We at Mercy by the Sea have so much we want to share with you:
You'll find seasonal photos of the grounds — vegetation, trees and winged and four-legged creatures that make their homes here. We'll capture changes in the light and colors as the seasons change. So bookmark this page and come back regularly. or subscribe to our weekly eNewsletter where these posts will be sent to your email inbox.
After 30 years of facilitating programs at Mercy by the Sea, Mauryeen O’Brien, O.P., has made her last offering this spring. Over those many years, through her bereavement programs, Sister Mauryeen tended graciously and compassionately to the hearts and spirits of some the most vulnerable seekers crossing our threshold.
Years ago when I lived in New York City, I co-facilitated a Centering Prayer group at St. Bartholomew’s Church. Walking home one evening, my facilitation partner mentioned that each morning when she prayed, her cat joined her. Jealousy stabbed my heart. I had two cats and neither joined me for my morning prayer. What was wrong with me? Was she more spiritual than I was?
We are blessed here at Mercy by the Sea with furry, feathered neighbors like Ralphie, the groundhog; a shy fox; chipmunks; an occasional skunk; and a bevy of sparrows, nuthatches, sea gulls, ospreys, crows, and Harriet, our resident hawk. This year, there’s a special event happening just outside our office windows.
A critical concern of the Sisters of Mercy is “to stand in solidarity with immigrants and to address policies that push people to flee their countries.” This commitment is what motivated me to invite Mary Lesser to share her “Immigrant Journals” exhibit in our art gallery. I thought the exhibit would also be thought-provoking in light of the anti-immigrant, anti-refugee rhetoric and policies that are being activated in our country.
As a daughter of Irish immigrants, I can see myself in some of Mary’s haunting photos.