MSEA Conference

From the city of neighborhoods to a world of neighbors:
Mercy High School hosts International Conference

'An exciting fact about Mercy High School is that it is part of an international network of schools sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy. This network consists of over 40 secondary schools located in 20 states in the continental United States and six countries in Central America, the Caribbean and South America. These schools established the Mercy Secondary Education Association (MSEA) in the early 1980’s with Sr. Carol Wheeler, RSM, Mercy’s Head of School, as its founding president.

MSEA’s 29th annual conference was hosted by Mercy High School on the weekend of October 15-16, 2010. Most of the conference events were held at the Hyatt Regency downtown Baltimore. Over 200 participants participated.

The conference theme, From the City of Neighborhoods to a World of Neighbors: Fostering Global Vision and Responsibility, focussed on the importance for educators to look beyond local boundaries in order to teach students their responsibilities within a larger context. The speakers were internationally recognized authorities and hail from three countries.

 Sr. Deidre Mullan, RSM, keynote speaker, a Sister of Mercy from Northern Ireland, is currently the Director of Mercy Global Concern which is headquartered at the United Nations. She also serves on the Executive Committee of the United Nations.

Sr. Adele Howard, RSM, an Australian native, is Executive Director of Fraynework Multimedia, a Mercy ministry in Melbourne, Australia, which strives to give voice to marginalized people throughout the world via digital storytelling. Sr. Adele also coordinates the online communications for Mercy International Association (MIA) which include mercyworld.org, Mercy E-News and the interactive educational resource Mercy and Justice Shall Meet.

Sr. Marilyn Lacey, RSM, from California, is recognized globally as a leader in assisting refugees and migrants in Asia and Africa. She is the founding Director of Mercy Beyond Borders, which provides educational opportunities for girls in Africa. In 2001, the Dalai Lama named Sr. Marilyn as an “Unsung Hero of Compassion.”

The conference included two days of presentations and meetings and Friday evening performances of Mercy High School’s Dance Troupe, Footlighters, Ensemble Players and Madrigal Singers. The conference concluded on Saturday afternoon with a tour of the Basilica of the Assumption followed by Mass at 5:30 pm.

Mercy High School was pleased to host educators from so many Mercy-sponsored schools, as well as to welcome such well-known figures.'

Messages to Carol Wheeler, RSM - President Mercy High School Baltimore