Tributes by Dr. Mary Hines

It is again the time of year when we join together as families and friends to reflect on our blessings and to express our thanks to those in our lives who are our blessings. It is also the time of year when we pray for our brothers and sisters in the world who do not share in our bounty…and when we do our best to alleviate their suffering.

Our gathering today reminds us of the blessings we are to each other as we fulfill together the mission of Carlow University.  Having shared a meal, we now share in recognizing those among us who are celebrating special anniversaries and transitions. We are ‘well- come’ to this place!
We begin our program by remembering we are here to do God’s work.
(PRAYER by S. Mary)

Employee Tribute:

Today we celebrate years of service given to Carlow by our faculty and staff.  It is fitting that we have chosen Thanksgiving week to honor these special anniversaries.  However, our Core Values call us to celebrate each other every day, through “respect for the potential of each person’, with appreciation for the contributions made to this ‘welcoming nurturing community of learners’, and through recognition of the ‘service provided to others with competence and compassion’.

 While we choose one day to surface our appreciation in a public gathering by honoring those who are celebrating anniversaries of 5 year intervals, we commit in our Core Values ‘to reverence each person’ by expressing our appreciation on every appropriate occasion.  We come from a variety of backgrounds and experiences, from different perspectives and faiths.  We have different gifts and strengths, different positions and responsibilities.  We work in different places and at different times:  in the Campus School, in the various offices and services of the University, in the academic programs, at the off-site locations.  Yet we function within Carlow University as one community committed to a mission of education and service.  We are all colleagues in pursuit of common goals, and we depend on the contributions and commitment of each other to achieve those goals.  Our inter-dependence is worth celebrating with thankful applause for all around us.

Today we honor those faculty and staff who have dedicated themselves over time to the mission we embrace.  As we celebrate their many individual and collective years of service, we also recognize the force these faculty and staff have been in the life of Carlow University.  The effects of their work on behalf of Carlow’s mission are felt even today and will continue far into the future.

On behalf of the University, I thank all those whom we honor today for the good they have done, the work they have contributed, the joy they have shared, the care they have expressed, the assistance they have provided, the knowledge they have conveyed, the time and talent they have dedicated to all of us and to the many students whom they have served at Mount Mercy, Carlow College, Carlow University.

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Tribute to the Sisters of Mercy:

In addition to honoring the service anniversaries of our current faculty and staff, today we recognize our Pittsburgh Sisters of Mercy who have served over the years at Mount Mercy Academy, the Campus School,  Mount Mercy College, Carlow College, Carlow University…as faculty, staff, alumnae and Trustees…the family of Mercy institutions which span our history at this location.  With the help of Sister Elenita and Sister Sheila Carney, we identified 80 living Sisters of Mercy whose assignments were to Carlow. The entire list of serving Sisters is in your program, and many of these dedicated women have joined us today. Sister Margaret Hannan, President of the Pittsburgh Regional Community of the Sisters of Mercy, regrets that she is unable to join us today due to other obligations, but she sends her best wishes to all for a Happy Thanksgiving and for a joyful celebration of the service of the Sisters.

As the canonical sponsors of our University, the Sisters of Mercy have provided vision, mission, inspiration and support to us since they founded the school so many years ago.  In the spirit of Mother Catherine McAuley, they have committed themselves not only to establish, grow and govern the institution, but also to serve in a variety of positions to insure that the work they cherished would lead to positive results and make a difference in the lives of all whom they served.   These are our women of spirit…and we thank them for their courage and for their example of dedicated teaching and competent and compassionate service. We are honored to continue their work and to uphold their values.

Thus, with thanks and grateful recognition of your dedication as a Sister of Mercy in your service to Carlow University in all its emerging forms, we applaud in hearts and hands our Sisters of Mercy.

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