The Mercy Institute
The Institute was founded in 1987 by the Sisters of Mercy of Erie to promote the Catholic/Mercy heritage of the college. The Institute:
- Grants funding for adults in the Diocese of Erie who enroll at the college to work toward an advanced certificate, associate degree or bachelor's degree in religious education and lay ministry.
- Sponsors the Catherine McAuley Justice Series and the Sister Maura Smith Lecture;
- Provides opportunities for Mercy service projects (e.g. trip to Honduras);
- Organizes with others the celebrations of key moments in the Catholic/Mercy heritage of the college; and
- Provides a forum for conversation around the contemporary issues relevant to Catholic/Mercy higher education.
Certificate/Degree
The courses are offered at Mercyhurst College and off-campus sites enabling adults to be certified as lay ministers in the areas of:
- Religious Education Leadership
- Youth Ministry
- Christian Initiation Leadership
These college-level courses may be taken for certificate credit for the advanced certificate or for regular college credit leading to an associate degree or bachelor degree in religious education and lay ministry.