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From the Mercy Education Core Values:

Compelled By Mercy: Mercy students, in the spirit of our founder Catherine McAuley, are steadfastly determined to take Mercy into an interconnected world. Our shared sense of social consciousness is fortified by universal empathy and a conviction that all are worthy of God’s mercy. This deep awareness and compassion move us to take principled action and serve the needs of others.

Student Attributes of Compelled By Mercy:

Compelled By Mercy. It’s one of our Core Values, a reminder of our shared sense of social consciousness, of awareness and compassion that move us to serve others. We make it part of everything we do.

Here's a look at how our schools have been living out this Core Value!

Bishop Feehan High School

Attleboro, Massachusetts

Many thanks to all our families who donated to our annual Thanksgiving Baskets! Seventy-four baskets will allow families in our community to enjoy a bountiful feast. A special shout-out to our NHS for organizing this yearly tradition!

3,380 gifts. $4,900 in gift cards. 180 families served. Our annual Santa Shop supplies Christmas gifts for local families in need - one of our most honored traditions! Thank you to our generous families for helping make this Christmas much brighter for our Attleboro community!

Gwynedd-Mercy Academy Elementary

Spring House, Pennsylvania

Each year, our 7th and 8th grade students embrace the Core Value of Compelled by Mercy through their St. Vincent's Project. Throughout the months of November and December, funds are raised with dress down days, poinsettia sales, bake sales and raffles to purchase Christmas gifts for those in need. They partner with St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Philadelphia and shop for specific children and families to provide clothing and toys --often the only gifts these families may receive. In 2022, the 7th and 8th grades' St. Vincent's Project raised over $6,000 to shop for 35 children and 11 families. One day after school, equipped with shopping lists, the 7th and 8th grade students visited local stores to fulfill many Christmas wishes for those in need of compassion and empathy in an effort supported by our entire school community.

Sisters Academy of Baltimore

Baltimore, Maryland

Students in Service Stars packed bagged lunches for one of the local centers. Each bagged lunch came with an encouraging message to help uplift the spirits of those who are struggling.

Students traveled across the street to visit Catholic Charities Coursey Station residents and spread Christmas cheer through choir and band performances.

Holy Cross High School

Kolambugan, Lanao del Norte, Mindanao, Philippines

Several students had the opportunity to participate in the Kinaiyahan Savers Club Seminar-Workshop and Exposure, held at Sibaroc, Jimenez, Misamis Occidental. With a focus on saving Mother Earth, the program covered topics including water conservation, waste disposal and reforestation. Students anticipate translating what they have learned into concrete actions.

The Campus Laboratory School of Carlow University

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Our CLS Students participated in the Arlington Christmas Project where we collected holiday gifts and essentials for Kindergarten-third-grade students at the Pittsburgh Arlington School.

Our #bethekindkid students made encouraging stickers and notes for customers at Uzima in Pittsburgh. The stickers were handed out with smoothies and bowls.

Mercyhurst Preparatory School

Erie, Pennsylvania

The Mercyhurst Prep Foodie Club explores family food traditions and recipes and celebrates the importance of food at friend and family events. The club’s motto is “we listen, we learn, we sample, we celebrate.” In November, the club collected new toothbrushes, toothpaste, and dental floss, which were donated to the Mercy Center for Women to help promote healthy dental habits.

The Mercyhurst Prep Mercy Service Group sponsored a Christmas Toy Drive for the House of Mercy. The House of Mercy serves local families in Erie, many of whom are from Syria and don't celebrate Christmas. The group collected approximately 100 gifts, including headphones, dolls, soccer balls, art supplies, jewelry, and cars.

Waldron Mercy Academy

Merion Station, Pennsylvania

We are so incredibly proud of our 5th through 8th grade students who spent Halloween morning packing and boxing 16,000 meals for Rise Against Hunger. Ingredients for these meals were purchased using funds collected during our Mercy Day Walkathon in September.

Our 4th grade students recently created 200 bags of toiletries and Halloween candy, plus bags of extra supplies, for their Outreach partner: Bethesda Project.

Mount St. Mary Academy

Little Rock, Arkansas

Mount St. Mary Academy's annual canned food drive, Robin Hood Days, collected more than 78,000 cans and cash equivalent this year, which is the second largest amount in its nearly 50-year history. The results of the student-led drive, which benefits local organizations that provide meals for Arkansas families in need, were announced at the end of the school's Thanksgiving Prayer Service on November 18.

