Dear Friends,
I hope you have had a healthy and happy start to the New Year. We continue to be blessed here at Misericordia and know how much we appreciate your friendship and generous support. I am excited to share with you that our good friends at Evergreen Kia have gifted us with a new Kia Niro EX (Runway Red - Valentine's Day gift??) to raise funds via a Winter Car Raffle for our programs. Evergreen Kia has been our Family Festival car sponsor too for the past 20 years, but during this challenging time they wanted to help us even more by gifting a second vehicle to us. The winning raffle ticket will be pulled on Friday, March 19. The winner will have the option to select either the Kia Niro OR a $15,000 cash prize.
Tickets can be purchased by clicking on: WINTER CAR RAFFLE REGISTRATION. For any questions, please call Lois Gates at 773-273-4160, or email her at
Thank you for your consideration, thank you to Evergreen Kia, and good luck to all. Please keep us in your prayers, and know that we continue to ask God's blessings on you and yours.
Sincerely,
Sister Rosemary Connelly
Executive Director
The Misericordia Heart of Mercy family has much to celebrate! February 4th marked the 100th Anniversary of Misericordia!!
In 1921, Misericordia first opened its doors as a maternity hospital for women of meager means, at 2916 West 47th Street on the Southside of Chicago. A little more than 30 years later in 1954, Misericordia recognized an even greater need in society—helping young children with intellectual, developmental and physical disabilities. Our very own Sr. Rosemary Connelly came to Misericordia South in 1969. And in 1976, Sr. Rosemary along with 35 staff and 39 residents took a leap of faith and moved to our current campus at 6300 N. Ridge. From this humble, yet noble, beginning grew Misericordia as it is known today.
We remain #MisericordiaStrong!
Watch A Century of Compassionate Care Video here
by Kathryn Moery
Last August, Misericordia welcomed Katie Peterson as the director of the fourteen CILA homes located in Chicago and neighboring suburbs. What you may not know is that Katie has grown up with Misericordia. Misericordia runs in her family. Her husband, Evan is the QIDP at Shannon. They, along with their two young children, George and Joanna, lived at the Eisenberg home for three years. Her son was born on Family Fest day in 2016 and baby Joanna’s first home was Eisenberg. The Peterson family now lives a block away from Eisenberg, and remains close to the Eisenberg ladies.
Katie began with Misericordia as a volunteer while attending Loyola University. She moved into an internship at the Shannon Apartments during her senior year before graduating with a degree in Human Services. As an intern, she worked in programming and with the Shannon Apartments’ clubs. After a year in Boston, Katie returned to Misericordia where she worked as the assistant QIDP in the Rafferty Home and in Mercy Glen, before serving as the QIDP at Eisenberg for four years. Before her promotion to CILA Director, she was the Rafferty QIDP for four years.
Last year, Developmental Training (DT) was officially renamed Community Day Services (CDS). Why did this happen? The change was mandated by the State of Illinois. The new name is actually a more accurate reflection of the scope of programming that occurs within the CDS day. Misericordia has long provided an array of CDS programs that go well beyond training. While the name has changed, the community-focused outlook of the program remains unchanged.
CDS’ priority continues to be offering a meaningful day that ranges from work skills, to life skills, to resource, to the arts. Some CDS participants are not current residents but are community members. The CDS programs do welcome this group into our weekly virtual classes. Currently, all Conway and Holbrook CDS programs are on pause. Each residential area has implemented schedules and lesson plans similar to the CDS day. CDS staff continue to look for engaging and creative ways to strengthen and enhance the residents’ skills until we can officially open the doors.
February 2, 2021
Dear Staff and Families,
Blessed New Year to all! May you and your families be safe and well! The year 2020 was a difficult one for many of us. Let’s hope and pray that this New Year will bring to an end the pressure of living under this threat of a dangerous virus!
Misericordia is celebrating our “One Hundredth Anniversary” in 2021. Because of this difficult time we will have to delay a major celebration. We look forward to doing something special to commemorate the gift of Misericordia’s one hundred years when it is safe to do so.
Misericordia's own Julie O'Sullivan was interviewed for "Closer Look with Chicago" on KLOVE 97.9 FM.
Dear Families,
Thank you for joining us at our January MFA General Meeting. We had 485 families log in to the meeting via computer or tablet, and 38 who joined by phone. We’re glad so many were able to successfully connect and hear the important updates and reports from Misericordia admin as well as our plans for the upcoming MFA Benefit. Also, thank you for taking the time to register. That was very helpful for us to help identify everyone.
If you were unable to make the meeting, the recording is now available for your viewing. It can be viewed on YouTube by going here:
Misericordia is working on answering the questions that you submitted, and we will let you know when those answers are available. We expect it will be within the next week. A reminder that if you are looking for an interesting volunteer opportunity, we are looking for help on the MFA Board. Let us know at
Thank you for your support, and stay safe!
Bill & Laurie
Date: January 17, 2021
Time: 11:00am
To register: https://supportmisericordia.org/mfameeting
Registration
January’s General Meeting will once again be held in a virtual Zoom webinar format—the same as October’s meeting. This time we are asking you to register ahead of time. When you click on the link above you will be asked three questions: 1. Name 2. Email 3. Residence where your loved one lives.
by Judy Wall
In January 2021, it will be a full year since we first heard of a new virus posing a threat of contagion across the planet. We now each have a story of how this past year has impacted us physically, emotionally, and financially. But as Misericordia families, part of all our stories is the shared experience of a sudden and massive shift in our continuing journey with Misericordia.
Dear Staff:
Each of you is in my thoughts and prayers today as we draw to a close a most momentous week. It is not often that we live through a day that we will always remember, and this past week brought us two days that we will never forget.
First, on behalf of all of us at Misericordia, thank you for the extraordinary success of yesterday, a day like no other as we accomplished something never before attempted in Misericordia’s history. What a day to remember as hundreds of our residents and staff members received the first dose of the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine. I am personally grateful for the vital role you played, stepping up to the challenge to make the day run efficiently and safely. Most of all, your kindness and comforting care put each resident at ease. You were there in place of their family member or guardian, accompanying them through receiving their vaccine – and witnessing the beginning of the end of this very difficult time as we worked tirelessly to keep everyone at Misericordia safe and healthy.
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