CDC Spiritual Connection June 2025 with Sister Mary Waskowiak, RSM

Description

Spiritual Connection
with Guest Host Sister Mary Waskowiak, RSM

We Never Walk Alone: Listening for the Voice Beneath the Noise
In the nonprofit world, success is often measured by impact, outcomes, and goals. While these are significant, they are not the whole story. This talk invites a deeper reflection on the important role of the inner life that sustains outer work. The quiet, often muted or drowned out voice within each one of us that seeks meaning, connection, and purpose. Drawing from decades of spiritual leadership and community service, Sister Mary Waskowiak offers a gentle but compelling reminder: to serve others well, we must first honor the stillness that grounds us.

Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay area of California, Sister Mary Waskowiak has devoted her life to compassionate service, spiritual leadership, and justice rooted in mercy. A Sister of Mercy since 1966, she holds degrees in the Humanities and Pastoral Ministry, with certifications in spiritual direction and executive coaching.

Her life journey has taken her from teaching high school and leading spiritual formation programs to serving in national and international leadership, including as the President of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas and as the Director of Philanthropy for Mercy International Association.

In recent years, Sister Mary has answered a new call: to walk alongside migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border. She now lives in San Diego’s Barrio Logan district, where she founded Casa de Misericordia. Casa de Misericordia is an intentional interfaith community which operates the Community Resource Center ministry. The Community Resource Center is an outreach center offering ESL classes, immigration support, and community services. Inspired by Mercy founder Catherine McAuley’s belief that “the greater the need, the greater the response,” Sister Mary continues to serve with humility, deep compassion, and a profound belief in systemic change.

At 77, she remains committed to accompanying the most vulnerable, uplifted by Mercy’s legacy and the people she serves.

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About Spiritual Connection: On the first Friday of each month, a featured speaker will lead a 30-minute virtual discussion. Spiritual Connection provides CDC members a brief opportunity to get inspired by topics with a faith-based twist - and to decompress from your busy schedules!

The content will be spiritual in nature, but topics are not necessarily about fundraising, although they certainly may be relevant to development. They may include a current event, a devotional piece, tips about health, a passage from a book, etc.—it is really up to the speaker to decide!

Speakers will introduce a topic in which they are passionate, and lead participants through a 10-15-minute presentation or talk, followed by a facilitated discussion on their topic with the entire group.

We hope participants will feel a little sense of renewal after the 30 minutes, fresh in their thoughts, connected to this community, and looking forward to next month’s Spiritual Connection.