DALLAS - Inspired by the story of Catherine McAuley, the foundress of the Sisters of Mercy, nine Misericordia students - including one from Elysburg - will participate in an international pilgrimage to the Mercy International Centre in Dublin, Ireland, from Aug. 10-12. They will join high school and college students from Australia, New Zealand, and other Mercy-sponsored institutions at the Dublin Pilgrimage for Young Mercy Leaders. Designed to engage them in the history and charism of Mercy, the organizers hope students return to their schools better equipped to be leaders in their own communities and throughout the world.
MU students attending the Campus Ministry-sponsored trip include Lauren Gorney 2012, a communications major from Glen Lyon; Jessica Harper 2013, an occupational therapy major from Bethlehem; Ryan Hassick 2015, in the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program from Coopersburg; Candice Levanavage 2012, a psychology major from Pittston; Chelsea Mixon 2012, a social work major from Bethlehem; Sarah Munley 2013, an early childhood and special education major from Vernon, N.J.; Elizabeth Murdock 2012, a psychology major from Elysburg, who plans to earn her doctorate in physical therapy in 2015; Grace Riker 2013, an English major with a theater minor from Bridgewater, N.J., and Andrew Roccograndi 2012, a biology/pre-med major from Kingston. They will be accompanied by Amy Lahart, director of the Student Success Center, and Dan Kimbrough, assistant professor of communications.
Students are traveling to the Mercy International Centre, the original house of the Sisters of Mercy that was built by McAuley in 1824, to see how the spirit of Mercy is carried out by students around the world. They will learn the story of Catherine McAuley and the rich heritage of the Sisters of Mercy, and will be asked to carry on a mission of justice and mercy when they return home. Among the speakers will be Marilyn Lacey, RSM, director of Mercy Beyond Borders, a non-profit charity founded in 2008 to help the women and girls of Southern Sudan.
Murdock, daughter of Ken and Eileen Murdock, is looking forward to learning more about Catherine McAuley and her beliefs and lifestyle on which Misericordia University was founded.
"I would like to find a greater sense of the origin of our charisms of mercy, service, justice and hospitality and hope to learn different ideas to bring back to Misericordia," she adds. "I am unbelievably honored to represent Misericordia. I feel that I am truly lucky and blessed to attend this conference with my fellow students." Murdock plans to pursue a career helping people as a physical therapist.
Their trip will include an excursion to Northern Ireland with a tour of Belfast and a visit to the Giant's Causeway, a unique formation of coastal cliffs listed as a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization World Heritage site. They will also meet with an Irish family and study the history of conflicts and the peace process in Northern Ireland. The speakers will include Jude McCann of the Community Foundation of Northern Ireland, a foundation that manages funds and programs that aim to tackle social exclusion, poverty and social injustice.