In the Footsteps of Mercy

**We share an essay from Beverly Wilkes Jr., Grants Manager & Communications Specialist with McAuley Ministries. This is entitled In the Footsteps of Mercy and highlights her experience and reflections from a pilgrimage to Ireland last June. **

When McAuley Ministries was founded by the Pittsburgh Sisters of Mercy in 2008, all of the trustees were Sisters of Mercy. Today the composition of the board is split almost 50/50 between Sisters of Mercy and individuals who live or work in the Hill District, Uptown, and West Oakland, the three communities we serve. As we reflected on this change in board composition and what our board would look like in the next 15 years, McAuley Ministries decided that this year we would not only fund an Ireland pilgrimage for Pittsburgh Mercy colleagues, but also embark on our first pilgrimage to Ireland, tracing the roots of the Sisters of Mercy and honoring the legacy of our foundress, Catherine McAuley.

In June 2025, we embarked on a 10-day pilgrimage that brought together board members Sister Sheila Carney, RSM; Sister Kathleen McGrady, SC; and Thelma Lovette Morris, along with Executive Director Marisol Valentin, her son Rafi, and me, Beverly Wilkes Jr., grants manager and communications specialist.

Also joining the group was Casey Bowser and her husband Andy. Casey is an archivist for the Westmoreland Land Trust, whose participation reflected McAuley Ministries commitment to preserving the Sisters’ legacy in Southwestern Pennsylvania. The Westmoreland Land Trust, a grantee, is currently documenting the impact of the Sisters of Mercy at St. Xavier’s in Latrobe, Pa.

Our journey began in Dublin, where we visited Mercy International Centre, the very house Catherine McAuley opened in 1827 to shelter and educate poor women and children. Led by Sister Sheila Carney, RSM, chairperson of the Board of Directors for Mercy International Association, whose deep understanding of Catherine McAuley’s life and mission shaped every moment of the experience. As she spoke, her voice carried both knowledge and emotion, making the story of Catherine’s work feel immediate and alive. Her reflections helped us to see not only the history, but also the heart behind it. Coolock House also offered a quiet space to reflect on Catherine’s early years and the beginnings of her vision. We continued on to St. Leo’s Convent in Carlow, where we sat in the very place where the seven Sisters were chosen to travel to Pittsburgh in 1843: Mother Frances Warde, RSM; Sister Josephine Cullen, RSM; Sister Veronica McDarby, RSM; Sister Elizabeth Strange, RSM; Sister Aloysia Strange, RSM; Sister Philomena Reid, RSM; and Sister Agatha O’Brien, RSM. Their courage laid the foundation for the Sisters’ enduring presence in Southwestern Pennsylvania. That moment connected the past to the present in a powerful way, reminding all in attendance of the courage and faith that built the foundation for the work McAuley Ministries continues today.

As we traveled through Ireland’s lush countryside, from Glendalough’s monastic ruins to the Cliffs of Moher, we carried Catherine’s spirit with us. Throughout the pilgrimage, we encountered what many in Ireland call “thin places,” locations where the boundary between the physical and the spiritual feels especially close. Among them was St. Brigid’s Well in Liscannor, where quiet stone and flowing water invited stillness and prayer. At Poulnabrone Dolmen, we stood before a sacred site believed to serve as a bridge between the world of the living and the afterlife. Even the ancient stones of Hore Abbey and the towering presence of the Rock of Cashel also carried a quiet reverence, offering space for reflection and connection.

For members of the Mercy World, Mercy International Centre is a thin space, where your spirit can connect with the intercessions of Catherine McAuley and the strength of the Sisters of Mercy. These thin places reminded us that the work of mercy is not only about action, but also about presence, about being still, listening, and allowing ourselves to be transformed.

This pilgrimage was a Jubilee celebration that reignited our commitment to being pilgrims of hope. We were reminded that we are not only inheritors of a legacy that began nearly two centuries ago, but also co-creators of the future. As part of the fabric of the Mercy World, we have been entrusted to carry forward the spirit of compassion and service that continues to shape lives in Pittsburgh and beyond.

About McAuley Ministries

Named in honor of Catherine McAuley, founder of the Sisters of Mercy, McAuley Ministries is the grant-making foundation of Pittsburgh Mercy.

McAuley Ministries serves as a catalyst for change, committing resources and working collaboratively to promote healthy, safe, and vibrant communities. Grant-making priorities include capacity building, education, empowerment, environmental care, essential needs and social services, peacemaking, and whole-person health initiatives for nonprofit organizations which focus on the Hill District, Uptown, and West Oakland, the three Pittsburgh communities historically served by the Sisters of Mercy. McAuley Ministries also supports organizations in Southwestern Pennsylvania that are sponsored by the Sisters.

Since its founding in 2008, McAuley Ministries has awarded 1,052 grants and community support totaling over $59 million. It awards on average $3.5 million in grants annually, making it one of the largest philanthropic foundations in Southwestern Pennsylvania. To learn more about McAuley Ministries and the initiatives it supports, visit www.mcauleyministries.org, follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn, or chat with IᖇEᑎE, our AI assistant.

About Pittsburgh Mercy

Pittsburgh Mercy is one of the largest community health and social service providers and employers in Southwestern Pennsylvania.

We offer help – and hope – to 17,000 of our community’s most vulnerable in 60+ locations:

• People who have complex behavioral and physical health challenges

• People who have intellectual and developmental disabilities

• People who are experiencing homelessness • People who need wrap-around services to live safe, healthy, and well in the community.

We are the largest Integrated Community Wellness Center (ICWC) in Pennsylvania and the only one in Southwestern Pennsylvania. We are a five-time awardee of Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Certified Community Behavioral Health Center (CCBHC) expansion grants. Together, Pittsburgh Mercy and Bethlehem Haven have more than 70 years of experience in serving persons who are experiencing homelessness.

Pittsburgh Mercy is a member of Trinity Health, serving in the tradition of the Sisters of Mercy. Our mission is to be a compassionate and transforming, healing presence within our communities. To learn more about Pittsburgh Mercy, please visit www.pittsburghmercy.org.