PORTLAND, Maine (AP) - Mercy Health System of Maine has entered into a letter of intent to sell Mercy Hospital and its other facilities to a Boston-based hospital chain.

Mercy Health System announced Monday that the nonbinding letter of intent is the first step toward reaching a final sales agreement with Steward Health Care System LLC. Terms of the potential deal were not disclosed.

The nonprofit Mercy Health System of Maine includes the two Mercy Hospital campuses in Portland, its affiliated care facilities and VNA Home Health Hospice.  According to a statement, the intention is to have Mercy remain a Catholic hospital.

The for-profit Steward Health Care System has 10 community hospitals in Massachusetts, six of which are Catholic.

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