Students will carry the spirit of Mercy Academy forward
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This article originally appeared as one of The Record's
Class of 2019 student essays. To see more of this year's student essays,
click here
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By Alex Shugart
When you look at Mercy on the outside, you see an all-girl STEM certified, Blue Ribbon, performance-based school, which is very impressive.
What I think lies beyond the front doors is much more extraordinary. The loving community the school possesses, the feeling of being home when you first walk through the doors and the carpets, illustrate Mercy’s unique atmosphere that is hard to find or match.
Your parents always say, “ ‘high school will go by faster than you know it.’ ” And you’re like, “Okay mom, whatever.”
Our time at Mercy did fly by. Now we are graduating, carrying with us all of the experiences Mercy has provided us. We have created families here. We traveled to Europe, Costa Rica, The Dominican Republic. We have been challenged academically and socially to better ourselves. We have been given opportunities both inside and outside of Mercy that help us put our foot in the door of amazing things in this world. Most importantly, we have learned what it means to be a Mercy girl.
From the first day freshman year, we have been instituted with the beliefs of our school that show us how to be Mercy girls. Our theme this year was “Nevertheless, she persisted like a Mercy girl.”
This truly captures the essence of our school body. Seniors are finally able to fully understand what it means to be a part of that school body; what it means to be a Mercy girl.
A Mercy girl is kind, courageous, strong and independent. She speaks out against injustices and cares for those in need.
She is a scientist, an engineer, an actress, a teacher; she is anything she wants to be because she can do anything she wants to do.
She demands to be heard and she persists through all. Now that we know what it means to be a Mercy girl, we must...
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A New Catholic Charities Center
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By Lisa DeJaco Crutcher and Deacon Scott Haner
For over 75 years, people like you have partnered with Catholic Charities to provide compassionate service to the neediest members of our community.
For many years, we’ve operated in re-purposed facilities: former convents and church buildings. Today, these aging structures present real challenges. These former parish buildings were not designed for staff to meet with clients, conduct classes, train and engage volunteers, or store program materials. Repair and maintenance are significant expenses, as are utility costs. Our buildings are not ADA-compliant, blocking some clients and volunteers from program participation. Our facilities have become a barrier to program excellence.
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We are proposing a new Catholic Charities Center, constructed on the Holy Name parish campus on 4th Street in Louisville.
This new center will enhance staff efficiency and collaboration, improve childcare, and provide better safety, security, and handicapped accessibility. It will make our existing programs better and give us a chance to explore expanded outreach.
The new Catholic Charities Center will set the stage for the next century of charitable works in the Archdiocese, making a bold statement for the ministry of charity and the Catholic Church’s leadership in this work.
Lisa DeJaco Crutcher is CEO of Catholic Charities of Louisville and Deacon Scott Haner is the Chair of the Board of Directors of Catholic Charities of Louisville.
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This summer let young and old climb aboard the same canoe!
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By
Sr. Constance Veit, l.s.p.
My fondest memories of summer are the times spent with my favorite aunt at her cottage nestled in the Adirondack Mountains. As a middle school teacher, she had a gift for relating to kids in a way very different from parents, like a wise friend or a trusted confidante. My aunt patiently taught us how to knit and sew; she listened to our stories and nurtured our dreams as if each niece or nephew were the only one.
She took us on long walks in the woods, pointing out her favorite wildflowers and teaching us to recognize fresh bear tracks and other potential dangers. She also taught us how to paddle her antique canoe around the nearby lake. As we got older, my aunt would sit on the dock reading a book as we took the canoe out to explore the lily pads along the shoreline or ride the waves created by the speeding motorboats. But she always kept one eye on us in case we got into trouble.
Although she never had children of her own, my aunt took a lively interest in all her nieces and nephews until the very end of her life. She never gave us lectures, expressed disapproval or told us how things should be done, but she always kept an eye on us. She remained creative and curious long after retiring and unassumingly shared her time, her talents and herself with others.
As I read Pope Francis’ recent post-synodal letter,
Christus Vivit
, in which he encourages the young and the old to form strong bonds, I realized what a blessing my aunt was to our family, for she personified the ideal of elders as wisdom figures and memory keepers.
