In our ongoing commitment to the Critical Concerns of the Sisters of Mercy, we at Maria College commit ourselves to the practice of nonviolence and the ongoing work of recognizing and responding to racial injustice. Our mission comes from the recognition of the sacred value of all people and the assurance that a better world is possible. In her blog post, Chief Mission Officer Dr. Tara Flanagan reflects on people taking action throughout history for social change including anti-racism. She discusses the work of Dr. June Jackson Christmas, one of the first African Americans to graduate from Vassar College and Sr. Mary Riordan, RSM, who served as a teacher through the Jim Crow era of legally sanctioned segregation in the U.S.

Read More

In her blog, Dr. Tara Flanagan writes, “On December 12, we join with our worldwide Mercy family in celebrating Foundation Day, honoring the day in 1831, when the order of the Sisters of Mercy was established. Founded by Catherine McAuley, she and two other women, Mary Ann Doyle and Elizabeth Harley, became the first members of the Sisters of Mercy on December 12, 1831, in Dublin, Ireland.” 

Read More

In her blog, Maria College Chief Mission Officer Dr. Tara Flanagan discusses how encouraging words can act as seeds of change. We see this often at Maria College where students have decided to come for an education, and that decision was started by a few statements from friends, family or colleagues. She also encourages us to notice those whose calls are going unheard or are willfully ignored and say something. 

Read More

The International Day of Peace (World Peace Day) was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1981 and is recognized annually on September 21.  The purpose of the day is to strengthen and promote the idea of peace around the world.  The theme for 2022 World Peace Day is “End Racism. Build Peace.” As members of the Maria College community, we also play a critical role in sharing that commitment to fostering peace and non-violence in our day-to-day lives.

Read More

Clarissa Hartzog, Chair of the Mission Diversity Committee, writes, “Juneteenth might appear to be just another holiday, but this day holds great significance in American History. On June 19, 1865, in Galveston, Texas, enslaved African Americans received news of their freedom two and half years after the Emancipation Proclamation.” She asks us to “please consider for a moment the impact we can have on those within the African American community” and provides several thought-provoking questions for us to consider. 

Read More

In recognition of Immigration Awareness, a critical concern for the Sisters of Mercy, Maria College alumna and Executive Assistant to the Senior Vice President, Advancement Office Coordinator, Leanna Dorsey shares the story of her great-grandmother who immigrated to America in 1927. She urges us to show hospitality to any immigrants we meet. 

Read More