Mercy Home said farewell to the 10th class of MercyWorkers on Tuesday night at the Hay Campus.
Starting with the celebration of Mass, by Fr. Scott Donahue, the 2010-2011 MercyWorkers and their families gathered together to reflect on their year of service.
Fr. Scott addressed the MercyWorkers in his homily, telling them that by continuing on in the tradition of baptism, they brought the light of Christ to the children with whom they worked.
After Mass, everyone was invited to dinner in the Hay Campus Cafeteria, where the program’s director, Katie Keller Smith and manager, Liz Kuhn, (or as they are more affectionately known by the MercyWorkers: “Mom 1” and “Mom 2”), thanked the volunteers for their year of service, shared their favorite memories of each volunteer, and presented each with a gift.
“In choosing to work with kids who have been hurt and in taking the time to witness these kids’ lives, you have brought light to dark places,” said Smith, as she thanked the volunteers in her opening remarks. “Whether you realize it or not, each of you holds a mirror up to the youth that you work with and reflects back an image of one who is made in the image and likeness of God, as well as an image of who that youth has the potential to become.”
After each volunteer was remembered, Megan Casey, this year’s volunteer in Admissions, was chosen by her peers to speak to the group about her year of service.
“To each of my community members sitting in this room here today, know that I am infinitely grateful for you and the ways in which you have enriched my life throughout the past twelve months,” Casey said. “You have accepted, understood, loved, cared for and challenged me and for that, I am eternally grateful.”
Thank you to this year’s MercyWorks class: Steph, Kate, Britney, Shannon, Hannah, Kevin, Rachel, Diego, Becca, Mikaela, Jillian, Megan, Jessica and Amanda. We look forward to the continued work of eight of the MercyWorkers, who have accepted full, part-time, and support-staff positions at Mercy Home. And we wish good luck to those who have decided to pursue other opportunities and interests.
