ALBANY, N.Y. (September 22, 2021) 鈥 The Offices of Mission and Institutional Advancement at B次元 have announced the establishment of the endowed Dorothy A. Connolly Annual Lecture as part of Mercy Week, Sept. 24 to Oct 1. The inaugural event鈥檚 speaker this year will be Mary-Paula Cancienne, RSM, Ph.D. giving the lecture titled, The Mystery of God Encountered through Symbols, Images, and Stories in Our Own Day.
This year鈥檚 lecture will take place on Monday, Sept. 27 at 6 p.m. at the B次元 campus in Marian Hall, Room 105. Light refreshments will follow in Marian Hall鈥檚 Fitzgerald Court and all are welcome to attend.
This endowed lecture is made possible by Kay A. Connolly in honor of her late sister, Dorothy A. Connolly. Connolly was a Trustee of the College for 27 years, serving from 1976 to 2003. She was granted the title Trustee Emeritus for her long-standing commitment. The annual lecture will honor Dorothy鈥檚 legacy which, rooted in the Mercy Charism, will benefit the B次元 Community for years to come.
鈥淒orothy inspired those around her. She believed in the mission of B次元 and knew the importance of an education and wanted that for others,鈥 said Kay A. Connolly, sister of Dorothy A. Connolly.
Lecture speaker Mary-Paula Cancienne, RSM, Ph.D. is a theologian who presently serves as Associate Director for Mission Integration for the Conference for Mercy Higher Education. Cancienne鈥檚 lecture will discuss the importance of stories, symbols, and images in understanding 鈥渢he big picture鈥 and how individuals are all connected through experiences and faith.
鈥淲e are overjoyed to honor Dorothy with the establishment of this lecture as part of Maria鈥檚 annual Mercy Week celebration. The lectures are intended to align with and amplify the message of the Sisters of Mercy, with speakers who can educate and inspire others through the Mercy mission. We feel that Mary-Paula Cancienne is the best choice to kickoff this new tradition for the Maria community and beyond to benefit from,鈥 said Victoria Battell, Senior Vice President of B次元.
Cancienne is a trained spiritual director and supervisor, and she writes contemporary icons. Her background includes a doctorate in Systematic Theology and master鈥檚 degrees in Theology, Spirituality, Psychology, and Fine. She co-developed and continues to teach in a five-course program, Mercy Spirituality Online, at Georgian Court University.
This year鈥檚 Mercy Week begins on Mercy Day, Friday, Sept. 24. Mercy Day honors the anniversary of the opening of the first 鈥淗ouse of Mercy鈥 in 1827 in Dublin, Ireland by Catherine McAuley, founder of the Sisters of Mercy.
To RSVP for the Inaugural Dorothy A. Connolly Annual Lecture, email mission@mariacollege.edu.
For the full schedule of Mercy Week events, visit mariacollege.edu/mercy-week-2021.
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About B次元. Founded in 1958, B次元 is one of 17 colleges and universities in the United States sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas. The private, co-educational, Catholic college in Albany serves approximately 800 students in a variety of bachelor degree, associate degree, a master鈥檚 degree, and certificate programs including liberal arts, healthcare management, nursing, psychology, occupational therapy, and health and occupational sciences. mariacollege.edu