The Sisters of Mercy core values. Are they Evident in today's society?

[twinsbur]

Catherine McAuley started the Sisters of Mercy in 1831. The order was founded on the core values of mercy,service,hospitality and justice.
Do you think that those 4 values are evident in todays society and why?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Catherine McAuley started the Sisters of Mercy in 1831. The order was founded on the core values of mercy,service,hospitality and justice.
Do you think that those 4 values are evident in todays society and why?

One might also wonder whether the Sisters of Mercy show them today. Mercy hospitals will sue you and take your house just as quickly as will any other hospital, if you can’t pay.

One might also ask whether religious-based charities are being forced out of the charity business by governments that are hostile to them. For example, those states and cities in which Catholic adoption agencies were forced to place children with homosexual “couples” or close down, and Sebelius’ recent decree that virtually all Catholic institutions have to include abortifacient coverage with their healthcare policies.

Given those two situations, I would say “no” those values are not evident in today’s society.

 

[Dale_M]

The order was founded on the core values of mercy,service,hospitality and justice.

Do you think that those 4 values are evident in todays society and why?

I am not sure of other countries, but I think those four values are better approximated in the US than they were 200 years ago. But that doesn’t mean we can’t do better.

I think one of the values of religious orders with an active ministry is that they can show us a better way, and encourage us to do better.

One might also wonder whether the Sisters of Mercy show them today. Mercy hospitals will sue you and take your house just as quickly as will any other hospital, if you can’t pay.

It certainly doesn’t sound merciful. But I wonder how much influence the Sisters of Mercy have over the governance of Mercy Hospitals? I realize the order founded the various hospitals with the Mercy name However, as medicine became increasingly high-tech and high-finance (particularly in the 1960s and 1970s) I am thinking many religious orders turned administration and the board of directors over to secular professionals.

 

[Ridgerunner]

It certainly doesn’t sound merciful. But I wonder how much influence the Sisters of Mercy have over the governance of Mercy Hospitals? I realize the order founded the various hospitals with the Mercy name However, as medicine became increasingly high-tech and high-finance (particularly in the 1960s and 1970s) I am thinking many religious orders turned administration and the board of directors over to secular professionals.

I think you’re right about this. In a very large Mercy health organization in this area, I think there is only one sister who is resident. The rest are all laypeople.

 

[catharina]

Catherine McAuley started the Sisters of Mercy in 1831. The order was founded on the core values of mercy,service,hospitality and justice.
Do you think that those 4 values are evident in todays society and why?

The Sisters of Mercy do not always show support of their core virtues.

It was in a Mercy hospital that a Mercy Sister OK-d an abortion with the
support of her community (St. Joseph’s Hospital, Phoenix AZ) and later,
because the Sisters saw no need to object to the actions of one of their own,
the hospital lost its Catholic standing. I know many good Sisters of Mercy in
different parts of the country - but I know too that some others are far less than
faithful to the teachings of the Catholic Church.

Bishop Olmsted took away the “Catholic” title once allowed at St. Joe’s
I think his decision was both very wise and very courageous. Article re this act:

ncregister.com/blog/bishop-strips-abortion-hospital-of-catholic-status/

 

[twinsbur]

Thanks everyone for all of your help.