Mary Reilly entered the Sisters of Mercy in 1948 and began her teaching career at St. Mary’s School Pawtucket and then at St. Mary’s Bay View. She ministered for 6 years in Central America where she internalized the sufferings of women and girls. She returned to Rhode Island and worked as a member of the Team Ministry of St. Michael’s Parish Providence. She co-founded Dorcas Place and with others founded McAuley House, Good Friday Walk for Hunger and Homelessness, The Child Opportunity Zone, Walk for Literacy, and NETWORK (Wash). She founded Sophia Academy along with the support of the Sisters Collaborative. Sister Mary has spent her life advocating for social justice and especially in ministries that empower women and girls.
photo by Agapao Productions
July, this year, Malala Yousafzai, Nobel Peace recipient for her advocacy for education for women and girls in defiance of the Taliban ruling, paid a surprise visit to Sophia Academy.
Malala celebrated her 19th birthday on July 12th. Born in 1997, she came into the world after the 1995 Women’s Conference in Beijing where concern for the development and education of the girl child was a major concern.
I was amazed at how deep my feelings were for this young woman who defied death. I was honored to meet her.
Where was I at 19 years old — secluded in the novitiate of the Sisters of Mercy preparing for a life of prayer and service.
After 13 years of teaching in Rhode Island, I was missioned to serve in Honduras and Belize. The poverty that I witnessed and the daily hardships of the people, especially of the women and girls challenged me. It was there that my thirst for justice and my feminine consciousness developed.
Returning to Rhode Island, I became a pastoral team member at St. Michael’s Parish in South Providence. In response to need, McAuley House and the Good Friday Walk for Hunger were established. The Catholic Inner City had opened; community organizing was a major activity, empowering the people.
At the same time, the first Women Ordination Conference was held in Detroit, to which a group of us attended.
NETWORK (NUNS on the BUS), a social justice lobby was established by 47 Sisters, including Liz Morancy, the late Claire Dugan ssj and myself, in response to the Call to Action letter of Pope Paul VI,” Justice is a constitutive element of the Gospel,” calling us to be involved in the political process. Our house became the center of political activity working in the campaigns of Liz Morancy and Arlene Violet.
At the end of these 10 years at St Michael’s, Dorcas Place was started. In response to calls from very young mothers seeking Baptism for their babies, followed by a series of home visits, Deborah Thompson and I realized there was a growing class of poor illiterate mothers, many emancipated youths, living alone. Appeals to many State agency fell on deaf ears. Programs developed over the years to meet the educational needs of the women transitioning from welfare to work.
During my 19 years at Dorcas Place, I learned about the extent of violence in the women’s lives. Their children were their hope and their incentive for pursuing education. Dreams they had were for their children, no longer for themselves.
The Bejing Conference urged me to along with the support of the Sister Collaborative and others to open a middle school for girls from low income families in Providence.
Sophia Academy, a private non denominational school opened at the Algonquin Center in 2001.
Today, under the direction of my successor, Gigi DiBello, joined by an amazing dedicated faculty and staff. Sophia Academy is a school that empowers young girls preparing to take their place in a changing world.
Malala told the students that they were beautiful and seeing them gave her hope that the world had a bright future.
