In this episode Ssiter Mercy Briola discusses our preferential option for the poor, how we define poverty, saintly examples, and the importance of prayer. This is the fourth speaker for the St. Vincent de Paul speaker series on Catholic Social teachings hosted at St. Joseph Catholic Parish in Mishawaka, IN.

Sister Mercy Briola entered the Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration in 2014 and professed perpetual vows in August 2022. She heard God’s call through an invitation from her Dominican chaplain and through contemplating the love of God during holy hours of adoration. She was attracted by the passionate nature of Francis of Assisi and a life lived in entire dedication to the adoration of God. She has a great devotion to the Divine Mercy as her name suggests and is especially inspired by the lives of St. John Paul II and St. Maximilian Kolbe who embody the merciful heart of the Good Shepherd. As a sister, she has earned an M.A. in Theology from Franciscan University in Steubenville and an M.A. in Secondary Mathematics Education from Ball State University. She is completing her 4th year at Marian High School where she teaches freshmen and senior mathematics.