A woman whose lifework has been dedicated to helping children, especially those victimized by mental illness, poverty and life on the streets will receive DePaul University’s highest honor in a convocation ceremony Jan. 22.

Sister Mary Rose McGeady, D.C., is president and chief executive office of New York-based Covenant House International, a social service agency targeting children of the street in 13 American cities, as well as cities in Canada, Guatemala, Mexico, Honduras and Nicaragua.

"DePaul selected Sister Mary Rose to receive the St. Vincent de Paul Award because she exemplifies the spirit of the university’s patron by serving God through addressing the needs of the human family," said the Rev. Edward Udovic, C.M., DePaul’s senior executive for mission.

McGeady will give a keynote address during the ceremony scheduled to take place at 4 p.m. at St. Vincent’s Church, 1010 W. Webster Ave., in Lincoln Park. She will be awarded a medallion etched with St. Vincent’s image along with a citation recognizing her service to the most innocent of our society. A reception in her honor will follow at 5:30 p.m. in the Cortelyou Commons, 2324 N. Fremont St.

McGeady’s citation reads in part: "Sister Mary Rose, in your leadership of Covenant House, inspired by your faith in God’s covenant and your Vincentian belief in the God-given dignity of all, you and your many collaborators serve our children with absolute respect and unconditional love. Your Covenant Houses are Houses of Hope, providing services that reconnect our youth and their families with society."

McGeady joins an exclusive and distinguished class of St. Vincent de Paul Award honorees, including Lech Walesa and Dorothy Day.

McGeady is a member of the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul and has headed Covenant House since 1990. The agency served 48,000 children in North and Central America in 1997 and over 400,000 in its 25-year history. It focuses its efforts on rehabilitating homeless children estranged from their families for many reasons. Newer services include job training and apartment housing for older adolescents. Community Service Centers have been established at each Covenant House to reach out to at-risk children with runaway prevention programs and programs to enhance family units.

From 1987 to 1990 McGeady was associate director of Brooklyn Catholic Charities and was responsible for 40 agencies. Between 1981 and 1987 she was Provincial of the Daughters of Charity in charge of operations at 17 schools, nine hospitals and five child care agencies in 11 states. Earlier, she held administrative positions in agencies serving disturbed children in New York and Boston.

McGeady earned a bachelor’s in sociology at Emmanuel College in Boston and a master’s in clinical psychology at Fordham University in New York. She also pursued doctoral studies in clinical psychology at Fordham and the University of Massachusetts. She has been awarded 23 honorary doctorates, including degrees from DePaul, St. John’s University and Niagara University, the three American universities operated by Vincentians. The Vincentians were founded by Vincent de Paul, a 17^th century French priest. With St. Louise de Marillac, Vincent also established the Daughters of Charity.

This year’s award was timed to coincide with DePaul’s centennial celebration, which will continue through June 1999. In addition, 10 long-time DePaul employees will receive the inaugural Spirit of DePaul Award for their dedication to DePaul’s mission and values.