Carlow University’s heritage begins with a story of courage, service, and faith. Nearly a century ago, the Sisters of Mercy carried that spirit from Carlow, Ireland, to Pittsburgh, laying the foundation for a community that would continue to grow and change while remaining rooted in the values that inspired its beginning.
But heritage is more than the story of where we came from. It lives in the people who carry those values forward, in the choices they make, and in the ways they answer the call to serve others. Throughout Carlow’s podcast, A More Just and Merciful World, President Kathy Humphrey, PhD, has welcomed guests whose lives and work illuminate different pieces of that legacy.
In celebration of Carlow’s heritage, and in honor of this week’s Season 3 premiere, we’re revisiting five conversations that bring that story to life. From the University’s earliest beginnings and generations of Carlow students to courageous action, personal calling, and the responsibility to step into the lives of others, each offers a different perspective on what it means to carry Mercy forward.
S01E08: John McDarby | The Story of Sister Veronica McDarby
Historian John McDarby, great-grandnephew of founding Sister Veronica McDarby, joined Dr. Humphrey to revisit the story at the very beginning of Carlow University. He traces the journey of the Sisters of Mercy from Carlow, Ireland, to Pittsburgh and the sense of purpose that carried them across the Atlantic.
Their story established much more than a school. It began a tradition of education grounded in service, faith, and responsiveness to the needs of the community, values that would continue to shape Carlow through generations of students, faculty, Sisters, and friends.
S02E07: Sister Bonnie Heh and Thelma Lovette Morris | Enriching the Carlow Legacy
Sister Bonnie Heh and Thelma Lovette Morris know that legacy firsthand. Sister Bonnie graduated from Carlow, then Mount Mercy College, in 1969, followed by Thelma in 1970. Together with Dr. Humphrey, they reflect on what first brought them to Carlow and the gifts their education gave them.
Their conversation also looks forward. They share their hopes for Carlow’s future and why they have chosen to give back to the students who followed them. Their stories show how heritage is carried across generations, through the relationships, opportunities, and sense of responsibility that remain long after graduation.
S01E01: Sister Patricia McCann | Walking with Courage
Carlow alumna and Sister of Mercy Patricia McCann joined Dr. Humphrey for a conversation about a life shaped by courage, conviction, and compassion. Sister Patricia reflects on her early years and her involvement in the Civil Rights Movement, including marching for voting rights in Selma and Montgomery, Alabama.
Her experiences offer a powerful example of Mercy in action. Looking back on those who were willing to stand up for others, Sister Patricia speaks to the courage required to confront injustice and the belief that creating a more just and merciful world begins with how we choose to treat and accept one another.
S01E15: Bishop Mark Eckman | Following the Call to Serve
Bishop Mark Eckman, newly installed Bishop of the Diocese of Pittsburgh, sat down with Dr. Humphrey to explore personal calling, the courage to follow your own path, and the ways each of us can contribute to a more just and merciful world.
With deep roots in the Pittsburgh region, Bishop Eckman also shares his hopes for the community he serves. Their conversation considers how faith, education, service, and compassion can strengthen lives and communities, connecting personal purpose with a larger responsibility to those around us.
S02E08: James Keenan, SJ, and Sister Sheila Carney | The Core of Mercy
Jesuit priest James Keenan joined Dr. Humphrey, with Sister Sheila Carney as a special guest, for a conversation about ethics, conscience, and what Keenan has called “walking into the chaos of others.” He reflects on how that idea shaped his work and his understanding of what it means to encounter another person with genuine openness.
Together, they explore the movement from awareness to action: not simply teaching people what they need to know, but helping them understand how to act on what they know. It is a fitting expression of a heritage that asks us not only to recognize the needs of others, but to enter into those needs with purpose, compassion, and courage.
Subscribe to A More Just and Merciful World on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube, and join Dr. Humphrey as she continues to explore what it means to lead with purpose and build a world rooted in justice and mercy.