“What do I ask of the elders among whom I count myself?” our Holy Father wrote. “I call us to be memory keepers…. I envision elders as a permanent choir of a great spiritual sanctuary, where prayers of supplication and songs of praise support the larger community that works and struggles in the field of life. It is a beautiful thing when “young men and maidens together, old men and children, praise the name of the Lord” (Ps 148:12- 13).
When her life was coming to an end my aunt felt she had very little to leave us, but as my siblings and cousins came from all over the country to bid her farewell, it was obvious that because she had given us...
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June 9
@ArchbishopKurtz:
“Come, Holy Spirit!” Powerful Mass at St. Martin de Porres at which two fine young men received the Sacrament of Confirmation.
May 23
@ArchbishopKurtz:
At yesterday’s Marian Mass & luncheon, the Queen’s Daughters (who do magnificent works of charity) awarded financial scholarships to 4 fine 8th graders.
May 16
@ArchbishopKurtz:
Phyliss Wilkins, Great blessings & deep thanks from the thousands you serve faithfully especially in Human Resources. (Thanks too for helping me fill in forms!). Archbishop Kurtz, Brian Reynolds & all our “family”.
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6/13/19 8:00 a.m.
6/15/19 9:30 a.m.
(See link for cost/registration)
6/17/19 & 6/18/19 1:00 p.m.
(See link for registration)
6/26/19 8:30 a.m.
(See link for cost/registration)
6/27/19 9:00 a.m.
(See link for cost/registration)
7/3/19 5:00 p.m.
7/8/19-7/12/19
(See link for cost/registration)
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Resources & Recommendations
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This month, we're highlighting some helpful and timely resources for Catholics throughout the Archdiocese. We encourage you to check out the resources below.
Wildflower Garden Guide
Check out Catholic Charities of Louisville Wildflower Garden Guide as a way to show love and gratitude for the Earth, the home that we share with all living things. Planting a pollinator garden is a great way to do that!
Senior Adult Resources
With the support of the Catholic Services Appeal, Catholic Charities of Louisville, the Office of Faith Formation, and the Family Ministries Office are collaborating to offer training and formation to those who minister to and with senior adults as well as seniors themselves.
Seniors are invited to a retreat day for maturing adults on Thursday, June 27, 9:00 a.m. to noon (followed by lunch) at Saint Stephen Martyr Parish (2931 Pindell Ave, Louisville, KY 40217) in the Marteen Room. Sister Janet Schaeffler, O.P., whose primary area of expertise is adult faith formation with a particular emphasis on senior ministry, will present this retreat. The retreat will focus on helping senior adults deepen the gift they are; enjoy the precious moments they have been given; continue to develop relationships with the many loved people in their lives; and celebrate how to give their special way-of-being to others, which makes this world a more caring place.
Please register prior to workshop to insure availability. Contact Lynn McDaniel at
lmcdaniel@archlou.org
or (502) 636-0296, ext. 1267. Cost is $20.00 and includes a continental breakfast and lunch after the retreat. Make checks payable to ALMI.
On Wednesday, June 26 from 8:30 a.m. to noon, a workshop for parish ministers will be offered entitled “Walking with Maturing Adults in Their Unique Years,” at Saint Stephen Martyr Parish (2931 Pindell Ave, Louisville, KY 40217) in the Marteen Room. Parish ministers have the challenge and privilege to walk with vibrant seniors in their spiritual growth and mission within the community and the wider world. Presenter Sister Janet Schaeffler, O.P. will provide the opportunity for parish minsters to reflect together on the vision to affirm, support, and engage maturing adults in their journey while also focusing on practical, successful, and beneficial resources that can be offered by parishes.
Please register prior to workshop to insure availability. Contact Lynn McDaniel at
lmcdaniel@archlou.org
or (502) 636-0296, ext. 1267. Cost is $15.00 and includes a continental breakfast. Make checks payable to ALMI. Catechist credit is available: 3.5 credits available in the area of catechetics.
Sexual Abuse
Archbishop Kurtz’s “Leadership Briefing” continues to update Catholics about the issue of sexual abuse in the Church. See all editions
here
.
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