WEST MIDWEST LEADERSHIP TEAM Norita Cooney, RSM, President Introducing the Judith Cannon, RSM Judith Frikker, RSM Michelle Gorman, RSM Sisters of Mercy of the Americas Sheila Megley, RSM Kathy Thornton, RSM - West Midwest Community SACRED HEART On July 1, 2008, the Mercy regional communities of Auburn, CONVENT California; Burlingame, California; Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Chicago, ADMINISTRATIVE Illinois; Detroit, Michigan; and Omaha, Nebraska joined together S TA F F to become the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas - West Midwest Theresa Baldus-Kokontis, Administrator Community. Melissa L. Pence, Development Office Jessica Stephenson, Sister Support Services The new Community includes almost 900 Sisters of Mercy and more than 500 Mercy Associates and Companions in Mercy. They DONOR RELATIONS continue to be part of the Institute of the Sisters of Mercy of the AND MISSION Americas, an international community of Roman Catholic women ADVANCEMENT vowed to serve people who suffer from poverty, sickness and lack of SISTERS education, with a special concern for women and children. Mary Corkery, RSM Judith Meyers, RSM The West Midwest Community Leadership Team consists of Sister Norita Cooney, president; Sister Judith Cannon; Sister Michelle Mary Lou Podzimek, RSM Gorman; Sister Judith Frikker; Sister Sheila Megley; and Sister Kathy Shari Sutherland, RSM Thornton. Kathy Thill, RSM Mary Cephas Wichman, RSM While the primary administrative site for the West Midwest Community is in Omaha, Nebraska, sisters and associates will continue to live and maintain an active presence in their local areas, Direct address changes to: serving in 32 states and four countries. Mercy Works Sisters of Mercy Sacred Heart Convent 1125 Prairie Drive NE Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52402-4737 Mercy Works Mercy Works is a published by the Cedar Rapids Development Office of the Sisters of Mercy - West Midwest Community. The West Midwest Community is among the Institute of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, a religious order of over 4,000 members founded The Leadership Team of the Sisters of Mercy West Midwest Community. Pictured in front from left to right: in Dublin, Ireland, in 1831 by Catherine Sister Judith Frikker, Sister Norita Cooney and Sister Sheila Megley. Pictured in back from left to right: Sister McAuley. Kathy Thornton, Sister Judith Cannon and Sister Michelle Gorman. Mercy Works two Renovation of Sacred Heart ConventComplete Suspice The latest renovation of Sacred changes made with the renovation Heart Convent was completed included implementation of more My God, this summer. The project was handicap accessible features, energy I am yours almost a year’s work in progress, efficient lighting and heating units, beginning in July 2007. It was sidewalk repairs and updated fire for time and eternity, the first renovation of the convent and security alarm systems. teach me to cast myself in over 15 years and was needed into the arms of to provide for safer living quarters Special thanks to friends who for the sisters who reside at the helped to support the renovation Your loving Providence convent. of Sacred Heart Convent with with the most lively, prayers and gift donations. Your unlimited confidence in Nearly 30 sisters residing at spiritual and financial support Your Compassionate, Sacred Heart are enjoying their made it possible for the renovation newly expanded bedrooms; patio project to become complete and tender pity. with flower garden and walking continue to be a place of prayer Grant me, path outside of the sun porch; and ministry for the Sisters of O most merciful Redeemer, and rooms for arts and crafts, Mercy. massages, exercise, sewing and that whatever visiting with guests. Additional You ordain or permit may be acceptable to me. Take from my heart all painful anxiety; suffer nothing to sadden me but sin, nothing to delight me Sister Betty Carr (left) but the hope of looks on as Sister Mary Kurt (center) and Sister coming to Mary K. Doughan (right) hang a picture of the possession of You, Catherine McAuley in the new visiting room at My God and my All, Sacred Heart Convent. All three sisters pictured In Your everlasting Kingdom. are new residents of Sacred Heart Convent, Amen moving into the facility after the completion of the renovation. ~ Catherine McAuley Mercy Works three Community Survives Flood Waters The second week of June, parts of Iowa succumbed to flood waters. In Cedar Rapids, the flood waters rose higher than what anyone could predict and its destruction was incomprehensible. Waters crested nearly 20 feet above flood stage and 11 feet above its previously highest crest in the history of the city, engulfing the downtown area and forcing people to evacuate their homes and businesses. In the end, over 5,000 homes and 1,000 businesses in Cedar Rapids were damaged due to