The Mercy Center for Service, Spirituality, and Justice
You are welcome here — whoever you are, whatever you believe.
Learn more about The Mercy Center below, including service and interfaith prayer opportunities.
Did You Know? Mercy Week 2023 is September 25-30!
Location
Find us in Mercy Hall. Not familiar with that building? See our campus map here.
Mission Statement
In the Mercy tradition, The Mercy Center for Service, Spirituality, & Justice team seeks to be an open and affirming presence for all, promoting the search for spiritual growth with an emphasis on service to society. Come see us and celebrate the presence of God.
Vision
Our vision of The Mercy Center for Service, Spirituality, & Justice calls us to:
- Gather a vibrant and diverse community of faith for prayer, reflection and service.
- Celebrate the Catholic/Christian faith of our sponsors, and encourage all to live their faith more fully.
- Animate the community to understand and live out our Mercy identity through activities which connect us to poor and marginalized people and global concerns.
Follow Us on Social Media!
The Mercy Center for Service, Spirituality, & Justice in the Classroom
Faculty, did you know we are happy to support your teaching and your students' learning by giving classroom presentations? Please contact us if we can be of any help, on either campus or online!
Meet Our Staff
The Mercy Center is here for you during your time on campus. Stop by to see us in Mercy Hall!
Jeff Wallace
Director of Spirituality & Justice
Mercy Hall
215-641-5590
wallace.j@gmercyu.edu
Jeffrey Miguel Wallace came to Gwynedd Mercy University in 2019. He graduated from St. Joseph’s University in 2010 with his bachelors in Theology, as well as minors in Faith Justice Studies and Music. He then spent a year in Guayaquil, Ecuador as a long-term volunteer with Fundación Rostro de Cristo, where he was a youth and music minister for a local parish and the coordinator of an after-school program for at-risk youth. After returning from Ecuador, Jeff received his Master’s in Divinity from the Boston College School of Theology and Ministry in 2014. He became a campus minister at Merrimack College in North Andover, MA for three years after graduate school, building strong relationships with students and developing a robust service-immersion program. He and his wife, Chelsea, moved to the Philadelphia area in 2017. His most recent work was with Catholic Relief Services, where he helped develop and support partnerships between CRS and (arch)dioceses, parishes, high schools, and universities.
Jeff is a strong advocate for the inherent human dignity of each person, is passionate about the pursuit of a “faith that does justice,” and hopes to cultivate a welcoming, hospitable environment in the Mercy Center for everyone at GMercyU. He is a loving husband and a proud father of his young son, Daniel Jorge. He loves Philadelphia sports, especially the Phillies, Eagles, and Sixers, a good cheesesteak, building community, music, theater, poetry, and is a huge extrovert.
Betsy Stone Plummer
Director of Service and Catherine's Cupboard
Mercy Hall
215-641-5592
plummer.b@gmercyu.edu
Betsy came to Gwynedd Mercy University in 2000 as Director of Resident Life, having previously worked in housing and residence life at Drexel University, Florida State University, and The Art Institute of Atlanta. In 2004, Betsy moved to Campus Ministry to develop the newly established Mercy Works Program, which coordinated many community service initiatives on campus. In 2011, she resigned in order to spend more time with her growing family. In 2018, Betsy rejoined our staff as Assistant Director for Community Service, and became the moderator of the 0Waste/Sustainability Club.
Today, as Director of Catherine's Cupboard, she is responsible for championing its growth by partnering with other local organizations and soliciting new grants.
Betsy has an MS in Community Counseling from Georgia State University. She has been adjunct faculty at GMercyU since 2002, and enjoys teaching both on-ground and online classes in Developmental Psychology and Childhood Obesity.
She is a member of St. George's Historic United Methodist Church in Philadelphia, where she serves as a Trustee. She and her family also attend Messiah UMC in Lafayette Hill. Betsy's remaining time is spent driving her three active daughters to a wide variety of classes, practices, and games!
Serve With the Mercy Center
Looking to get involved both on campus and in the community? Seeking a way to link your faith with your desire to serve? GMercyU’s Mercy Center's community service program reflects and enhances the University’s commitment to the Mercy tradition of service to society, and offers various ways to get involved and make a real difference in your life and the lives of others.
Our goal is to connect the talents of GMercyU students with people in need in our wider community. All students, regardless of faith background, are encouraged to explore the opportunities below.
Don’t see what you’re looking for? Contact Director of Service Betsy Stone Plummer, plummer.b@gmercyu.edu or 215-641-5592.
You’ll perform worthwhile community service while learning about cultural and social issues facing your host community. It's an experience you'll never forget, and one that you'll want to repeat again and again throughout your time here.
See our 2023 Alternative Break Missions here.
Learn more about this unique international service immersion here.
Mercy Advocates have the opportunity to make a difference both locally and globally. They involve their peers in community service while raising awareness of justice issues worldwide. Watch the portal for service activities, including on-campus "pop up service!"
Pray with The Mercy Center
We offer a variety of retreats and faith-sharing opportunities throughout the year to support the spiritual development of the entire GMercyU community. Our goal is to help the GMercyU community pause to engage questions of significance and to pray and reflect on your personal experiences in the pursuit of lives of deep meaning.
Our vision of The Mercy Center calls us to celebrate the Catholic/Christian faith of our sponsors, the Sisters of Mercy, and to encourage others to live their faith more fully. Our desire is that people who engage our liturgy and worship experiences – especially over time – will seek an active and meaningful relationship with God, giving witness to Gospel values and the charism of Mercy.
