What's Happening

October 8, 2019, Washington, D.C. – The Friday, September 27, 2019, segment of National Public Radio’s Finance Fridays featured Sister Judy Byron, OP, and her efforts to work with gun manufacturers to stem gun violence. Sister Judy and other members of the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR), through shareholder resolutions and dialogue, worked with American Outdoor Brands – parent company of gun manufacturers Smith and Wesson – and with Sturm, Ruger, and Company to be more transparent in outlining their gun safety strategies. To listen to the Finance Fridays segment, hosted by Mary Childs and Cardiff Garcia, including interviews with Sister Judy, click on the arrow in the blue bar at the top of the article.  

August 23, 2019, Seattle, Washington – Six Adrian Dominican Sisters were among more than 200 attendees at the Mercy Magnuson Place Grand Opening on August 10. The spirit was upbeat as organizers gave recognition to the many people who made this 148-unit facility for low- and middle-income families possible. 

Attending Adrian Dominican Sisters were Mary Sullivan, OP, Janice Holkup, OP, Cele Gorman, OP, Claudia Morgan, OP, Sharon Park, OP, and Judy Byron, OP.

The story goes back to 1992, when Sisters in the Seattle area took the initiative to create Mercy Housing Northwest (MHNW), an organization dedicated to providing homes for low-Income families, senior citizens, the formerly homeless, and people with special needs. Today, MHNW has 54 properties that are home to more than 5,000 residents in Washington State. 

The new apartment complex, located on Lake Washington where the former U.S. Naval barracks had sat vacant for 20 years, will support the residents with early childhood education and day care services, after-school tutoring, adult education classes, a health clinic, and a food bank.

The formal program included comments by Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkin, who was educated by the Society of the Sacred Heart; Washington State House Representative Frank Chopp, who had been educated by the Edmonds Dominican Sisters – which since merged with the Adrian Dominican Sisters – in Bremerton, Washington; and Bill Rumpf, President of MHNW. They praised the Sisters for their vision and dedication.

Attending the grand opening are: standing, from left, Sisters Jocie Chism, SNJM, Mary Sullivan, OP, Janice Holkup, OP, and Georgia Yianakulis, SNJM; Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan; and Sisters Linda Haydock, SNJM, Judy Byron, OP, Cele Gorman, OP, and Claudia Morgan, OP; and kneeling, from left, Sisters Linda Riggers, SNJM and Teresa Shields, SNJM. Sister Sharon Park, OP, is not pictured.