House of the Sisters of Mercy in Carlow, Ireland. With an early start to the day, we really had no idea of the glory, beauty and generosity that we would … Continued

We have been steeped in the history as well as the modern approaches of the Sisters of Mercy, making explicit connections between the two. Today marks the last day knowing … Continued

A visit to the Callaghan estate revealed the early life of Catherine McAuley. Our Monday morning began with a wonderful breakfast followed by a presentation by Mary Reynolds, who is … Continued

The Carlow faculty and staff arrived in Ireland and soon found meaning in their travels. Our pilgrimage began in a Pittsburgh downpour that changed to Boston’s sunny skies. Before we … Continued

Dublin in the 19th century. Image source: Monovisions.com. From an early age I have been drawn to “everything Irish”–from the music, to the spiritual aspect of the country, as well … Continued

Catherine McAuley’s House of Mercy on Baggot Street in Dublin is now the Mercy International Centre. I’m sitting in the airport–lucky to have been given TSA Pre-Check status, which swept … Continued

In the United States many of our practices are extreme: extreme sports, extreme competition, etc. The Irish practice extreme hospitality, of which we have been recipients—and it’s wonderful! On Thursday … Continued

Pilgrims. On a Pilgrimage. By Vasily Perov, 1867. Source: wikiart.org. When one hears the word “pilgrimage,” images such as the one above come to mind. Certainly, when I searched for … Continued