St. Vincent's Academy will unveil it's new book, "An Enduring Legacy, Savannah's Sisters of Mercy and St. Vincent’s Academy"!  This long-awaited book features 170  years of history and is authored by Sister Jude Walsh, RSM. The unveiling event for the media will be held on Tuesday, December 15th and will be promptly at 2:30pm in the courtyard in the school at 207 East Liberty Street, Savannah, GA 31401 and will end at 3pm.  In case of rain, the unveiling will be held in the gym on the corner of Harris and Lincoln Streets.
 
The story that has been waiting 170 years to be told is finally going to burst onto the scene right before Christmas!  This truly beautiful coffee table book takes the reader from the founding of the Convent and Academy of St. Vincent de Paul in July of 1845 up to the year 2015.  During almost two centuries, you will travel through many changes as Savannah experienced  the Civil War, WWI, the Depression , WWII and other upheavals that would impact our convent and our school. It includes lovely photographs, both old and new: many names that you will recognize and many you will see for the first time.  This phenomenal book has been authored by our St. Vincent’s Archivist, past Principal and past Director of Development, as well as graduate of the class of 1943, Sr. Jude Walsh, R.S.M.  

When the idea of the book was conceived, no one realized how long Sr. Jude had been a serious student of the history of St. Vincent’s and the Sisters of Mercy.  Certainly, no one realized how much information was stored in Sr. Jude’s computerized brain.  The intriguing facts, figures and stories that were told to the “book committee” working with Sr. Jude, were absolutely amazing.  All of us were astounded with the way St. Vincent’s has evolved and grown and with the women who played major roles since in this 170 year old saga.  

We are in awe of the strong and determined women of the Sisters of Mercy who went through wars, yellow fever epidemics and unbelievable hardships; and, through it all, continued to give a home to orphans, educate students, nurse the sick, and assist and comfort the poor and the unfortunate.  They endangered their own lives as they taught slaves to read in underground schools.  They helped save homes on the Battery in Charleston as Federal troops invaded that city.  Did you know all of these things?  There is so much more as the history progresses into the 20th and 21st centuries!

Be aware that there will be limited numbers of books for sale.  You will not want to miss the opportunity to have this book.  Books will be available next week at St. Vincent's Academy in Walsh Hall on the corner of Lincoln and Liberty Streets.  It will be sold on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, December 15, 16, and 17 from 9 am – 11 am and 1 pm – 3 pm each day. The book will also be sold at E Shaver bookstore and Saints and Shamrocks. SVA is closed for Chistmas holidays from December 19 to January 3.  Books cost $40 if purchased at St. Vincent's Academy.  Call 912.236.5505 for more information.