Mayo native sr michelle is new california senate chaplain

SISTER Michelle Gorman, RSM, a former pupil of Clogher National School, Lehinch National School, and a graduate of the Sisters of Mercy Mount St. Michael Secondary School in Claremorris, has been named Chaplain of the California State Senate in the United States.

Sister Michelle, who is sister of Breege Blake, Clogher, and daughter of the late James and Margaret Gannon, Lehinch, is the first Sister and the third woman to hold this position since it was created in 1897, and is believed to be the first Sister of Mercy to hold a similar post anywhere in the United States.

After leaving her home in Mayo in 1971 to enter the religious congregation of the Sisters of Mercy in Auburn, CA, Sister Michelle graduated with a BA in Humanities and French and earned a lifetime teaching credential from California State University, Sacramento, CA.  

After teaching for approximately 15 years, she received an MA in English from Gonzaga University, Spokane, WA, and later completed work for a diploma in spiritual direction at the Shalem Spiritual Guidance Program, Bethesda, MD.
In addition to teaching, Sister Michelle has been a member of the Mercy New Membership Team and worked on leadership teams for the Auburn, CA Regional Community and the West Midwest Community in Omaha, NE. In addition to her work as Chaplain, Sister Michelle is working in spiritual direction and retreat work through Mercy Center, Auburn.

Sister Michelle is grateful for the opportunity to minister at the Capitol as chaplain to the Senate. Rather than function as the official ‘pray-er’, she hopes to facilitate the senators’ connection with their God so that their work on behalf of the people of California and the larger world can proceed from a spirit of humility and gratitude in the face of so many unresolved issues.  

She expects to approach her work from the point of view of Anne Lamott’s description of the three essential prayers – Help, Thanks and Wow.

The Sisters of Mercy is one of the largest groups of women religious in the world. The Institute of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas is an international community of Catholic women religious vowed to serve people who suffer from poverty, sickness and lack of education - with a special concern for women and children.
In innovative and traditional ways, Sisters of Mercy address human needs through collaborative efforts in education, healthcare, housing, pastoral and social services, and advocacy. The institute includes over 3,500 members and 3,100 associates who serve in North, South and Central America, the Caribbean, Guam, and the Philippines.