The Mount St. Mary Academy volleyball teams hosted special Pink Out games in early October in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The two events raised $300 for the New Outlook Cancer Recovery Program at CHI St. Vincent Infirmary in Little Rock.

Mercy High School

Farmington Hills, Michigan

For decades, Mercy High School has been an important partner to non-profit organization Focus: HOPE in their efforts to serve senior citizens in the Metro Detroit area by donating food and other items during the Thanksgiving holiday season.

On December 8, 2022, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we celebrated Mass and the commitment ceremony of our 45 Youth Mercy Associates. The Youth Mercy Associates wish to follow in the footsteps of Jesus by upholding Catherine McAuley’s vision of faith, joy and mercy; doing service, praying, reflecting and sharing together; letting God’s light shine through the sharing of their gifts with others and working with the Mercy Associates and Sisters in addressing the Critical Concerns.

Infant of Prague Nursery and Kindergarten

Mangilao, Guam

Infant of Prague Nursery and Kindergarten is raising awareness among staff and students about human trafficking. Staff and children came to school on January 12 with blue ribbons to hang at the front entrance of our school to raise awareness for human trafficking. A prayer service for the victims of human trafficking and the elimination of it was also part of the day.

Mount Saint Mary Academy

Watchung, New Jersey

Seven hundred pairs of socks were collected by the Mount Saint Mary Academy H.O.P.E. (Helping Other People Everywhere) Club for Elijah's Promise in New Brunswick, NJ during the six-week "Sock It To ‘Em Drive" held in October and November.

In December, the Mount Saint Mary Academy Book Club held a drive to support the Bridge of Books Foundation which yielded the collection of 638 books for underserved children throughout the state of New Jersey. The drive was initiated by two juniors, Katherine Ferris ’24 and Isabelle Fretz ’24.

St. Vincent’s Academy

Savannah, Georgia

St. Vincent's Academy students collected over 500 new toys for students in need during Christmas season to donate to the Salvation Army!

In December, St. Vincent's Academy students led a team to support Mary's Place - a local nonprofit supporting prevention of bullying and sexual assault at their Annual Reindeer Run!

St. Catherine Academy

Belize City, Belize

Mercy girl Katia Kuylen raised $1,500.00 to help the family of a five-year old child battling leukemia to pay for his chemotherapy.

Mercymount Country Day School

Cumberland, Rhode Island

Mercy Ministries is a program that engages students in grades 7 and 8 in the Mercy Core Values. Students are “missioned” to various institutions (Mount Saint Rita Health Centre, McAuley House, and ReFoCUS) to aid in the work being done. Mercy Ministries is incorporated into their school day and occurs once a month.

Mercy High School

Omaha, Nebraska

The Mercy chapter of Operation Others donated over 5,000 food items that were distributed before Thanksgiving as part of a larger effort by Catholic schools in the Omaha area to curb hunger.

Abriendo Puertas fundraised, purchased, wrapped, and delivered toys for refugee families in the Omaha area.

Alpha Primary School

Kingston, Jamaica

The school community focused on “Compelled By Mercy” for their first term, including a drive in December to collect gifts for those in need.

Merion Mercy Academy

Merion Station, Pennsylvania

After its back to school picnic, Merion Mercy's Black Student Union packaged about 25 fully-loaded plates of leftover food and drove into Center City, Philadelphia, stopping in traffic to deliver the food to homeless people on the sidewalks.

Over Christmas break, Sasha Smith ‘25 and her family traveled to the Jabulani Creche Preschool in Kelso, South Africa. During their trip they brought many donations from MMA students to the children, including five suitcases full of supplies for the school: wooden puzzles, construction paper, loads of other stationery, diapers, wet wipes, clothes and so many more things. The creche is in an informal settlement with no electricity and relies on donations in order to operate.

Mercy High School

Middletown, Connecticut

The Mercy High School community of students, parents, alumnae, faculty and staff came together for our annual Pie-Baking Event. For over 25 years, our community has gathered during Thanksgiving week to bake between 200-300 apple and pumpkin pies to share with families in need in Middlesex County through the Middletown Community Thanksgiving Project.

Mercy's National Honor Society collected gifts for the Solnit Center, a local residential children's center. The society also raised $1650 to purchase additional items for their donation.

