“She is to have a son and you are to name him Jesus.” Matthew 1:21

from the principalOur celebration of Thanksgiving seems like a holy day to me because we have somuch to be grateful for at Mercy. The strong and vibrant history of the school,the strength of the values taught from the beginning to the present, the alumnaethat bring those values and their talents to professions all over the country and theworld, our students and their parents who bring us daily blessings, and the facultyand staff current and past who are wonderful examples of the spirit of faith and excellence,all cause me to rejoice in the wonderful gifts the Lord has bounteously bestowed on Mercy.May God preserve andbless you and grant youall the graces andprecious gifts reservedfor this holy season.Catherine McAuley,Foundress of the Sisters of MercyWith the beginning of Advent, I think of our focus on the role each of us plays in makingGod present in the lives of the people we meet daily. As little children, we learned of God’spresence at Christmastime, and now we as students and adults must help one another knowGod’s presence again. At Mercy this takes many forms, and one of great importance is ourspiritual life. We celebrate our gratitude and our desire to help those in need at theThanksgiving Prayer Service. At the “Feast of the Immaculate Conception,” we celebrateMary’s example of a woman of great faith, strength, and care for others. As we prepareto leave for the Christmas break, we pray together as a school for God’s blessing on eachMercy family, that it might be a time of joy and peace for all.No less important is our focus on service throughout the year, and particularly during thisseason of giving. These days, we are immersed in collecting food and our hope is to enlivenin the hearts of our students the realization that without the food that they generouslyprovide, someone will go hungry. The faculty and staff continue their commitment toprepare and serve dinner once a month at Epic House, a shared living facility for lowincome elderly in the inner city. The basketball teams will also visit Epic House and inaddition to the meal will provide yard clean-up and other services. The Art and ConsumerScience students will paint windows and decorate doors at Mountain Crest Nursing Home.A variety of students will entertain adolescents who have special needs at the Starfire Party.These are a just few examples of the many projects carried out here at Mercy. The studentand faculty commitment to develop a strong awareness of the needs of others is whatimpels us to be involved in so many service activities.Our theme for the year is “Focus” and that is certainly visiblein the prayer and service opportunities we embrace. Pleasejoin us in prayer for all members of the Mercy family and letus know your own commitment to service so that we mightshare your good example with our students.May God bless each of you this Christmas,Sr. Nancy Merkle RSM ‘62PrincipalFALL/WINTER 2009| 9