Sister René Bourque has much to celebrate this year, her 60th jubilee. Her earliest goals were to be a teacher and to be a nun, following happy examples of both in her family.
She entered the Mercy community in 1950 and began teaching in 1955. She continued this ministry for 50 years, both in elementary and high school. During her last years at Mercy High School in Farmington Hills, Mich., as she looked toward retirement, she began volunteering as tutor at the new Mercy Education Project (MEP). MEP began with a focus on elementary school girls but expanded to include adult women, many of whom had not graduated from high school. Now René tutors six women three times a week for the GED. “I have nothing but respect for them,” she said. “Their life stories are unbelievable. They are so proud of themselves when they get a GED certificate. It could be a Ph.D!”
After spending an hour on the phone with Medicare, or a doctor’s office, or an insurance company, Sister Dolores hangs up the phone with a sigh and a fervent prayer, “Help me, Jesus.”