Ulana M. Bochan’s Frances Warde: The Footsteps of Mercy adds a new dimension to her two previous books, Living with Catherine McAuley and Walk the Seasons With Mercy. It explores the life of Frances Warde, whose earthly footsteps of Mercy imprinted values of faith, humility, compassion, and unconditional love. With an unwavering commitment of yes to God, Frances was able to overcome the most challenging circumstances of life. Heroic and selfless, she went to wherever she was called. She accepted the spiritual call to leave her homeland to help establish the first Mercy schools in the United States. Her pioneering spirit and natural gift for teaching others resulted in the spread of Mercy schools in this new land. Frances, guided by the call of the spirit to minister to all in need, made Mercy her spiritual quest, her defined existence. Frances Warde’s life attests to what one person is capable of achieving when Mercy is actively lodged in the heart.

(Appendix offers suggestions for incorporating Frances Warde: The Footsteps of Mercy in the classroom, groups, or individual meditation.)

About the Author

For this author, Ulana M. Bochan, life has been not only a physical journey, but also a spiritual one. Born in Ukraine, Bochan, with her parents, fled their homeland during World War II. In horse and buggy style, fearing for their lives, the family continued their perilous journey. Prayer was their only support. Eventually, the family found refuge in Germany and, in 1949, arrived in the United States. In this land of freedom, Bochan had the opportunity to pursue an education. She received a B.A. in English from University of Minnesota and an MAT in teaching from Spalding University. She was fortunate to teach in a Mercy school for twenty-three years (Assumption High School, Louisville, KY). There, she absorbed values that have become her guidelines for life. In her retirement, she has returned to writing to capture her spiritual journey.