Convent Of Mercy Academy "Alpha"

Kingston, Jamaica

Outreach is an important part of student life. In December 2022, our students participated in outreach to several homes and places of safety for children. Our students in Grade 8 donated gift items to our adopted Mustard Seed Community, My Father's House, and our students from the Mercy Circle, grades 7, 9 and 10, donated to the Strathmore Place of Safety for children. Our parents and the Mercy Associates in Jamaica were very supportive of our effort. The items were packaged, wrapped and delivered. The students spent a few hours interacting and sharing with the staff and provided assistants to residents who were all immobile. The students were very grateful for the opportunity to be able to extend compassion, empathy and their service to the staff and residents.

Mercy Junior College

Tubod, Lanao del Norte, Mindanao, Philippines

To extend our love and care for those in need, Mercy Junior College reached out to persons deprived of liberty (PDL).

Muffles College

Orange Walk Town, Belize

Our students who live in the village of San Estevan organized a literacy campaign to teach children of immigrants how to learn English using games. They did this during their Christmas holidays.

Our student leaders organized a Christmas party for the underprivileged children in our community. They did this on a Saturday afternoon. They had snacks, games, gifts and a Santa. Our students donated the gifts for the party.

Mater Christi School

Burlington, Vermont

To celebrate and honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's legacy, we gathered as a whole school to learn more about his work, and Grade 5 students led us in a prayer service. As an act of service, we had a "dress down" day and collected donations for the Vermont U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants.

Mercy Heights Catholic Nursery and Kindergarten

Perezville, Tamuning, Guam

In the month of November, we continued our annual tradition of collecting food and non-perishable items to donate to the Sisters of Mercy, Mercy Action Marianas (MMAL) ministry to be used to feed and help those who are in need.

Our Lady of Mercy School for Young Women

Rochester, New York

For almost 90 years OLM has practiced an annual Christmas Baskets giving tradition in December. This year was no exception as dozens of families in need were served bountiful baskets overflowing with food and gifts. The school works with local organizations to identify certain families who may benefit most from this effort. The students then connect with them to find out their specific needs and gather donations to brighten their holiday season. At the holiday Golden Mass, all these baskets and gifts are revealed on stage to receive a special blessing before Mercy students, faculty, staff, and families load them into their cars and deliver them to the grateful families. This tradition is a great example of how the school keeps the compassionate efforts of Catherine McAuley alive.

Jessie Ripoll Primary School

Kingston, Jamaica

Highlights from the first term include a celebration of International Men’s Day, staff training on First Aid and CPR, and a Christmas Carol Service.

St. Catharine Academy

Bronx, New York

St. Catharine Academy held its annual Toy Drive in December. Hundreds of toys were delivered to local hospitals for distribution to children in the hospitals over the holidays.

The St. Catharine Academy community gathered more than 3,500 non-perishable goods for the Thanksgiving Food Drive. The Drive supported Mercy Center in the South Bronx.

Alpha Institute

Kingston, Jamaica

Through their Mercy education, Joel Brown, David Foster and Wayne Webb are not only proud 2022 Alpha Graduates but are shown here at the HEART NSTA graduation where they received national vocational qualifications. Joel also received a special award for team spirit, customer service, and attendance.

St. Mary Academy - Bay View

Riverside, Rhode Island

As part of their Mercy Project, seniors Taylor, Sophia, Mary, and Amy built garden boxes and grew vegetables from seed so the families at McAuley Village would have access to fresh vegetables.

The students organized an all-academy (grades PreK - 12) project during Advent to sponsor mothers and children living in McAuley Village. Each class was assigned a family to provide for, and students shopped for and delivered requested gifts for 21 families!

Mother McAuley Liberal Arts High School

Chicago, Illinois

Senior Lauren Dart volunteers in a program at the local prison called "Recipe for Change." Lauren teaches the baking classes, and she shared this about her experience: “The classes and vivid examples of mercy that I have seen and experienced at Mother McAuley High School were a catalyst for my decision to work with incarcerated women. I learned that through compassion and mercy, everyone deserves a second chance to do something meaningful with their lives. My hope is that through this work, they will learn that they are not solely defined by their past mistakes but how they choose to live the rest of their lives.”

Mercy Montessori Center

Cincinnati, Ohio

Our lower elementary students (1st - 3rd grade) held a reading for cans drive, with one can donated for each chapter/book read. Together they donated over 400 cans to Mercy Neighborhood Ministries. They enjoyed a virtual tour of the facility to learn more about the food bank and the people they serve.

As part of Mercy's Grandparents' & Grandfriends' day, students and their loved ones assembled hygiene and laundry care packages for Upspring. Upspring is dedicated to serving local children experiencing homelessness and also hosts its educational and enrichment program, Summer 360, at Mercy Montessori.

Together we take Mercy into the world!