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Mount Mercy Juniors Serve the Community

  Last week the Mount Mercy Class of 2121 went on its Junior Retreat.  This retreat gave the students the opportunity to investigate the Critical Concerns of the Sisters of a Mercy by volunteering in the community.  Students spent the morning working at Our Lady of Black Rock, St. Luke’s Mission of Mercy or Journey’s End.  

Mount Mercy alumna Martha Eadie is principal at OLBR.  The school has a diverse population, including several refugee families.  The juniors joined the OLBR students for mass and helped out in the school.  Service at OLBR honors Catherine McAuley’s dedication to providing education.  

St Luke’s Mission of Mercy serves the people of Buffalo providing resources for those in need.  Some Mount Mercy students worked in the kitchen, peeling potatoes and prepping lunch for the community while other students assisted in the St Luke’s homeschooling program. 

At Journey’s End students had a tour of the offices which allowed them to deepen their understanding of the needs of arriving refugees and the services provided by Journey’s End.  After the tour students worked with Farmer Lauren on the Urban Farm, clearing brush to create space for the new shed and several more raised garden beds.  Twenty-five families are currently using the Journey’s End Urban Farm to grow vegetables.  Some of the produce is sold at the market stand in the Tri Main building, and the rest is used by the families.  This garden in the middle of the city is a valuable resource. 

After their hard work in the community the students decided to take on the critical concern of “standing in solidarity with immigrants” by dining at four different restaurants run by immigrants.  Many students tried foods they had never experienced before and they had a chance to reflect on the challenges refugees face when surrounded by foods that are completely foreign to them.  Buffalo residents are lucky to live in a city that offers a variety of ethnic foods to sample.  

Campus Minister Mary Colby commented, “I was impressed by my group’s attitude of joy as we worked outside on a chilly morning doing challenging physical labor.  The girls smiled, joked and worked hard all morning.” 

"Mount Mercy has positively changed my life forever. Through the inviting community, I was able to grow as a woman, as a daughter, as a friend, and as a member of society. Throughout my time here I have gained an education in both academic areas and life in general through the school's ongoing efforts to educate students on gender inequality, racial injustice, and environmental crisis'. Furthermore, Mercy has given me the space to gain confidence that 4 years ago I never would have guessed I would have. Mount Mercy has helped me take that initial step toward becoming the strong woman of color I am today. At Mercy you are more than just a student, you are whoever you wish to be."

Melina Courtney

Class of 2022

"My future, success, and the ability to be an empowered woman in society come from Mount Mercy. My school is a strong foundation for my role in life. From attending Mount Mercy, I can say with confidence, that I will graduate with the mindset that I can accomplish anything. Mercy is my home and my sanctuary to be whoever I want. Mount Mercy has been bringing forth generations of strong intellectual women into the world, and I am more than honored to be one of them. Mercy teaches girls more than academics, but also about the world around us. As a mercy community, we give back to the world because it is our home. From my four years at Mercy, I have been educated on pushing for equality and peace and the understanding that there is no limit to what I can do. I have the confidence to go out in the world and make a difference because being a Mercy girl has given me that opportunity. "

Cassidy Reid

Class of 2022

"Mercy is more than just a school. Mercy is my second home and a shoulder to lean on. Mount Mercy has given me the confidence and resources to pursue my passions and make the world a more inclusive place, propelling me to take strides into male-dominated fields. Mercy blessed me with an environment to grow intellectually and in the community, giving me the foundation to make a tangible impact while making lifelong friendships."

Adrianna Awald

Class of 2022

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