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By Catherine Walsh, Senior Writer
Paul and Elaine Rauch, along with their son, Kevin, started attending Our Lady of Peace Church in Lynbrook, New York, over 30 years ago. They knew the parish had a great youth group, but they didn’t know how much their lives would also be enriched by their friendship with the parish’s three Sisters of Mercy.
Paul soon became close with Sister Barbara Faber, RSM, director of parish social ministry, as well as Sister Mary Dowden, RSM, d. 2023, the school principal, and Sister Mary Grace Monroe, RSM, d. 2023, the director of faith formation. These sisters were mainstays of the parish and the community for decades. Lynbrook even named them its Women of the Year in 2015. A year later, the Lynbrook/East Rockaway Herald called Sister Barbara an “innovative angel” and proclaimed her its Person of the Year for her ministry’s extensive work with Catholic Charities in helping people in need.
The deaths of Sister Mary and Sister Mary Grace last year were “a big loss,” says Paul. “But I’m grateful for Sister Barbara. I call her my buddy and my boss!”
About 15 years ago, not long after he retired from a career in sales and account management in the pharmaceutical industry, Sister Barbara asked Paul if he would like to volunteer to help with her ministry. “I said, ‘Okay, great, let me know what I can do,’” he recalls.
Paul became increasingly involved with the ministry. He befriended people he had not encountered before, such as a guest at a food pantry who was unhoused. “Sister Barbara enabled me to expand that friendship by supplying me with food to bring to this man every week,” he reflects. “It gave him a reason to want to meet with me and our friendship lasted until he died.”
What he admires most about Sister Barbara is her kindness.
“It’s infectious,” says Paul. “Fortunately, I think some of it has rubbed off on me. I love being in her presence. She’s just an incredible human being.”
He and Sister Barbara are in touch several times a week, texting or talking after daily Mass about his deliveries of food, clothing and other items. “I get to be the bearer of good things to so many people and I get the credit, but Sister Barbara is the one behind it all,” says Paul.
Paul enjoys socializing with Sister Barbara, her sister, Sister Mary Beth Faber, RSM, and other sisters, as well as with other parish ministry members. The influence of Mercy infuses his life in other ways, too, Paul says.
During a visit to the House of Mercy in Dublin, Ireland, a few years ago, he texted photos to Sister Barbara. “Catherine McAuley’s home was the most important thing I wanted to see on that trip,” Paul recalls.
In his free time, Paul urges his congressional representatives to protect society’s most vulnerable people and the Earth. “My representatives hear from me regularly because the Sisters of Mercy make it easy,” he says, noting that the Institute Justice Team’s emails provide links to lawmaker’s offices.
Being a donor to the Sisters of Mercy is important to him, says Paul. “They’ve proven to me that giving is much, much nicer than receiving, because your reward is that wonderful ‘Wow!’ feeling. Nothing is better than that.”