by Audrey Rushton, RSHM
LOS ANGELES, CA When I recall the beginning of the RSHM presence in Mexico and the way in which it grew, I can’t help but think of Christ’s parable of the mustard seed. The foundation began in 1957 when Sisters Margaret Mary Allen and Audrey Rushton were sent to Cuernavaca, Morelos to discover whether it would be feasible to open a school there. An undeveloped property in the area had been given to the Western American Province on the condition that a school would be built on it. With the help of the Autrey family, whose daughters were students at Marymount, Tarrytown, N.Y., the sisters were offered a house to live in while they looked for a property to rent.
After much searching, the sisters, who spoke no Spanish, found a site that was large enough for growth. In February, 1958 they opened a Junior School with thirty six students. The following year the number doubled to seventy two. More sisters arrived and the school flourished. Marymount High School for girls was added. In the late 1970’s, the sisters reached out to other ministries in service to the poor. Communities began in Huitzilac and in Mexico City.
Today Marymount High School educates boys as well as girls and has an enrollment of over five hundred students. The Junior School has its own campus and is also thriving. Our Mexican sisters are involved in various ministries in Cuernavaca and Mexico City. What began as a very small seed has grown into a very large bush which touches the intellectual and spiritual growth of many.
RSHM Soundings Volume XXIV, Number 1, Spring 2016
