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Week of Feb. 2, 2015
Burlingame News
Students Remember:
Never Again
Holocaust survivor Helen
Farkas and St. Peter’s
Elementary students
commemorate the 70th
anniversary of the liberation of
Auschwitz. Language Arts
teacher Nina Martinez is on
the far left.
On the same day as more
than 3,000 gathered at the
site of the AuschwitzBirkenau death camps in
southern Poland, over 90
participants gathered at 4
p.m. in Rist Hall of Mercy High School San Francisco to hear Helen Farkas, a 94- year-old
survivor of the Holocaust. The crowd in Poland on Jan. 27 included dignitaries and a dwindling
number of survivors, mostly in their 90s. The group in San Francisco was mostly young, some
even elementary school students. Both were commemorating the 70th anniversary of the
liberation of captives from Auschwitz-Birkenau on Jan. 27, 1945, in the closing months of
World War II. Both were saying “Never Again” as we experience recent outbreaks of religious
and ethnic hostilities.
Mercy High School has sponsored “The Courage and Spirit” study conference for almost 15
years. Each spring, students, faculty, and invited guests have had the privilege of hearing five
or six Holocaust survivors share their experiences and tell the stories of the suffering of their
families. Following the main assembly for the entire school, survivors and their families are
hosted to a lovely lunch served by the students.
In 2007, through the work of Religious Studies teacher Jim McGarry and his colleagues at
Mercy, the Helen and Joe Farkas Center for the study of the Holocaust in Catholic Schools was
established in a spacious room on the fourth floor of Mercy. An advisory board was formed,
composed mostly of long-time Holocaust educators, and collection began for an extensive
Holocaust library housed in the center.
Future events include:
Mercy High San Francisco Presents
Sunday, March 8
3-6 p.m.
Mercy Theatre
For reservations: http://bit.ly/1KkMpHL
Etty is the internationally acclaimed play,
adapted and performed by Susan Stein
and directed by Austin Pendleton, which portrays one young woman's struggle to sustain
humanity in the face of the brutality of the Holocaust. Free. For more information, please
contact Teresa Abney at 415-334-7941 or email tabney@mercyhs.org. For more, click here.
March 9 and 10: Susan and Jacob Boas, who was born in Westerbork camp in 1942, will be
visiting classes and meeting with small groups of students
March 23-27: MHSF’s annual Courage and Spirit Assembly and luncheon will honor Dr. Dora
Sorell—a cousin by marriage of Helen Farkas--and similarly a survivor of Auschwitz.
Justice Liturgy
at MHSB Honors Two
L-R: MHSB Principal Karen Hanrahan,
Sisters Marian Rose Power and Patsy
Harney.
by Sandy Flaherty, associate
Students and faculty at Mercy High
School, Burlingame honored two
Sisters of Mercy on Jan. 20. At the
school's Justice Liturgy, Sister Patsy
Harney and Sister Marian Rose
Power were honored for their
service to the poor. Patsy was
recognized for her work at Mercy Housing and Marian Rose for her work at St. Peter's School.
Both sisters were recognized as women who Lead by Example. Sisters of Mercy who were
former recipients of the Lead by Example Award were Sister Marilyn Lacey and Sister Rosanne
Fraher.
Invitation to Watch Sister Ana Maria’s Presentation
Sister Ana Maria Pineda is making an important presentation at Santa Clara University on
Monday, Feb. 9, 4-5:15 p.m. (PT), a Legacy of Love and Justice commemorating the
anniversaries of the death of Archbishop Oscar Romero and Father Rutilio Grande, SJ, martyrs
of El Salvador. This will be available through streaming for any of the sisters or staff who want
watch it. The link is: http://accordent.scu.edu/?nodeid=138887
Did You Watch the Super Bowl? Did You Know?
Barrow Neurological Institute is part of St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix,
AZ.
● Barrow Neurological Institute was selected by the National Football League (NFL) to
provide neurological support during this year’s Super Bowl in Phoenix. Dr. Javier
Cardenas, medical director of the Barrow Concussion and Brain Injury Center, and Dr.
Taro Kaibara, Barrow neurosurgeon were on the sidelines during the game to provide
neurological specialty support to the physicians of both teams. Barrow doctors were
actually on the field treating a Seahawk for concussion.
● Barrow Hosted Fun, Interactive Event for Children at Super Bowl Central
As part of Super Bowl Central in downtown Phoenix, Barrow hosted an interactive
event for children to teach them about concussion detection and prevention. It was
very well attended, said Sister Margaret Mary McBride.
SVdP Catherine’s Center Mission Combats Trafficking
Sister Marguerite Buchanan points out that SVdP Catherine’s Center is a home for formerly
trafficked women. Not all are trafficked, but some are, including the woman who wrote the
attached story. Several are taking classes to help them be counselors of women still caught in
the trafficking web. For J.T.’s story, click here.
Women of Mercy / Women of Hope Gatherings in March
In Burlingame there will be WM/WH, Year 3, Phase 2 gatherings on
Sunday, March 15 from 8:30 – 10:45 a.m., with a break for Mass and continuing from 12:45
until 2 p.m.
Sunday, March 22--A second gathering from 8:30 a.m. – noon; choose the date best for you.
--Sisters Jean Evans and Anne Murphy
Roster Updates
Sister Carolyn Krohn, 1983 Ascot Drive, Apt. #6, Moraga, CA 94556
Home Phone: 925-376-4241
Sister Rosaleen O’Sullivan has moved to Marian Oaks, Room 120, x7403
New email for Sister Patricia Williams
New: pjwilliams@mercywmw.org (Patricia Josephine Williams); please delete:
pwilliams@mercywmw.org (email must include ‘j’)
Dates to Remember
Sunday, Feb. 8: Open House, 9:30-11 a.m., Mercy Convent, Burlingame
Sunday, Feb. 8: Sharing Peru Experience, Marian Oaks, 1 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 10: Hearts Beyond Borders, Kohl Mansion. 6:30-9 p.m., good people, good
stories, free to supporters of Mercy Beyond Borders. Honors volunteer Catherine Wilkinson.
Thursday, Feb. 12: Celebrating Dorothy Stang: A Special Performance and Conversation,
Cunningham Chapel, Notre Dame de Namur University, Belmont; Free Admission; for more
information, contact Jim McGarry, jmcgarry@ndnu.edu or 650-508-6120. Click here for flyer.
Saturday, May 16: Gathering at St. Hilary’s
Do You Have News to Share?
Send news to Liz Dossa, edossa@mercywmw.org, by Friday for the following week’s
Messenger or call her at 650-340-7480.