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History Continued -  1998 - 2003

Conference XVII, 1998, Tides of Change was held in Savannah, Georgia and hosted by St. Vincent's Academy.  The conference participants were cordially welcomed by Sister Helen Marie Buttimer, Principal, Floyd Adams, Mayor, Paul Hinchy, CEO of St. Joseph's/Candler Health System, Sister Pat Coward, conference coordinator, and Sister Margaret Beatty, President of the Baltimore Regional Community.

Much of the conference was dedicated to outlining trends in Mercy education and to affirming the expressed desire of the group to provide support systems that will nurture and strengthen the Mercy charism in our schools into the future. Sister Richard Mary Burke, RSM (St. Louis) offered the keynote, “Tides of Change.”

The international reality of MSEA was experienced.  Administrators from Muffles College in Belize and from Colegio Santa Ethnea in Bella Vista, Argentina participated in the conference.

At the business meeting, Michele Whitehead, assistant principal of Mother McAuley High School in Chicago, was voted president-elect of MSEA. Michele became the first lay president-elect of the association.

Administrators and members of Regional Community Leadership Teams met with the Sponsorship Committee on Friday prior to the opening of the MSEA Conference.  As a result of meetings held the previous spring, a structure and timeline were shared with the participants.

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Note: Conferences XVIII and XIX appear in more detail as it has been customary in recent years to include a more detailed report in the most recent issue of Proceedings and then to edit the summary in succeeding years.

Conference XVIII, 1999, Exploring Mercy Excellence was hosted by Mount St. Mary Academy, Little Rock, Arkansas.  The conference welcomed 215 participants from eighteen states, Argentina, Belize, and Guam.

The conference participants were formally welcomed at the Arkansas Excelsior Hotel by Sister Deborah Troillett, RSM, President of Mount Saint Mary Academy, Dr. Mike Rockers, Superintendent, Catholic Schools of Arkansas, Jim Dailey, Mayor and his wife Patti '64, and Sister Richard Mary Burke, President of the St. Louis Regional Community.

In the opening prayer, Sr. Rosann Fraher, President of MSEA invited “the Spirit of Catherine” to come among the group.  Sr. Patricia J. Corkery, RSM, from the Merion Regional Community, portrayed Catherine McAuley and shared wisdom and stories to set the tone for the evening.  The evening closed with a reception in the Pinnacle Room of the hotel, sponsored by St. Joseph's Regional Health Center, Hot Springs, AR and St. Edward Mercy Medical Center, Fort Smith, AR.

On Saturday morning, the meeting opened with the keynote address by Sr. Lourdes Sheehan, RSM, Secretary for Education, US Catholic Conference.  Sr. Lourdes challenged the group to identify the “essential, timeless, non-negotiable aspects that identify a school as Mercy.”  After lunch Carol Penner of the National Institute of Leaning Disabilities, provided an overview of recent brain research and the implications for teaching and learning.  She identified methods for stimulating the highest level of integrative learning for all students served in Mercy schools.

After the meeting on Saturday, conference participants took a shuttle from the hotel to Mount St. Mary Academy for an evening of entertainment.  Guests were greeted at a reception sponsored by the St. Louis Regional Community.  Mount Saint Mary students provided guided tours of the school.  Participants were treated to a BBQ and catfish dinner in the McAuley Center, with music and country western dance lessons provided by a member of the faculty.

MSEA business included a financial report and a report on the 1999 Leadership Academy.  MSEA afforded the newly formed Network for Mercy Education and its co-directors, Mary Lou Merida and Sister Corinne Raven, RSM, time and opportunity to address conference participants. 

Carolyn Jaworski, Michael Johnson, and Sr. Nancy Merkle (Cincinnati) were elected to two-year Board terms.

Sister Johanna Burnell, RSM, President and Ms. Carolyn Jaworski, Principal, announced that Conference XIX would be hosted by Mercy High School, Omaha, Nebraska and a warm and musical invitation was extended to all.

Conference participants walked from the hotel to the Cathedral of St. Andrew for liturgy and the commissioning ceremony.

Following the liturgy and commissioning, participants attended a brunch at McDonald Hall next door to the cathedral.

