Theology teacher Sheila Rave asked her freshman students at Mother McAuley Liberal Arts High School to define “mercy,” and discovered it was an elusive concept to many.
Besides now knowing the word’s many references, they also know their teacher is thought to exemplify “mercy.” That’s because she has been honored this year with the annual Catherine McAuley Award, which is presented on Sept. 24 — Mercy Day.
Since the late 1980s, the school has chosen one faculty member and one student who stand for the very specific characteristics of the foundress of the Sisters of Mercy: a deep faith in God and a commitment to living a life of mercy.
Both of this year’s recipients hail from Palos Heights. Besides Rave, who has spent the last 35 of her 46 years in education at McAuley, senior Annie Duffy was honored. She was lauded by Principal Eileen Boyce as a student leader with a “can-do attitude and a kind and caring presence.”
I caught up with Rave a few days after the awards presentation and after viewing a video of her acceptance speech on Mother McAuley’s website. I asked her to share the inspiration for her speech about mercy, which comes at the same time as McAuley’s theme of “Open Every Door with Mercy.” According to the website, it is a celebration of the global Year of Mercy proclaimed by Pope Francis, as well as the school’s heritage.
Pope Francis has declared this special jubilee year for mercy to begin on Dec. 8 — the feast of the Immaculate Conception and the 50th anniversary of the closing of the Second Vatican Council. It is to be celebrated until the Feast of Christ the King in November 2016.
As Rave was teaching her new students about the life and vision of Catherine McAuley, she said, “I shared with them how Catherine’s story opened up a whole new life for me.”
Then came the classroom project in which students were encouraged to write letters to Pope Francis about considering the canonization of Catherine McAuley. It was then she asked them to define “mercy.” As they researched, they found, among other references, the 10 homilies about mercy penned by the pope.
Rave said she finally found the perfect definition to share with her students: “Mercy is kindness that goes beyond what is expected.”
“If everyone practiced mercy, we would have a slice of heaven here on earth,” Rave said.
At the awards ceremony, Boyce had much to say about Rave’s example of mercy.
“It’s the way she carries herself and the gracefulness she exudes in every single word she utters. She smiles joyfully, she laughs kindly, she speaks kindly of others, and she’s always so much more concerned for the well-being of others than of herself,” Boyce said.
Rave also has a teaching degree in English and puts her gift of writing to good use. She is often asked to deliver homilies at prayer services, retreats and Masses. She is also known for her inspiring poetry that she shares with her students every day.
It is not surprising then that Rave chose to conclude her acceptance speech with the recitation of a poem she wrote called “Catherine’s Prayer”:
More Top Picks Apple Airpods Max 2
Dear Lord,
Mercy comes from you.
Let it fill me through and through,
Bringing kindness without end,
Offered to both foe and friend.
Jesus said it first in the Fifth Beatitude
That we should always have mercy in our attitude.
Shakespeare said it next,
That mercy is twice blessed,
Blessing giver and receiver —
In this I’m a believer.
Please help me too, I pray,
To share kindness every day,
Until mercy you will see
Becomes a way of life for me.
Amen
To view the videos of both award recipients, visit the school’s website at www.mothermcauley.org.
Regina “Reggie” Sabadosa is a freelance columnist for the Daily Southtown and can be emailed at [email protected].