Photo Caption: The public is invited to a Mass of Thanksgiving and reception on Saturday, Oct. 6, to celebrate the 125th anniversary of St. Mary’s Hospital in Streator.

STREATOR — St. Mary’s Hospital will mark its 125th anniversary with a Mass of Thanksgiving on Saturday, Oct. 6, at St. Michael the Archangel Church, 711 Lundy St. Msgr. Philip Halfacre, pastor at St. Michael’s, will celebrate the 10 a.m. liturgy.

A reception will follow in the Assembly Hall of the hospital at 111 Spring St. In addition to refreshments, there will be a display of historical mementoes from St. Mary’s history.

The hospital was established in 1887 when three Hospital Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis answered an appeal from Col. Ralph Plumb and Father Henry O’Kelly to bring their health care services to Streator. Their first facility was a rented house at the corner of Bloomington and Sixth streets that they later purchased.

They expanded quickly, building a three-story hospital on land purchased for $4,750. It opened and was incorporated on June 8, 1888, as St. Mary Hospital of the Sisters of St. Francis.

Its mission is to heal members of the community with respect, care, competence and joy.

Several additions and updates have followed over the years and now St. Mary’s provides health care for people in an eight-county area in the Illinois Valley. It is one of 13 affiliates of Hospital Sisters Health System.