Conference XIX, 2000, was held in Omaha, Nebraska and hosted by Mercy High School.  The quote from Daniel “Those who instruct in the way of justice will shine like stars for all eternity,” provided the backdrop for Conference XIX, The Way of Justice which focused on exploring social justice issues within the Church and within Mercy institutions.  The conference hosted 180 participants.  It opened Friday evening with a prayer service focusing on the six points of Social Justice: Dignity of Person, Community and the Common Good, Rights and Responsibilities, Options for the Poor, Dignity of Work, and Solidarity.

Mercy High School students conducted the opening prayer service where they incorporated scripture readings, liturgical dance, sacred music, performances of modern parables and mime into the prayer.  Following the prayer, formal welcomes were delivered by MSEA President, Michele Whitehead, Sr. Johanna Burnell, Mercy High School, President, Sr. Patricia Forret, President, Regional Community of Omaha.  A reception sponsored by the Omaha Regional Community concluded the evening.

Saturday morning’s keynote presentation was given by the Institute Justice Team: Pat Hartigan RSM, Karen Donahue RSM, Mary Schmuck RSM, Tina Geiger RSM, and Jackie Moreau RSM, who framed the issues of social justice in the context of The Institute Action Plan, and challenged conference participants to become more deeply involved with and aware of these issues within our Mercy schools.  

The afternoon saw fifteen concurrent workshop sessions presented by the Justice Team members, Mercy sponsored school faculties, and by Sr. Dale Jarvis, Mercy Global Concerns, Sr. Jan Hayes, St. Louis and Sr. Adele Howard, Australia.  Saturday evening was spent at Omaha’s Lied Jungle where conference participants were treated to private tours and dining.

Business items were discussed both at the Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning business meetings:  Carolyn Jaworski was elected President for a two year term and Sr. Peggy Lake and Dotty McCrea ran unopposed for their positions on the Board for a three year term.  Michael Johnson and Kat Hodapp, Mercy Academy, Louisville, explained the initiative for the Student Prayer Book; the Financial Report was presented by Sr. Peggy Lake; Michele Whitehead explained that the summer of 2001 would be the last time that MSEA would sponsor the Leadership Academy as the Network would be sponsoring it after that time; Sr. Corinne Raven gave the 2000 Leadership Academy Report; Mary Lou Merida and Sr. Corinne Raven gave the Network report. 

Conference XIX closed with Mass and brunch.

Sr. Regina Marie Doelker (Detroit) issued the invitation to Conference XX, 2001 to be held at Mercy High School, Farmington Hills, MI, October 19-21, 2001

Conference XX, 2001- Mercy Secondary Education Association, Twentieth Anniversary Conference - Mercy Education: To Hold in Trust for Time and Eternity,  October 19-21, 2001,  Mercy High School, Farmington Hills, Michigan, 

This special anniversary conference was held at the site of the first MSEA conference. It saluted the Association's past with a special program Friday evening complete with an address by Sr. Carol Wheeler. Saturday morning's program with futurist Ed Barlow envisioned the "look" of education in the future.  Saturday afternoon participants inserted the "Mercy Response" into this picture through breakout sessions grouped by people's roles within the schools. The business meetings included several new initiatives presented to the membership as well as elections for three Board Members and a President-elect. Michael Johnson, principal of Mercy Academy, Louisville was elected President-elect and Cindi Baughman, Assumption High School, Louisville and Sister Patty Moriarty, Mercy High School, Middletown, CT were elected to the MSEA Board.

The Twentieth Anniversary Conference of MSEA was held at Mercy High School ,Farmington Hills , Michigan over the October 19-21 weekend. The location, which moves annually, was most fitting as Farmington Hills was the site of the very first MSEA Conference twenty years ago. One hundred sixty attendees represented thirty-three Mercy schools from 17 states and several offshore locations.

Marking the significance of this important milestone were three MSEA initiatives that were brought to fruition. First, all past nineteen conference keynote addresses were collected into a unified compendium, "With Fidelity," compiled by Corinne Raven, RSM (Network for Mercy Education - Chicago) and given to all schools, individual members & Regional Leadership Teams.  In the "Forward" of the book, MSEA President Carolyn Jaworski ( Mercy High School - Omaha ), dedicates the work to all Mercy educators, past, present and future. Second, a collection of student written prayers, "With Grateful Hearts & Hopeful Spirits" was distributed to all members of the association. Every Mercy school is represented in the book which was edited by Kathleen Hodapp ( Mercy Academy- Louisville , KY). Finally, a complete reference of Mercy-theme prayer services, liturgies and resources were assembled into "A Reflection of Mercy" by Sandy Flaherty, (formerly at Mercy High School - Burlingame ) and given to each Mercy school.  

