Meet Rosemary Connelly, RSM, Executive Director of Misericordia.
Misericordia, which means "heart of mercy" in Latin, is home to more than 600 children and adults who are living with developmental disabilities. In the last 45 years, Sister Rosemary has helped the agency expand into a 31-acre campus where residents have access to work and recreational opportunities, specialized education programs, and various forms of therapy.
As I was reading about Sister Rosemary's ministry, I so remarked how she is embodying the mission of her religious community, the Sisters of Mercy. The Sisters of Mercy "see Jesus in the most marginalized people and take a vow of service to perform works of Mercy that alleviate suffering."
On following the call to work with Misericordia, Sister Rosemary said:
"When I came, I came as a social worker and a teacher with that kind of background. I had no experience in special education, but the day I walked into Misericordia I thought, ‘This is right — thank you God, this is right." (source)
I think of Sister Rosemary following God's call all those years ago, and how she said "yes" to the unknown, but trusted that she was in the right place. I take comfort in her example of what it means to follow God's call despite the unknown (because, to be honest, the unknown can be freaky!).
As you think about your own calling, who do you look to as example of what it means to follow God's call?
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