Summary of Saint Mary’s Hospital, Ministers of the Infirmary
150 years ago, the Ministers of the Infirmary (Camillians) started to develop in countries other than Italy, including Spain, France, Germany, and Peru in South America. After World War II, the Camillians, originated in Northern Italy, decided to step out to Yunnan, China in 1946. In 1952, Chinese Communist Party expelled all the foreign priests, brothers and sisters from the mainland China. Consequently, there are 6 priests and brothers, 4 sisters came to Yi-lan, while the other 4 turned to serve in Thailand.
In Camillians’ new arrival in Taiwan, the Taipei Bishop entrusted part of Lo-tung, Tung-shan, San-hsing, Ta-tung and Wu-chieh of Yi-lan County to them as their working field. In 1952, the Camillians rented the closed-out clinic named “Po-Ai” in June 15 and opened to serve the sick with Dr. John Janež’s first surgery in July 17. Two months later, they bought this single-story clinic and renamed it as St. Mary’s Hospital, which had only 12 beds by then. In 1955, the Camillians built medical wards themselves and the hospital got a total of 100 beds. At that time, Yi-lan County had a population of 260 thousand.
In 1959, in order to take care of TB patients, a building at the top of Wan-shan Village was consigned to the M.I. by Catholic Relief Service, upon that the Wan-shan branch of St. Mary’s Hospital was officially established. The branch, with only 40 beds in the primary stage, was specialized in TB and initiated by Fr. Melato Gino and Bro.Casagrande Remo. In 1967, this branch, in charged by brother Pavan Luigi, already had a two-story building complex with 62 beds. In 1973, it expanded into a three-story structure with 83 beds and was of great help to TB patients.
With the unceasing efforts of constructing a seven-story medical inpatient building in 1982, an eleven-story surgical outpatient building in 1989, and Dr. Janež’s memorial building in 2007, St. Mary’s Hospital accommodates a total of 700 beds and offers medical service to perfection.
The previous directors of St. Mary’s Hospital are Fr. Melato Gino, Fr. Aldo Antonelli, Fr. Giuseppe Dalla Ricca, Fr. Crotti Antonio, Fr. Didonè Antonio, Fr. Raimondo Yang, Fr. Rizzi Giovanni, Dr. Hung- Chi Lue, and the incumbent, Dr. Yong-Shing Chen.