The Official Newspaper of the Diocese of Little Rock
FORT SMITH — From the time the Sisters of Mercy arrived in Fort Smith Jan. 19, 1853, to the present day, their ministry has been centered on meeting the unmet needs of the community. They quickly established a convent and girls’ boarding school, St. Anne Academy and catechism classes for adults and Native Americans.
During the Civil War, most of the student boarders left for home, and the sisters adapted, caring for orphans and setting up a hospital where Union and Confederate soldiers were treated side by side. As Fort Smith grew, the sisters built St. Edward Mercy Hospital, which has expanded to include numerous rural hospitals, specialty and family practice clinics and a fitness center.
In 2012, Sisters of Mercy in the South Central Region were challenged to look for and address unmet needs in their communities and the sisters in Fort Smith, Barling and Rogers decided to accept the challenge.
“We wanted a ministry need that was unmet, that all of the sisters could participate in and that would make a difference in the lives of the people to whom we were ministering,” Sister Judith Marie Keith, RSM, said.
After studying and evaluating needs, such as child abuse and elder care, the sisters met with Surennah Werley, director of religious education at Immaculate Conception Church.
“I know an unmet need that no one is addressing,” she said. “Many children are falling behind each year in school because of their parents’ inability to listen to and support their English language skills.”
As they advance into junior high and high school, some become isolated from their peers and vulnerable to gangs, substance abuse and other negative influences.
The Sisters of Mercy Reading Program, located in the St. Anne Building where the sisters set up their ministry 160 years ago, held its first tutoring session in early February. The planning committee — Werley, Sister Judith Marie and Sister Rebecca Hendricks, RSM — decided to focus initially on Catholic third- and fourth-graders attending public schools who require help in reading. Werley contacted Nancy Gallo, a religious education teacher who also works for the public school system, for selection and recruitment of students. The team also set up an advisory council, composed primarily of educators, to evaluate the program and set goals for the future.
The goal of the program is to listen, evaluate and assist students’ ability to read and comprehend English while enhancing their self-esteem.
Every Tuesday afternoon, up to 20 children arrive at St. Anne at 3:45 p.m. and are greeted with a nutritious snack. After opening prayers, the children and tutors pair off and read together with tutors providing active listening, encouragement and affirmation to their student readers.
Seven Sisters of Mercy participate in the program. Sisters Judith Marie and Rebecca, Mary Sarto Gaffney and Chabanel Finnegan, RSM, are active in ministry. Three retired educators now living in McAuley Convent — Sisters Carolyn Maness, Amalia Hawxhurst and Lucille Sluyter, RSM — enjoy being able to use their career skills and continue their mission of service and outreach.
As the parish community learned about the reading program, other Virtus-trained volunteers came forward, including an area TV weatherman, an oral surgeon, an attorney and several retired teachers.
“Father Greg Luyet (Immaculate Conception pastor) has been very supportive of the reading program,” Sister Judith Marie said. “Immaculate Conception is providing the facilities and even staff assistance. Father Greg said he was just thrilled to see the sisters around again.”
Some parents were also interested in improving their language skills. Working with the local adult learning center, the team arranged for a trained instructor who helps parents learn practical English skills during tutoring time.
Sister Judith Marie, program director, hopes the program will continue to grow.
“Next September, if this year’s evaluations are positive, we will increase the program to two days a week in Fort Smith,” she said. “At a later date, we would like to expand the program to Rogers, where two Sisters of Mercy — Sisters Anita DeSalvo and Lisa Atkins, RSM — are ministering.”
“The Sisters of Mercy Reading Program is like a dream come true,” Werley said, “because I deal with so many seventh-, eighth- and ninth-graders who are struggling with reading skills and see the negative impact it has on their lives. I’m excited these third and fourth graders can come to their church, the spiritual, cultural and family center of their lives, for this program and know that members of their parish family are eager to help them achieve their goals.”
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