Community of Jesus the Living Mercy

Mission

The Community is formed in the charism of St. Mary Euphrasia, whose mission of reconciliation and zeal for the salvation of souls embraced the world—one soul at a time. We live that mission of zeal with people seeking help after an abortion by providing healing, reconciliation, and spiritual companionship. Meeting with a peer companion in a confidential, safe place offers women and men wounded by abortion a new life of mercy in the heart of the Good Shepherd.

Our Story

In 1990, our ministry, Bethesda House of Mercy, was founded under the Sisters of the Good Shepherd. Sister Patricia Maloney, RGS, provided us with our first ministry house on the grounds of MaryCrest in Independence and introduced us to Saint Mary Euphrasia and Saint John Eudes, our patrons. On January 28, 2008, we became a lay community, The Community of Jesus, the Living Mercy, and received our canonical status as a private association of the Christian faithful in accord with Canon 299.3 from the Most Reverend Bishop Richard Lennon of the Diocese of Cleveland. Taking the Visitation of the Blessed Mother and Saint Elizabeth as our model of companionship, service, and hospitality, the community members are known as Visitation daughters and sons. This theology of the Visitation is rooted in the dignity of the human person understood through a spirituality of communion. Although members do not live a life in common, they do live in common a spiritual life that is expressed by taking four private vows according to their state in life: Communion, Fidelity, Chastity, and Zeal for the Face of Christ.

Our Hope

We invite you to share in the joy of the Good Shepherd, who seeks the lost and brings them home. Your gift supports the many ways women and men encounter Jesus at Bethesda through retreats, days of reflection, fellowship activities, and other opportunities for spiritual growth and healing. The community members receive no other compensation than the grace to witness the birth of a new life in Christ.