Sister Mary Scullion Inspires MMA Community on Mercy Day

On September 24, the Merion Mercy Academy community came together to celebrate Mercy Day—a day that recalls the moment in 1827 when Catherine McAuley opened the first House of Mercy in Dublin, Ireland. This year’s celebration was made especially meaningful by the presence of Sister Mary Scullion, RSM, whose life and ministry embody the very spirit of Mercy that inspires our school.

A Sister of Mercy for more than 50 years, Sister Mary is widely recognized for her tireless advocacy on behalf of people experiencing homelessness and poverty. In 1989, she co-founded Project H.O.M.E., an organization that has transformed countless lives in Philadelphia. While she no longer serves as its executive director, her ministry continues on the streets of Kensington, where she works alongside people who are unsheltered. She shared that while Philadelphia has the highest poverty rate among the nation’s ten largest cities, it has the lowest rate of people living on the streets—thanks in large part to the work of Project H.O.M.E. “We are people of hope,” she said.

From that message of hope, Sister Mary invited the MMA community to reflect on what it means to live Mercy in our daily lives. Quoting Pope Francis—

“We live for mercy and we cannot afford to be without Mercy because it’s the air that we breathe”

—she reminded students that Mercy is not an abstract idea. “Mercy is the air that you breathe at Merion Mercy,” she said, calling us to recognize the gifts already present in our community.

She encouraged students to embrace the fullness of their education, describing MMA as a place where we receive “an education of the heart, soul, and mind.” Such an education, she said, is meant to prepare us not only for academic success but for compassionate service and the promotion of justice. To live Mercy is to recognize that we are one human family—a beloved community in which every person matters.

Drawing from her experiences at Project H.O.M.E., Sister Mary illustrated how Mercy becomes transformational when it is put into action. “We see miracles of healing and transformation every day,” she shared. True Mercy, she explained, is not rooted in obligation but in God’s grace and love. It welcomes each person fully and affirms their dignity, erasing the lines that divide us.

As she looked to Catherine McAuley and the Sisters of Mercy who came before us, Sister Mary emphasized that faith may not always provide clear answers, but it always provides courage. She challenged the MMA community to resist the pull of individualism and materialism and to work instead for the common good. “Indifference to the plight of the poor,” she said, “is not an option.”

By the end of her talk, Sister Mary had offered more than inspiration—she had reminded us of our mission. To live Mercy is to stand with those on the margins, to act with courage, and to recognize our shared humanity as God’s generous gift. Her words on Mercy Day called each of us to carry that mission forward in our own lives.