 As young women my mother and her friends helped me to understand that I was not in this world for myself alone. So helping other people is important to me, it gives me life. In the late '70s when I arrived for a job interview at Mercy College, the chair of the science department, Sr. Jeanne Marie Neillis, had a sign on her office door that intrigued me. It read, “Don't eat grapes.” That was my introduction to the Sisters of Mercy and their social justice concerns—after having come from a Southern college for refined young women! I was attracted to Mercy College and its more diverse student body. Many of the students were the first generation in their families attempting to become college-educated. There were students of all ages and many had not had the advantages that I did. I became a Mercy Associate in the early '90's. Soon I was appointed as a co-chair of Mercy Association. As Associates we gather to foster fellowship, share spirituality, and support one another along that journey called life. The Sisters we meet with are always inspirations to us, and are very important in encouraging us to think of ourselves as ministers to others. As someone with scientific training, I was asked to represent the Sisters on the Environmental Sabbath Committee of the United Nations. I was also invited to share one year of my life in service on the national justice team of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas. In 1998 the Sisters in New York were gracious enough to bestow on me their Catherine Award, which is a great honor. As Christians we are called by name at baptism to be people of faith and have fidelity to our God. I wear a ring which reads "Love, Faith, Hope" because I try to focus my life on these three things. My association and collaboration with the Sisters of Mercy have enabled me to remind myself about my life's focus, and about walking with others while sharing faith. The support and encouragement that I have received from the Sisters have been important to my life. If you are a person who wants the opportunity to walk with people who truly love ministering with the less fortunate, then Mercy Association is a place for you to come, to grow, and to feel nourished. |