To facilitate this relationship, we offer a variety of Catholic, ecumenical and interfaith prayer experiences throughout the year.
Liturgical Celebrations – Worship With Us!
The Mercy Center plans weekly Communion Services offered on Wednesdays to highlight our University’s Catholic identity. These services include readings, faith sharing, and a distribution of Holy Communion. For more information, contact Jeff Wallace (wallace.j@gmercyu.edu).
On-Campus Prayer Opportunities
In-person, on-campus prayer services will be held throughout the year on a variety of different topics. These opportunities will be livestreamed through social media. Please follow our Instagram (@gmercyumercycenter) or our Facebook Page (The Mercy Center at Gwynedd Mercy University) for the date, time, and location of each prayer! Contact Jeff Wallace (wallace.j@gmercyu.edu) with any questions or comments.
Schedule: Communion Services Wednesdays at 2:00pm; Holy Hour Eucharistic Adoration Thursdays at 3:15pm; First Friday Masses at 11:45am October 6, November 3, December 1
Special Celebrations
The Gwynedd Mercy University campus community offers special prayer opportunites to celebrate our Catholic, Mercy identity.
- Welcome Back Mass
- Mercy Day Mass
- Reunion Weekend Mass
- Mass of Remembrance
- Interfaith Thanksgiving Service
- Baccalaureate Mass for All
Liturgical Ministries
We encourage students, faculty, and staff to get involved in our liturgical celebrations as singers, musicians, lectures, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion and leaders of prayer. Interested? Contact Jeff Wallace at wallace.j@gmercyu.edu or 215-641-5590.
The Mercy Center offers weekly opportunities to take time for reflection. Additionally, students are encouraged to share their spiritual practices with us for the benefit of our school community. Contact Jeff Wallace (wallace.j@gmercyu.edu) for more information or to share opportunities for community-wide spiritual enrichment.
Bible Study
Pastor Brady Rennix of Grace Baptist Church in Blue Bell, PA works with students to host a weekly bible study from a Protestant perspective.
Conversational Groups
All are welcome to consider participating in weekly, hour long conversation groups of 4-6 people! These groups will help introduce you to new people and facilitate open discussions about topics such as friendships, meaning, purpose, and spirituality.
Retreats
Retreats are day-long or weekend long opportunities for reflection in community with others on a particular theme or topic. Past retreat offerings include First Year Retreat and “Breakthrough”. For more information or interest in participating, contact Jeff Wallace (Wallace.j@gmercyu.edu).
Gwynedd Mercy University respects the faith traditions of all of our students.
Prayer Space
Students who wish to practice their own religion or spirituality have utilized Mercy Hall, office C to pray during the day. Other accommodations can be made using classroom spaces as needed and by appointment. Contact Jeff Wallace (Wallace.j@gmercyu.edu) for more information.
Local Houses of Worship
List of Religious Holidays
Gwynedd Mercy University provides time away to students for specific Catholic/Christian religious holidays, such as Christmas, Holy Thursday, and Good Friday. However, the GMercyU campus community is comprised of diverse religious and spiritual backgrounds that have unique observances and holidays. University policy permits undergraduate and graduate students to observe religious holidays that conflict with the academic schedule without penalty (see reference in the UG Course Catalog).
Therefore, The Mercy Center and Division of Mission Integration provides this list of religious observances and holidays for the benefit of the campus community. The hope is that faculty, staff, and administrators will use this list as a reference. This list is not completely inclusive of all religious holidays. To offer suggestions or include religious observances or holidays not included in this list, please contact Jeff Wallace at Wallace.j@gmercyu.edu. For further questions or concerns, please contact Tatiana Diaz at diaz.t@gmercyu.edu.
- You are welcome to write your prayer intentions in our book outside of Chapel in Campbell Hall.
- To request the prayers of the University community in the event of the death of a close relative of a Gwynedd Mercy University faculty member, staff member, or student, please contact Jeff Wallace, Director of Spirituality & Justice, at 215-641-5590. When possible, please obtain permission from the bereaved individual, and include as much information about funeral arrangements as possible.
- Beautiful Gwynedd Mercy University Mass Cards are available to bring to a wake or funeral, or to send to someone in need of healing; names of all those being remembered in prayer are listed outside of Chapel. Contact University Advancement at UniversityAdvancement@gmercyu.edu.
- Sisters of Mercy on Instagram (@mercysisters) - The Sisters of Mercy are posting weekly prayers during Lent.
- GMercyU's The Mercy Center on Instagram (@gmercyumercycenter)
- United States Conference of Catholic Bishops on Instagram (@usccb)
- Pope Francis on Instagram (@franciscus)
- Archbishop of Philadelphia Nelson Perez on Instagram (@archbishopperez)
- America Media on Instagram (@americamedia)
- Practical Muslim on Instagram (@practicalmuslim)
- Unorthodox Podcast on Instagram (@unorthodoxpodcast)
- Black Liturgies on Instagram (@blackliturgies)
- The Nap Ministry on Instagram (@thenapministry)
- Fr. James Martin, SJ Facebook Page - Fr. James Martin, SJ is hosting daily faith sharing live on his Facebook page. He is a Jesuit priest who has written a variety of books, including Building a Bridge, Between Heaven and Mirth, Jesus: A Pilgrimage, and My Life with the Saints