Mercy educators from across the globe gathered October 9–10 in Burlingame, California, for the 2025 Mercy Education Conference, Mercy Without Borders: Walking in Solidarity with Immigrants.
Hosted by Mercy High School (Burlingame, California), this year’s gathering invited participants to reflect on the urgent realities facing immigrants today and to explore ways our Mercy school communities can respond with compassion and courage.
In her opening remarks, Kimberly Baxter, Associate Director for Mercy Education and conference organizer, grounded the experience in Mercy’s call to act in solidarity with migrants, immigrants, refugees, and victims of human trafficking. She reminded participants that migration shapes lives through journeys of both hardship and hope, urging Mercy leaders to respond with courage, hospitality, and solidarity in today’s climate of division and fear.
“Together, we will explore what it means to be Mercy Without Borders and how our schools can be places of belonging for all.”
The Courage to be Transformed
In his keynote on interculturality, Arturo Chávez invited participants to move beyond “a room full of mirrors” toward “a room full of doors,” where genuine encounter and transformation can occur. He reminded Mercy educators that assimilation, or requiring others to “act like us,” is a form of violence that denies the dignity of difference. Instead, we are called to honesty about our own biases and to continual “conversion of heart and transformation of systems.”
Learning, Listening, and Acting
Breakout sessions explored immigration from spiritual, legal, and human perspectives.
Sister Mary Waskowiak, RSM, invited participants to reflect on the spirituality of walking with immigrants, reminding them that compassion requires both attentiveness and action.
Drawing on St. Paul’s reminder that “you are the Body of Christ,” Sister Mary urged all to recognize their deep connection to those on the margins and to move beyond “thoughts and prayers” to action through the daily choices they make in their school communities.
Attorney Richard Keenan offered a sobering look at immigration law and enforcement realities, urging educators to be informed and proactive advocates for their students and families.
Dr. Belinda Hernández-Arriaga, founder of Ayudando Latinos A Soñar (ALAS), explored trauma-informed care for students impacted by immigration policies, describing children’s “invisible backpacks” of trauma and calling teachers to be “portals” who connect families to healing resources.
Rev. Deborah Lee challenged participants to examine the “twin systems of oppression” – immigration detention and mass incarceration – through accompaniment and advocacy.
Women with family members currently in detention centers shared their powerful testimony during this session, giving voice to the suffering caused by unjust systems.
An international panel broadened the conversation, emphasizing that migration is a global reality with ripple effects far beyond U.S. borders. Speakers included:
- Sister Maria Rosario Gaite, RSM - Santa Barbara Catholic School, Guam
- Sister Helen E. Libo-on, RSM - School of Saint John the Baptist, Philippines
- Mike Poulin, Panel Facilitator - Sisters of Mercy Justice Team
- Nancy Lorena Ramírez - Instituto María Regina, Honduras
- Dr. Salome Tillett - Saint Catherine Academy, Belize
They shared how migration disrupts families, education, and communities; yet, hope endures when people are treated with dignity and compassion.
Participants were invited to reflect on the Gospel question, “Who is my neighbor?” and to become “good Samaritans” in their own contexts.
A highlight of the event was a video from Cristo Rey High School (Sacramento, California) sharing one student’s moving story of immigrating to the United States with his mother and the mercy he experienced along the way.
Called to Compassion
“When you allow yourself to get close enough to see the person, it changes you,” she said.
Following Sister Norma’s keynote, Kimberly Baxter encouraged participants to carry the spirit of the conference into their daily work:
“We return to our schools ever more mindful of the mission we share together and how crucial it is for us to raise our voices to change the narrative.”
In her closing reflection, Sister Lisa Griffith, RSM, Executive Director of Mercy Education, offered a final challenge and blessing:
“This conference, Mercy Without Borders, has called us to take off our Mercy Boots – to take time for contemplation. This conference has educated us, challenged us, and created space for us to learn from one another. It is now time for us to put our Mercy Boots back on and move to action.”
In Gratitude for the Mercy Burlingame Community
From the opening prayer to the closing liturgy, the theme of migration and belonging resonated deeply. Head of school Natalie Cirigliano Brosnan and the entire Mercy High School community offered extraordinary hospitality, including a reception featuring food from around the world and prayer services woven beautifully with music and reflection.
The conference liturgy, celebrated by Fr. Tony Mancuso, featured the beloved hymn "I Am the Bread of Life," written by Sister Suzanne Toolan, RSM, who was present and received a warm ovation from the assembly.
A Spirit of Mercy
Thank you to the conference committee! From right: Kimberly Baxter (Mercy Education), Mary Ann Steutermann (Assumption High School), Jamie Landry (Mercy Education), Traci Smith (Mercy High School, Farmington Hills), Nell Stetser (Mercy Education), and Patricia Normile (Mercy Montessori). Not pictured, Kali McMorris (Convent of Mercy Academy “Alpha”).
