by Camille D'Arienzo
NCR Contributor
Mercy Sr. Mary McGrory
Age: 69
Profession: Nurse, clinical psychologist
Lives in: New York City
Sr. Camille: Mary, about 20 years ago, while I was our community's president, you called to update me on your professional situation. You said, "Camille, the doctor is a nurse." Please tell our readers what that meant.
McGrory: I had completed a nursing degree, which was a second career, as I am also a clinical psychologist ("the doctor" part) for Mercy Home for Children.
How did that come about?
My mom was a nurse, and that profession always had an attraction for me, but I chose to be a Sister of Mercy in Brooklyn. We didn't have hospitals/health care ministries, so I put my attraction on the back burner and first taught and then went on for psychology. I was reintroduced to nursing when my mom became ill with cancer and needed palliative care in a hospital at the very end of her life. It was so inspirational to watch the nurses and aides care for my mom and for my family, as well. It resparked my interest, and my community encouraged me to go for it.
Read the full story at National Catholic Reporter.