New York: Irish Mercy Sister honoured on St Patrick's Day

Sister Christine receives her award

Mgr Kevin Sullivan, Executive Director of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York writes:

Today is St Patrick's Day - a day to honour the foremost patron saint of Ireland and to celebrate the rich legacy of Irish heritage in the United States.

Mercy Sister Christine Hennessy is a Catholic Charities Community Services social worker and proud Irish American. She has two families: first, the one begun by her Irish immigrant parents; the other, the religious congregation begun by Mother Catherine McAuley in Dublin in 1831.

"I grew up very close to my Irish culture," said Sister Christine.

This Irish connection helped forge her ministry as a Catholic Charities Community Services social worker for Project Irish Outreach in Yonkers for over 20 years.

Project Irish Outreach, housed in the Aisling Center in the Emerald Mile neighbourhood of Yonkers, started in 1987 out of St Brendan's Parish in the North Bronx at the height of that decade's large Irish immigrant influx to New York. "The Irish culture is very much alive," said Sister Christine.

The Aisling Center offers support for young mothers and Irish culture lessons in language and dancing. Much of Sister Christine's work involves assisting immigrants without documentation to find health care and other services. She also works as a chaplain with the Irish Committee for Prisoners Overseas, an Irish government project that maintains contact with incarcerated Irish citizens.

As a chaplain, Sister Christine is a helpful presence for prisoners in the metropolitan area. She shares books and resources with the prisoners, and often connects them with their families, both in Ireland and the United States.

"Some of the prisoners don't have many visitors," she said. "As a social worker, I am grateful to help people in need at different times in their lives."

She also extends her help to the Catholic Charities Community Services office in Yonkers, which serves a largely Spanish-speaking community.

On St Patrick's Day, in celebration of her Irish heritage, we deeply thank Sister Christine for her incredible, sacrificial service and dedication to our neighbours in need for over 20 years.

With gratitude

Mgr Kevin Sullivan

LINK
Catholic Charities: https://catholiccharitiesny.org/