The Power of Place: From Baggot Street to Cranaleith

Places can hold memory. They can carry stories, shape identity, and awaken something within us that words alone cannot express.

Together, we will explore the power of place through a conversation about two places deeply connected to the story of Mercy: the House of Mercy on Baggot Street in Dublin and Cranaleith here in Philadelphia.

Mary Trainer, RSM, and Mary Reynolds, RSM, will reflect on the ways Baggot Street continues to hold and channel the spirit of Catherine McAuley and the charism of Mercy for those who enter its doors today. They will then invite us to consider the wisdom, history, and energy held by Cranaleith—a place shaped by the Native peoples who knew and honored this land, by the women who struggled for equality and justice, by the Trainer family and their deep sense of family and Celtic reverence for creation, and by the many people who have found welcome and renewal here.

We will reflect on Cranaleith as a place of springs and trees, a sanctuary of creation, and now a Mercy place of ministry—a wellspring for those seeking spiritual nourishment, belonging, healing, and hope.

We will explore the many influences that enriched her spirituality—including the Quaker tradition—and consider how these shaped her understanding of faith and service.

What have we inherited from these places and the people who have shaped them? What values are ours to claim, embody, and pass on?

Come and join the conversation as we listen for what the land, the stories, and the spirit of these places might have to teach us.