Misericordia has always had a special place in its heart for the winter season. A lot of special events have happened while the snow has covered the ground and rested on the trees. The community’s giving spirit has always been apparent during the holiday season. But even as the faculty, students and staff were  giving gifts to everyone else, they were getting special presents of their own.

The building we  call McCauley Walsh was dedicated and blessed  December. 15 1952. The building offered up a surprise, too: It one had a gym in the basement.

And here’s a happy thought for the holiday season: At a time when woman weren’t often leaders,  Sister Celestine McHale was the first acting president of Misericordia. On December 25, 1980 she passed away, and we remember her today with McHale Hall, which was named after her.

Speaking of buildings on this campus,. Gildea Hall received its first residents in December 1993. Gildea Hall is one of the dorms on upper campus that still remains in use to this day.

On December 21, 1997 a very important woman to the university family passed away.  Sister Mary Carmel McGarigle, was the school’s first archivist and a former head of the music department and she left a huge impact. Sister McGarigle founded the university archives. She preserved so much history that would have otherwise been lost.

Another December passing was that of Athletic Director Marie Morris, who died on December 26, 1962. She served as Director of Physical Education and Internal Sports in the 1940’s and 1950’s. After that she served as a field hockey and basketball coach and an administrator. She even has had 18 consecutive winning seasons with the basketball team. At that time, the school was called College Misericordia, and so “CM” was what she saw on all of the players’ jerseys.

December marked the unveiling of another familiar site on campus:  On December 16, 1988 the sculpture “Pause” was dedicated to our newly renovated science building. Wilkes-Barre artist Henry Schiowitz made the sculpture.

Finally, in December 1987 a very important group was formed. The Ethics Institute Of Northern Pennsylvania was founded by Sister Siena Finley along and other local professionals who shared her concerns for an ethical community and society.