust that you, our loyal and generous benefactors, will help us through your prayers, your support, and monetary donations as possible.”
For additional information, contact the Sisters of the Order of St. Basil the Great, Mount St. Macrina, 500 West Main Street, Uniontown, PA 15401. Phone 724-438-8644 or e-mail osbmolph@verizon.net. Visit the Sisters’ web site at www.sistersofstbasil.org.
