History
MAST, the Mercy Association in Scripture and Theology, met for the first time in June 1987 at Gwynedd-Mercy College in Gwynedd Valley, Pennsylvania through the auspices of the Merion Community of the Sisters of Mercy. Called together by Eloise Rosenblatt, RSM, and Mary Ann Getty, twenty Mercy theologians and Scripture scholars from fourteen regional communities formally established the organization to provide a forum for dialogue and cooperation among Sisters of Mercy and associates. The purposes of the organization are to promote studies and research in Scripture, theology, philosophy, ethics, spirituality, ministry, congregational history and related fields; to support its members and collaborators in scholarly pursuits through study, writing, publishing, teaching, administration; to enrich spiritual direction, retreats; to support parish and diocesan leadership, and to provide a means for members and collaborators to address ecclesial issues within the context of their related disciplines and ministries. The work is meant to serve women, the Church and the Institute.
In 1988, following this inaugural meeting at Gywnedd-Mercy College, several MAST members made a proposal to the Executive Council of the Federation requesting sponsorship of a theological journal that would focus on issues and concerns important to the Sisters of Mercy. As a result of this collaboration, preparations were made for the publication to appear in Mercy Life Newsletter sponsored by the Federation of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas Executive Office in Rochester, New York. The name initially proposed for the journal was Mercy Challenge. A provisional editorial board decided upon themes to be developed. These early conversations proposed that Sisters of Mercy other than members of MAST, as well as women who were not members of the Congregation could be asked to submit articles to the editorial board. These early conversations anticipate that the readership could be encouraged to suggest themes and writers, and be invited to comment on the articles printed.
The first issue of Mercy Challenge appeared in June, 1989, as an insert in Mercy Life Newsletter from the Federation. The article was a substantive essay by Maryanne Stevens, RSM, “Fundamentalism Within.” As the publishing project unfolded, the name changed. The inaugural issue of The MAST Journal, Vol. 1, No. 1, appeared in Fall of 1990 with three articles under the theme of “Vocation and Membership.” Maryanne Stevens, RSM (Omaha) was now the editor, with an editorial board composed of Joanne Lappetito (Baltimore), Betsy McMillan (Pittsburgh), Eloise Rosenblatt (Burlingame) and Julia Upton (Brooklyn). Maryanne Stevens remained the editor until 1993, until she assumed the Presidency of College of St. Mary in Omaha, Nebraska.
Eloise Rosenblatt took responsibility as editor with the Fall 1993 issue, with Vol. 4, No.1 and six articles on “Mercy Spirituality.” She remained editor for over 20 years until her death—with a pen and notebook before her—on April 14, 2025. Eloise was working on the Vol. 30 No. 1 issue when she died, ensuring that this inaugural issue of The MAST Journal as an online publication would carry the Journal—and all who read it, write for it, and shepherd it—faithfully into the future.
Over the past three decades, The MAST Journal has been graced with a succession of competent editorial board members, appeared in hard copy under four changes of publishers and printers, with a succession of mailers to national and international subscribers.
In May 2025, under sponsorship of the Institute, The MAST Journal launched a website and online presence making its content publicly available and re-designed as a digital publication.