An opening address was presented by Carol Wheeler, RSM, ( Mercy High School - Baltimore ) first president of MSEA. Sr. Carol found a rich topic in challenging the future vis-à-vis the theme of networking globally with Mercy schools around the world. During the opening session, Mercy High School 's Student Council President, Dronish Copeland, gave a moving speech about the impact of Mercy on her life. She introduced her co leaders and presented a total of $6000 from their walkathon to three Mercy schools affected by the terrorist attacks of September 11"': Catherine McAuley High School - Brooklyn , St. Catharine Academy - Bronx , and Our Lady of Victory Academy - Dobbs Ferry.

The keynote address on Saturday was presented by futurist, Edward Barlow, Ph.D., who not only presented in rapid-fire fashion, but brought with him a "rapid-fire" message about the urgency facing education today in the need to teach our students to be life-long learners. In the afternoon, participants broke in to interest groups in an attempt to insert the Mercy response into his picture of the future.

Business sessions brought about the elections of a new president-elect, Michael Johnson. ( Mercy Academy - Louisville ) and three MSEA board members: Nancy Merkle, RSM (Mother of Mercy- Cincinnati), elected to a second term; Cyndi Baughman ( Assumption Academy - Louisville ) and Patty Moriarty, RSM. ( Mercy High School - Middletown , CT ). both elected to first terms. Carolyn Jaworski has one more year as president and continuing board members include Dotty McCrea, (Mercy High School -San Francisco) and Peggy Lake (Catherine McAuley High School -Brooklyn).  

The Institute Leadership Team, represented by MSEA member and Vice-President of the Institute, Helen Marie Burns. RSM presented to MSEA a commemorative gift in the form of a check for $2000. This will become scholarship seed money for a new MSEA initiative, a twenty-fifth annual conference at Mercy Center in Dublin in 2006, to which secondary educators from around the world will be invited.

Next year's conference, Conference XXI, will be hosted by Merion Mercy Academy in Philadelphia, October 18, 19, 20, 2002.

Conference XXI, 2002 -  MSEA CONFERENCE XXI, OCTOBER 18-20, 2002, MERION MERCY ACADEMY, MERION, PA,"One World, One Future: Issues and Opportunities for Mercy Education" 

Ms. Carolyn Jaworski, Principal of Mercy High School, Omaha, Nebraska and President of MSEA, addressed gathered Mercy educators and regional community leadership challenging all to fidelity to the charism and values of Mercy. Carolyn welcomed all in the name of  MSEA board members, Peggy Lake, Principal, Catherine McAuley High School, Brooklyn, NY,  Cindi Baughman, Assistant Principal, Assumption High School, Louisville, KY,  Dotty McCrea, Principal, Mercy High School, San Francisco, CA, Michael Johnson, Principal, Mercy Academy, Louisville, Nancy Merkle, RSM, Principal, Mother of Mercy High School, Cincinnati,  Patty Moriarty, RSM, Mercy High School, Middletown, CT. Gratitude was extended to Regina Ward, RSM and the community of Merion Mercy Academy for their hard work and gracious hospitality.  

Marie Chin, RSM, President of the Institute of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, with gentleness and with strength, challenged all gathered to fidelity to the call to see humanity as One World, sharing One Future.  Knowing the depth which marks Sister Marie’s calls, MSEA arranged for her talk to be videotaped. A tape will be sent by MSEA to each Mercy secondary school, making broader learning and reflection possible.

Patty Moriarty, RSM, business meeting, addressed plans for future conferences. The business meeting also included a financial report, report from the Network for Mercy Education, a by-law clarification and Student Leadership Academy announcement. Details from the business meeting and Proceedings from MSEA conferences, beginning with Conference XX,  will be, at the request of MSEA, posted on the website of the Network.    

