Mary Kay McDermott, a 2003 Loras elementary education graduate, has forged an unexpected path since her college days. Since graduating she has been attempting to live out a vision of faith-based sustainable community inspired by Catholic social activists Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin. While her journey has led her to various Catholic Worker ventures—two houses of hospitality, a cafe, and two farms—currently, she lives at Saint Isidore Catholic Worker Farm, an intentional community she co-founded in 2016.
McDermott credits Loras for planting the seeds of her journey. “My studies taught me that my Catholic faith is more than just an obligation to fulfill, it is a life to live,” she reflects. The College’s spiritual life service program provided concrete examples of faith in action, inspiring her future path.
Life at St. Isidore Farm loosely follows the Benedictine tradition of ‘Ora et Labora’—prayer and work. Days begin with communal prayer, followed by tasks that fulfill the communities’ mission, integrating sustainable agriculture, simple living, hospitality, and educational workshops.
The community takes Pope Francis’ call for “ecological conversion” to heart, with the belief that we need to take personal responsibility for our contributions to the environmental crisis and act in ways that nurture and renew our common home.
For current Loras students interested in similar paths, McDermott advises: “First, go on a Loras-led service trip while you’re there.” She also encourages new graduates to consider volunteering with organizations like the Catholic Worker or Jesuit Volunteer Corps.
McDermott’s journey from Loras to St. Isidore Farm demonstrates how education, faith, and values can lead to a life of purpose, inspiring current and future Duhawks to create meaningful change in the world.
