Mrs. Farrell, Dr. Pidot, Sister Anna Saltzman, and Mr. Mayer join hundreds of Mercy educators at the Mercy Education Conference in Oklahoma this week. The conference is an annual event to encourage collaboration, sharing and furthering the Mercy charism. All education ministries that are part of the Mercy Education System of the Americas are invited to attend. This year's keynote speakers (Sister Kathleen Erickson and Sister Rosemary Welsh) are two powerhouse Sisters of Mercy devoted to serving and advocating on behalf of our immigrant sisters and brothers.
Sister Kathleen Erickson, RSM, has been involved in immigration ministry since 1991 and spent nearly 20 years at the United States-Mexico border working with immigrant women. She has provided spiritual support to detained immigrants in federal detention centers and county jails and has spent weeks volunteering in El Paso as immigrants are being released by ICE with a need for shelter and support.
Sister Rosemary Welsh, RSM, is a native of Springfield, Missouri. She served as a missionary for 10 years in Guatemala and Southern Mexico in the early 80s and 90s. Upon returning to the United States in 1992, Sister Rosemary was invited by Ernesto "Buddy" Flores, then Administrator of Mercy Medical Center, to return to Laredo, Texas, and re-establish herself in ministry there. Sister Rosemary has been in Laredo for over 25 consecutive years serving in various roles and advocating for some of Laredo's most needy and vulnerable persons. Currently she serves as Director of Outreach Services at Mercy Clinic and as Executive Director of Casa de Misericordia.