Ms. Cindi Baughman, MSEA Board member, introduced speaker Susan Perlis.  Susan challenged all:  “Honoring Ourselves, Respecting Others: The Basics of Cultural Intelligence.“

Subsequent speaker Mary Frances Taymans, SND, highlighted trends and issues impacting education.  Finally, with humor and a clear grasp of teaching , Marie Michele Donnelly, RSM (Merion) called all to adult faith and witness to students that there must be “Faith in a Changing World.”  

The logos for Conference XXI: “One World, One Future: Issues and Opportunities for Mercy Education" was designed by Mrs. Stephanie Baxter.  It beautifully portrayed the conference theme and was incorporated into a lovely cover design for the conference program and prayers by Karis Yusavitz, MMA Class of 2003.

Regina Ward, RSM, Principal of Merion Mercy Academy, led the opening procession for the closing liturgy. The prayers, blessings for each speaker and Eucharistic liturgy for conference XXI were marked by beauty, sensitivity, calls to faith and hope.

Student musicians of Merion Mercy Academy and their teachers led the community in prayer—prayers which began with a Procession of Light and the Calling of Schools and concluded with joy, “Come, Live in the Light.”  Student choral members, the bell choir and prayer leaders also led prayer and entertainment for the opening of the conference. 

Student “chefs” from Mercy Vocational High School, Philadelphia, PA., sponsored by the Regional Community of Merion prepared and served the social hosted by the Merion Regional Community Leadership Team. Beauty and graciousness marked the display and the service. Sister Rosemary Herron, RSM, serves as principal of Mercy Vocational High School and she proudly introduced her students and share the story of the high school. 

From the Mercy Secondary Education Association of Australia/New Zealand, Mercy Educators received a greeting and a gift. Four educators traveled thousands of miles, from Catherine McAuley, Westmead, Australia, Mercy Catholic College, Chatswood, Australia, Monte Sant’ Angelo Mercy College, and Our Lady of Mercy College, Parametta, Sydney, Australia. (College=secondary school in Australia).They expressed what we share in common: our heritage, our tradition and charism, our commitment to the future...  

St. Mary Academy-Bay-View, Riverside, Rhode Island, extended a warm invitation to Conference XXII, October 17-19,  2003.  

Conference XXII, 2003 "One World, One Future: "Faith in a Changing World" was held October 17-19, 2003 at St. Mary Academy - Bay View, Providence , RI .

Mr. Michael Johnson, President of Mercy Academy, Louisville , President of MSEA, addressed gathered Mercy educators and regional community leadership challenging all to fidelity to the charism and values of Mercy. Michael  welcomed all in the name of  MSEA board members, Peggy Lake, Principal, Catherine McAuley High School, Brooklyn, NY,  Cindi Baughman, Assistant Principal, Assumption High School, Louisville, KY,  Dotty McCrea, Principal, Mercy High School, San Francisco, CA, Michael Johnson, Principal, Mercy Academy, Louisville, Nancy Merkle, RSM, Principal, Mother of Mercy High School, Cincinnati,  Patty Moriarty, RSM, Mercy High School, Middletown, CT. Gratitude was extended to the community of St. Mary Academy for their hard work and gracious hospitality.   Patricia Combies, RSM, President of the Regional Community of Providence, St. Mary Academy President, Elizabeth McAuliffe, RSM and Principal Colleen Gribbon welcome all gathered.

In a beautiful presentation entitled “Catherine McAuley, A Narrative in Song in Dance”, the students of St. Mary Academy led all in prayer.

Marie Michele Donnelly, RSM, President from the Regional Community of Merion addressed the conference and with knowledge and humor spoke to “Faith in a Changing World.”

Business meeting items included President-elect speeches and updates on initiatives. Alternative time formats for MSEA conferences were presented. Patty Moriarty, RSM, addressed plans for the conference in Ireland. The business meeting also included a financial report, and a report from the Network for Mercy Education. Dotty McCrea was elected President-elect. Melissa Bullock, Our Lady of Victory, Dobbs Ferry and Regina Ward, RSM, Merion Mercy Academy were elected to the Board.

An evening celebration at “Waterfire”,  a traditional Providence celebration,  was enjoyed by all. Mount Mercy Academy, Buffalo, NY, extended a warm invitation to all for Conference XXIII,  October 2004.

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