We, the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, agonize over the sufferings of our sisters and brothers around the world and for Earth herself. We acknowledge our involvement in this global suffering and embrace our need for personal conversion even as we work with others to transform unjust systems and exploitative patterns of behavior.
We undertake the work of justice in the light of Catholic social teaching and our Constitutions, Direction Statement, and especially our Critical Concerns, which call us "...to intensify our responses to critical needs of our times which continue to call us to conversion:
- to deepen and assimilate more consciously the practice of nonviolence as an integral aspect of the charism of mercy;
- to deepen our response to the unrecognized and unreconciled racism, past and present, within our community;
- to reverence Earth and work more effectively toward the sustainability of life and toward universal recognition of the fundamental right to water;
- to continue to embrace our particular concern for women;
- and to stand in solidarity with immigrants..."
Sister Mary Ellen Murphy, Ph.D., was recognized with an honorary degree at University of Saint Joseph’s 77th Commencement exercises on Sunday, May 13, on the university’s West Hartford campus. She was joined by Connecticut Governor Dannel P. Malloy, who also received an honorary degree.