As a child
at St. Teresa Schoo l
in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, I already felt a strong bond developing
with these women, who could be very strict and demanding, yet
filled with compassion and fun. They cultivated the seeds of faith
taking root within me, and to do the simplest things to show my
concern for others. Despite their constant challenge to do better,
even when you thought you had done your very best, it was not
difficult for me to realize at a very young age that the sisters
truly cared about each and every one of us.
With the encouragement
of the sisters from St. Teresa, I continued my Mercy education
at St. Mary Academy-Bay View. Many of the teachers I had there
were serious scholars whose love for learning was infectious.
Each one was genuinely committed to the school's mission rooted
in the words of their founder, Catherine McAuley, who wrote of
the positive impact that the "careful instruction of women" has
on society. How fortunate I was to experience a Mercy secondary
education!
My bond with
the Sisters of Mercy solidified when I began teaching at Bishop
Feehan High School in Attleboro, Massachusetts. Although the school
is not sponsored by the Community, the founding staff was comprised
of Sisters of Mercy. And until recently, many sisters held leadership
positions in the school as well as served as faculty members.
As a beginning teacher, many sisters served as my unofficial "mentors,"
and through their example, I adopted the Mercy philosophy of education
as my own.
In 1995, by
becoming Associates, myself and two colleagues "formalized" the
bond we had with the Sisters of Mercy. For years we had been sharing
with and supporting one another in our ministry and prayer life.
Formal association has been a way to celebrate and reaffirm what
already existed.
As the years
progress, changes in ministries, retirements and decreasing membership
in religious orders have resulted in fewer Sisters of Mercy on
the staff at Bishop Feehan each year. Yet the Mercy tradition
of educating young people in their faith, rooted in the Gospels
and ideals of Catherine, continues to inform show we strive to
live out our mission as a school community everyday. The hallmarks
of the Mercy legacy - concern for both the physical and spiritual
comfort of our students, their families, the greater community
and one another; a commitment to providing the best possible quality
in the service rendered; gracious and genuine hospitality; and
Catherine's penchant for "turn[ing] what you can into a jest"
- certainly define who we are today and aspire to continue to
be as a school community in the future.
The experience
of association with the Sisters of Mercy - as a student, colleague,
friend and now Associate - has enriched my relationships with
God, my family and friends along with those whom I serve. Their
prayers, support and gentle encouragement has sustained me through
trials that have come my way as a mother and educator. I am forever
grateful and proud to be an Associate of the Sisters of Mercy.
