Dear Mercy Class of ’16, ’17 and '18 Families,

We are pleased to be able to offer the opportunity to experience the Summer 2015 Young Mercy Leaders Pilgrimage in Dublin, Ireland to our students.

The Young Mercy Leaders program began in 2011 with the visit of Mercy secondary school and college students from around the world to Mercy International Centre. They discovered together the riches of the Mercy story and were able to return to their daily lives better equipped to be leaders in their schools and world. The program was such a success that it is now taking place annually with secondary school and college programs being offered separately in alternate years.

In 2015, the Young Mercy Leaders Pilgrimage for secondary school students will be held again in Dublin, Ireland at Mercy International Centre Tuesday, July 14th through Friday, July 17th 2015.

In our Foundress Catherine McAuley’s time, the building that is now Mercy International Centre, Baggot Street, Dublin, was a thriving centre of education and training and it is wonderful that for these 4 days, the voices of young people from Mercy schools around the world, will once again echo through the corridors and rooms. “Our hope is that Catherine McAuley will become a living presence in the lives of those who participate in this pilgrimage”, says Breege Donohoe RSM, a member of the 2013 planning committee. – www.mercyworld.org

In the week prior to the Pilgrimage itself we will explore the beautiful country of Ireland. Our tour will be guided by Irish Catholic tour escort and storyteller Batt Burns and will include stops in Knock, Galway, the Cliffs of Moher, Sneem, Killarney and many more of Ireland’s most treasured places. While in Batt’s hometown of Sneem we will work with their local Youth Ministry Group on a service project and will spend the evening with the locals enjoying traditional Irish music and dancing. Batt may even have a story or two to share.

When we make our way back to Dublin we will spend the Monday prior to the Pilgrimage enjoying the Catherine McAuley Walking Tour of Dublin. We will experience more richly the Mercy story by exploring many landmarks of importance in the life of Catherine and the history of the Sisters of Mercy.

We will hold a second informational meeting with our representative from Corporate Travel for parents whose daughters may be interested in joining us for this once in a lifetime, Mercy immersion experience. This meeting is for those who may have missed the first meeting earlier in the year! The meeting will be held on Tuesday, November 11th at 7:00pm* in the Media Center. At that time we will be able to provide you with the trip details and answer any questions. Please click here to read the informational brochure prior to the meeting.

Below is a link to the Mercy International Centre web-site Young Mercy Leaders’ Pilgrimage page. In it you will find information and videos from the summer 2013 Pilgrimage.

http://www.mercyworld.org/the_centre/index.cfm?loadref=250

We are very excited to be able to offer this experience to our students and look forward to seeing you at the upcoming informational meeting.

Judi Griggs-Dennis

Mercy Associate
Pastoral Minister
Service Learning Coordinator
Mercy High School
248-893-3588
jgdennis@mhsmi.org

* Parents attending the meeting and signing up for the trip that evening with be given a $100 discount off the price of the trip.