Mary Virginia Merrick
Did you know?
Mary Virginia Merrick is the founder of the National Christ Child Society !
Partially paralyzed, she was confined to a bed or a wheelchair, she established summer camps, housing and convalescent farms for the poor children in our Nation's Capital, Washington DC.
Mary Virginia Merrick (Nov.2 1866 - Jan.10, 1955) age 88
- Born into a wealthy family
- She was paralyzed in a fall from her playhouse at the age 14
- Founder of the National Christ Child Society at the age of 21
- Began by sewing clothes for a poor family's baby
- Devoted her life to serving the poor
- Known as "Miss Mary" to her friends and thousands of children
- Became a "serva Dei" Servant of GOD in 2003
- Cardinal Donald Wuerl has opened her cause for beatification and canonization
- She could become the first "Saint" from our Nation's Capital
St. Anthony's Chapel hopes to have a relic of "Miss Mary" someday !