flood waters. Despite the destruction of Mother Nature, all the Sisters of Mercy in Cedar Rapids were safe. Sacred Flood waters rise outside the Lundy Pavillion at Mercy Medical Center in Cedar Rapids on Friday, June 13, 2008. Heart Convent, sharing the Photo courtesy of Sister Marilyn Ward, RSM same campus as Mount Mercy College, being located on higher ground, escaped any flood damage. move their patients to a safer by providing work space so that Sisters residing at Mercy Hallmar environment when flood waters the businesses could continue to Care Center had a bit more of threatened the hospital. After operate until they are able to move an adventure. Located inside the evacuation and as the flood back into their offices or find Mercy Medical Center, sisters at waters receded the hospital staff another location. In her last days Mercy Hallmar Care Center were worked tirelessly to clean and as president of the Cedar Rapids awakened in the early morning bring the hospital back up to code Regional Community, Sister Kathy hours on Friday, June 13 as part for operations. The Catherine Thornton, RSM stated, “If I ever of the evacuation process at the McAuley Center was fortunate worried about our sponsored hospital. The sisters were relocated not to have flood damage works carrying on the Mercy to another nursing facility on and continued to assist their tradition and values, I need do it higher ground for two weeks until constituents, as well as other non- no longer.” Mercy Medical Center and Mercy profit organizations and members Hallmar Care Center could be in the community. Mount Mercy Although the waters have receded, opened again for operations. College offered its campus to what awaits is a long clean-up house the National Guard and process that will take years to The Sisters of Mercy sponsored displaced hospital workers while rebuild some neighborhoods in works in Cedar Rapids responded flood waters submerged the city. Cedar Rapids. In a message to to the call of mercy during the During the city’s clean-up phase, other Mercy communities, Sister disaster. Staff at Mercy Medical the college opened its campus to Kathy Thornton wrote of her Center worked quickly to displaced downtown businesses experience on Sunday, June 22 Mercy Worksfour as the city of Cedar Rapids was Many friends of Mercy have victims who are able to return beginning its clean-up effort. “I donated funds to the sisters to to their homes still endure the drove around the areas where assist flood victims. The funds expense of the clean-up efforts the most damage was done. It collected for flood relief will assist to rid homes from mold, and is frightful. Block after block of those directly impacted by the to replace carpet, furniture and curbside piles of debris-piles as flood waters. The sisters are in appliances. high as eight to 10 feet.” the process of identifying flood victims in the community in need In addition to the households In the aftermath of the flood, of financial assistance for expenses affected by the flood many sisters are doing what they can incurred from the flood and businesses have been displaced to offer their assistance for flood will distribute funds based upon too. Some have been able to victims. Some sisters have assisted need. Some of those flood victims continue with business working in clean-up efforts while others include our Mercy Associates, from temporary offices or out are collecting supplies such as family and friends of the sisters, of their homes, but others are clothing, food, furniture and and parishioners of churches uncertain if they will be able to household items for people who in the Dubuque Archdiocese. reopen. have lost everything. Sisters at The flood victims' stories are Sacred Heart Convent gather in devastating and many still The Sisters of Mercy are thankful the chapel everyday at 4 o’clock to uncertain about the future. Some to all friends near and far away pray the rosary for flood victims, wonder if they will ever be able who have expressed their concern a routine practice at Sacred Heart to return to their homes or how and offered prayers as flood waters since the flood occurred in mid- they will continue to pay for the rose and the results impacted June. mortgage on their home damaged the community. As the clean- by the flood waters. Flood up effort is underway the sisters continue to ask for prayers for flood victims that they may be able to return to their homes and jobs soon. Donations for the Sisters of Mercy Flood Relief Fund can be sent to: Sisters of Mercy - West Midwest Community Flood Relief Fund 1125 Prairie Drive NE Cedar Rapids, IA 52402 Sister Mary Ellen Flaherty packs up items to donate to flood victims. Mercy Worksfive Thank You! The following are names of individuals, organizations and businesses who have supported the Sisters of Mercy Cedar Rapids Regional Community financially from July 1, 2007 - June 30, 2008.