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Every once in a while, we meet someone who really has made a difference. Sister Mary Scullion, of the Sisters of Mercy, has been called Philadelphia's Mother Theresa. In the course of reporting tonight's profile of her, she tried to introduce us to, and have us interview, everyone but herself about the homeless problem.
She began her efforts about 20 years ago, when homelessness became a problem that really riveted the nation's attention. She started an organization called Project H.O.M.E. Just doing that was a huge problem because she wanted to open a shelter in an abandoned casket factory close to Center City. No one wanted any homeless people anywhere downtown, and certainly not a shelter where homeless people would live.
But sister Mary wouldn't take no for an answer. The shelter opened, as did several other buildings offering shelter and services close to the heart of the city.
Today, Project H.O.M.E. is an $11-million-a-year non-profit. It has built 60 units of rental housing and renovated 19 abandoned homes, with nine more under construction. It also has helped build the Honickman Learning Center and Comcast Technology Labs, a state-of-the-art digital learning center that's the envy of even the best private schools. The goal is to build up to 100 homes during the next few years.
Clearly, Sister Mary did not do all of that by herself. But what started as something very small has turned into a program that cities across the nation want to emulate.
Sister Mary is persistent, passionate and firmly in control of what she's doing. The key, she says, is connecting with people on the street at a down-to-earth, real, unpretentious level. There's nothing phony about her. She says meeting and getting to know homeless people has made her a better person. She admires their courage and their dignity under such dire conditions. She says most people dismiss the homeless as invisible or unworthy, with no one but themselves to blame for their plight. Obviously, she doesn't see or relate to them in that way.
While we were following her around with a TV camera, she insisted on speaking to the people we encountered first, and making sure they did not mind being photographed. Her honor, her word, her credibility were at stake. One of the biggest problems she encounters in trying to get people to trust her, or anyone, for that matter.
She's a very humble, understated woman, who truly has inspired quite a difference here, and created an organization that seems well on its way to its goal -- ending homelessness on the streets of Philadelphia.
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A glimpse of Guatemala
Thank you for this inspirational article. I am a 55-year old college student, doing research on "homelessness" for a paper that's due next week. My professor had answered my research question, "Homelessness, is it resolvable?" with a big NO; but I am extremely hopeful, after reading about the remarkable work Sister Mary Scullion and the Sisters of Mercy are doing. I just hope and pray that there will be a lot more caring and committed leaders and people like Sister Mary who can work together with all of us to try and resolve the growing problem of homeless. I will reference this article and Sister Mary's work in my paper, and thank you for it.
Fau Tanielu, San Bernardino, California (Sent Jun 5, 2007 8:33:34 PM)
I remember following Sister Mary through the cold night streets in Philadelphia. She was introducing me to an older homeless woman, also named Mary, living in the door way of 30th Street Station. The older woman told us she was delighted to have us as her "guests" in the freezing windy doorway that night. Sister Mary was able to lovingly coax her into a warm safe refuge that night, called Women of Hope. Another woman Sister Mary gently talked into Women of Hope was often frozen to the steam grates during the bitter Philadelphia nights. The ice kept her warm the woman said. I did two documentary films on the women who got a new chance at life because Sister Mary cared about them - and also the women who resisted Mary's gentle but unrelenting requests to come in from the cold unsafe streets. Mary is an inspiration to me and everyone whose lives she's touched. She models what clear intention can do to make a difference in the world. One woman. One lifetime. One amazing contribution.
Connie Bottinelli, Ft Myers, Fl (Sent Dec 11, 2005 10:44:49 PM)
What a tremendous testimony to Sr. Mary's years of work not only of assisting the homeless, the less fortunate and the impoverished but in doing her work making the city more accountable about all of the residents in the city. Sr. Mary's compassion was truly evident in your segment. She has so many wonderful caring people working along side of her and it makes one realize how important such caring and compassion is needed in our world today. My daughter, Katie,a junior in high school had the opportunity to volunteer there this summer and it was an immensely rewarding life changing experience for her.Continue your great work.
MKGwynn,West Milford, NJ (Sent Nov 17, 2005 9:27:49 PM)
I applaud your coverage of Sister Mary Scullion and her tremendous work with the homeless and neighborhood revitalization. When I met her over 20 years ago she so inspired me that I too have been working with the homeless.
Sister Maura Smith, RSM (Sent Nov 16, 2005 8:08:57 PM)
Curious question. Back in the 60's, while I was very young, I understood that alot of the mental hospitals were closed down, or most patients were discharged from them due to improper handling, per the federal government some how. It's been said that the homeless population to this day is an extension of what happened then, in that the homeless population was largely due to those discharged, and not given a home.
I would like to know if it really right.
Dan Eman, Oceanside, CA (Sent Nov 16, 2005 7:40:50 PM)
I did some volunetter work for Sister Mary around 11 years ago when I last lived in Philly.
Homeless work is only a small part of the story. Sister Mary also runs re-hab homes for ex-convicts and substance abusers, wonderful after school programs, shelters for abused or troubled women, elder care apartments and much more. All this with a large dish of dignity for her clients.
Strictly non-denominational, non-missionary. My fellow volunteers were Protestants, Catholics, Jewish, Quakers, Agnostics, students, elders, black and white.
Sister Mary is indeed humble, but I guarantee she gets attention from all the movers and shakers. She is also one of the most talented hard working managing execs that I have ever met.
Jerry Kerwin, Sun City Center, FL (Sent Nov 16, 2005 3:18:30 PM)
It's so nice to see the good works of people instead of always seeing the negative. Sister Mary is someone we should all try to pattern ourselves after. Just think, what a great world we would be living in if we all had the attitude of this wonderful woman.
BZeis, Fortville, IN (Sent Nov 16, 2005 8:02:30 AM)
I was truly moved by this story about Sr. Mary and helping the homeless. I have a 30 yr old daughter, Katie, who is bound and determined to help the homeless. Katie will stop any time she encounters someone homeless to find out what their story is, to give them her last dollar or ask to buy a cigarette from them if she sees them smoking, giving them a chance to "earn" the money. She has been known to show up at one of St. Petersburg's City Parks with Pizza and is immediately surrounded by the hungry homeless souls that not only devour the pizza but her attention and care for them. She has been an inspiration to me to help her make a difference. I will show her this article and start investigating Sr. Mary's journey with the homeless. Thank you. Helene Samuels - Katie's Mom
Helene Samuels, St. Petersburg, Florida (Sent Nov 16, 2005 3:12:38 AM)
This news article about a nun who is working to stop homelessness is excellent! Please keep on talking about her and what she has been doing - she is the kind of individual we can all emulate. Thanks very much for researching and writing about this nun -Sister Mary !! We will definitely keep her in mind and follow her lead. .
I. Lac (Sent Nov 15, 2005 8:56:10 PM)
Just how real is Sister Mary?
Today Tuesday, she bought me lunch at the Cafe at Project Home.
While I talked about the issues that I am facing and ways that maybe we could help each other, she did not even mention that she was going to be on national television that very night.
(Maybe I was just doing too much talking?)
She cared about me and that makes me want to care about others.
Sister Mary is for real and a role model to me and many other in Philadelphia area and now for the nation.
Thank you for covering a women and an organization that makes a real difference to many!
Kirk Clyatt, Philadelphia, PA (Sent Nov 15, 2005 8:06:54 PM)
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