[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 21]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 29145]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     A TRIBUTE TO SISTERS OF MERCY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. DORIS O. MATSUI

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, November 1, 2007

  Ms. MATSUI. Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the Sisters 
of Mercy and their 150 years of service in Sacramento. One and a half 
centuries ago an extraordinary group of women traveled from Ireland to 
California to improve the lives of the poor, sick and uneducated. Their 
spirit and dedication still lives on in the work of today's Sisters of 
Mercy. I ask all my colleagues to join me in honoring some of 
Sacramento's finest citizens.
  The Sisters of Mercy were founded in 1831 by Catherine McAuley in 
Dublin Ireland. In 1854, eight sisters arrived in San Francisco to 
begin their ``Mercy mission.'' On the morning of October 2, 1857, at 
the request of Bishop Joseph Alemany of San Francisco, the Sisters of 
Mercy arrived in Sacramento. Led by Mary Baptist Russell, four sisters 
traveled to a new community. They immediately established a school, 
cared for orphans and assisted the poor.
  Over the past 150 years, the Sisters have cared for countless 
Sacramentans and expanded their services in hopes of reaching the 
entire community. They established the Catholic Orphanage of Sacramento 
and provided social services for those in need. In 1875, the Sisters 
opened St. Joseph's Academy, offering women an education, employment 
trainings and boarding school accommodations. At a time when women were 
often shut out of the public sphere, the academy was dedicated to 
expanding women's contributions in society. The Sisters of Mercy have 
since grown to include over fourteen elementary schools and four high 
schools, as well as the Mercy Educational Resource Center Sacramento 
which opened in 1992. This center offers services to all in need, 
especially those who are emotionally distressed and educationally 
disadvantaged due to learning disabilities and societal circumstances. 
It is a comfortable environment that offers students a wonderful place 
to learn.
  Coming to Sacramento as teachers, the Sisters of Mercy also became 
the first visiting nurses in the region. In times of need, including 
the devastating floods in December of 1861 that kept parts of 
Sacramento under water for six months, the Sisters treated malaria, 
typhoid fever and tuberculosis. Their contributions did not go 
unnoticed as members of the medical community encouraged the Sisters to 
open a hospital in hopes of expanding their efforts. In 1896, the 
sisters added a hospital ministry. In 1897, to strengthen this new 
ministry, the sisters opened the first private hospital in Sacramento, 
the Mater Misericordiae Hospital, which also was known as the Sister's 
Hospital. Following the hospital's opening, a nursing school was added 
to train others.
  The Sisters of Mercy's mission has been preserved and strengthened 
throughout the years. In 1925, the sisters opened the new Misericordiae 
Hospital, now known as Mercy Hospital in Sacramento. In 1950, Mercy 
Children's Hospital was opened. This hospital focuses on the special 
needs of the community's youth. Today there are four local Mercy 
hospitals, Mercy General Hospital, Methodist Hospital of Sacramento, 
Mercy Hospital of Folsom, and Mercy San Juan Medical Center, as well as 
five free healthcare clinics that continue to assist those who cannot 
pay for their medical care. The sisters have also created Mercy 
Housing, which develops affordable housing and support services for 
those in need. They have since created hundreds of affordable housing 
units across Sacramento.
  Madam Speaker, I am honored to pay tribute to the Sisters of Mercy's 
distinguished commitment to the well-being of the Sacramento community. 
Their dedication has withstood both physical and financial hardships. 
Over the last 150 years, the Sisters have expanded their mission with 
the changing of times and have been true champions of the needy. As the 
Sisters of Mercy's colleagues, supporters, families and friends gather 
together at the 150th gala celebration, I ask all my colleagues to join 
me in wishing them continued good fortune.

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