After spending an hour on the phone with Medicare, or a doctor’s office, or an insurance company, Sister Dolores hangs up the phone with a sigh and a fervent prayer, “Help me, Jesus.” Dolores is the health benefits coordinator for the former Chicago region, and is dogged in her pursuit of something that may not always exist: the truth in medical billing. Because of her intimate knowledge of the medical issues of the sisters in her area, Dolores is always the first to know if someone needs the community’s prayers, who might be having some trouble, and what the sisters may need. Dolores loves children and was a school teacher for many years before training to become a respiratory therapist. She returned to teaching in 1995 and began her role as benefits coordinator in 2000. Dolores lives the charism by supporting, caring and often fighting for her fellow sisters, to make sure they are receiving the best care at the correct price.

It was an easy task for Sister Barbara Freemyer to move from the high school classroom to working with people who need a welcoming place to gather for quality education and therapy and to be treated with respect. She is an LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker), CAC III (Certified Addiction Counselor), and an approved provider in domestic violence/abuse for Colorado. Her passion led her to co-create a 501(c)3, multi-funded, Project STEP (Social Transitional Empowerment Program) with other sisters and associates, while reflecting on the five critical concerns of the Community.

Sister René Bourque has much to celebrate this year, her 60th jubilee. Her earliest goals were to be a teacher and to be a nun, following happy examples of both in her family. She entered the Mercy community in 1950 and began teaching in 1955. She continued this ministry for 50 years, both in elementary and high school. During her last years at Mercy High School in Farmington Hills, Mich., as she looked toward retirement, she began volunteering as tutor at the new Mercy Education Project (MEP). MEP began with a focus on elementary school girls but expanded to include adult women, many of whom had not graduated from high school. Now René tutors six women three times a week for the GED. “I have nothing but respect for them,” she said. “Their life stories are unbelievable. They are so proud of themselves when they get a GED certificate. It could be a Ph.D!”

 

“I’ve been collecting cans for 20 years!” said Sister Rita Marie Brennan, a resident of Mercy Convent in Chicago. While it is true that recycling helps the environment, Rita Marie started her can collecting for a different reason: to help a young man in need. Rita Marie’s sister-in-law had a family tragedy. The son of a family member was paralyzed from the neck down after an accident in a swimming pool. Rita Marie’s sister-in-law let her know that the family needed help paying for the young man’s treatment, so Rita Marie offered to help out by collecting cans. “I told the sisters what the young man needed, and asked how we could help. They were happy to help out. So every week I collected all the pop cans, and took them to be weighed and recycled. I’d get maybe $10 or $15, and I would give it to my sister-in-law.” That was 20 years ago, and Rita Marie still collects the cans. Now at 85 years-old she can’t haul the cans to the recycler herself, but she makes sure it is done.

Sister Mary Corkery had the distinct surprise of being invited to accompany Sister Kathy Thill, West Midwest Community ministry director, to Lima, Peru, Dec. 5–12, 2009. The purpose of the trip was to visit Mercy ministries. The first ministry stop was the McAuley Montessori Center for young children, established by Sister Brigid O’Connell, a native of Cedar Rapids. Sister Brigid trains Peruvian women in the art of teaching Montessori. In addition, Mary had the opportunity to visit two other Mercy-related ministries in the poor socio-economic areas of Peru. The Sisters of Mercy of Sydney, Australia, have established healthcare services for women, child care and a clinic. Mary visited Irish Sister of Mercy Millie McNamara who has a clinic and a center for the disadvantaged. In each locality, the poor are received in a dignified, compassionate and caring atmosphere. During her trip, Mary discovered that healthcare is urgently important in Peru, as there are high levels of contamination with no paved roads, running water or sewage facilities. “I feel the heart of Mercy is evident in all the places where the poor are being cared for,” said Mary.

After college, Rose Davis, then a young laywoman, chose to work as an office clerk in the insurance billing department at Mercy Hospital San Diego. She spent so many lunch hours in the chapel that Sister Mary Alma, head of the department, asked her if something was wrong. “I like to pray,” said Rose, a recent convert. “And some day I’ll be a sister, but I’m not sure in which community.” Mary Alma immediately suggested spiritual direction, and a few years later Rose entered the Sisters of Mercy in Burlingame.

Sister Maria Campos recently spent two months working with a Mayan cooperative in Chiapas, Mexico. The cooperative was started two years ago thanks to a Mercy Action Grant. She believes that it is important to give her time to the poorest of the poor. Not only does her work offer hope and assistance to the women, but it puts life in perspective for her. She has been working with indigenous Mayan women every summer since 1984. Maria loves art, especially working with three dimensional art, pastels and water colors. She also loves dancing, riding her bike and spending time near the ocean. She believes that each day of life is a gift from God and a miracle that must be lived to the fullest.

Sister Margaret Quinn is pastoral assistant and music director at Saint Louis Church in Englewood, Colo. A former elementary and high school teacher, she also served as chaplain at Mercy San Juan Hospital in Carmichael, Calif. She moved to Denver in 1985 where her love of music and liturgy became the focus of her ministry. In 2005, while in search for community life since there were no other Sisters of Mercy nearby, she met the Sisters of Loretto. Shortly after, she was invited to move in. “I’ve been truly enriched by the Sisters of Loretto and elated that we have so much in common. A line from the song, ‘River of Glory’ jumps out at this moment: ‘We’re bathed in the glory of God,’” she said in the Sept. 2009 issue of the Loretto Denver Center newsletter.

Sister Regina Marie Doelker has been the President of Mercy High in Farmington Hills, Mich., for seven years, and she is proud of what Mercy High has accomplished this year. “We just renovated the science classrooms, and all four years of students have tablet PCs for their classroom and home use,” she said enthusiatically while walking the tidy halls of her beloved school. Born in Highland Park, Mich., Regina entered the Sisters of Mercy in 1956, after graduating from Our Lady of Mercy High School in Detroit that same year. She began her lifelong ministry of teaching by getting her degrees in mathematics from Catholic University and the University of Detroit and teaching mathematics in schools all over the dioceses of Detroit.

Sister Marie Shefchik believed in the holy power of T’ai Chi (tie-chee) and practiced for years. The martial art is a peaceful set of slow and smooth movements, and to learn the art form, she traveled to China to experience the culture there. For the uninitiated, T’ai Chi is an internal Chinese martial art often practiced for health reasons. Marie used her T’ai Chi training in a variety of ways: for physical strength, inner peace and serenity, and as a form of peaceful, prayer-like meditation. Though Marie’s health did not allow her much practice of late, she taught T’ai Chi classes and used the practice to help her students let a strong healing influence enter their lives. “I think it helps people feel closer to God if they can slow down and focus on the energy of their bodies,” she said. Marie was also interested in acupuncture and helped others by showing them how to use the technique to deal with pain, weakness, or other physical issues. “I get so excited when I find a way to help someone,” she said. “Just one acupuncture point and they feel better!” Please note: Marie died on Oct. 11 after this interview took place. May she rest in peace.