New fleet of boats named after six special women are taking to OKC waters

A fleet of boats attracted a crowd outside the Chesapeake Boathouse, 725 S Lincoln Blvd., as young people arrived for a rowing competition.

The boats were new, sleek and colorful but what attracted the most attention were the names emblazoned on each of the vessels: Sister Carolyn Stoutz, Sister Colletta Massoth, Sister Mary Claver, Sister Rose Powers, Sister Emerita Stoulig and Sister Miriam Terese Alvarado.

The six boats, each named for a religious sister in the Sisters of Mercy Roman Catholic religious order, were dedicated on Saturday by Riversport OKC and Mercy as part of Riversport OKC's OpportUNITY Initiative. Staff members of Mercy, a sponsor of the Youth Rowing League program for middle and high school students, chose to honor six of the religious sisters who served in Oklahoma in more recent years.

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Stoutz said she was touched that the Sisters of Mercy were being honored in such a unique way. As one of the sisters who has not retired, she works at Mercy Hospital in Ardmore as chief morale officer.

"It's a privilege and I just feel so humbled that a boat would be named after me," Stoutz said on Saturday.

Before sprinkling holy water on each boat, she made the crowd laugh with her humorous comments as she touched the boats and she kissed the vessel named after her for good measure.

"Rock the boat, Coletta!" Stoutz said as she placed her hand on the boat named for the late Sister Colletta Massoth, who oversaw construction of Mercy Hospital in northwest Oklahoma City in 1966.

Meanwhile, several sisters who are living in retirement at Mercy-St. Louis, Missouri, were able to watch the ceremony via video. Sister Rose Power, 93, vice president of Mercy’s hospital in Oklahoma City for two decades, watched the festivities along with Sister Emerita Stoulig, 101. Power said she never imagined having a boat named after her.

"But I appreciate all the people who have organized this and all the students — it's beautiful," Power said. "It's great to see all the youth involved. We're planning for a better world for them."

Championing inclusion and accessiblity

Mercy leaders said they had a difficult time choosing which six of the religious sisters would have their names grace the boats but they couldn't think of a more fitting way to pay homage to the women than to have them connected to a sports program dedicated to fostering diversity and inclusion in the Oklahoma City metro area. They said Mercy chose to sponsor the OpportUNITY Initiative because it makes rowing and potentially, rowing scholarships, more accessible to students who might not otherwise have access to the sport.

Brad Veitch, Mercy chaplain manager, blessed the boats.

"May these boats remind us of the dignity of all people, as seen in these Sisters of Mercy," he said

OpportUNITY Initiative participating organizations and schools include Advanced Science and Technology Education Charter (ASTEC), Boys & Girls Club, Cristo Rey Catholic Schools, Douglass High School, F.D. Moon Middle School, Mid-Del Schools, Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics, Southeast High School and Middle School, St. John Bosco Institute, and Mustang High School and Middle School.

ASTEC Charter School senior Carlos Gonzalez, 17, said he thought it was fitting that the new fleet was named after religious sisters "who probably deserve more recognition."

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Danny Porter, ASTEC dean of STEM education and one of youth rowing league coaches, said the names of the new boats were appropriate tributes to women who knew the value of community.

"First of all, the rowing group out here and the Chesapeake Boathouse — this has all been such a long time in the making ― and it's perfect that we're naming these boats after the sisters, because this really is a family," he said.

"Even though we are different teams, you'll see today that everybody pulls together, we don't see colors out here and we don't see teams ― we see a sport. One of the things that youth rowing league teaches our students is the purpose of community, to build good character and how to build strong teamwork."

Agatha Gasperoni, an adviser to Cristo Rey Catholic School, said her rowing team members appreciated the names chosen for the new boats.

"We're very excited," she said.

Mike Knopp, Riversports Foundation executive director, said many schools have shown interest in the youth rowing program and Riversport appreciated Mercy for making it possible to expand the youth league's fleet.

"Having more boats means we can bring more youth into the program, and we can see it’s having real impact in their lives," Knopp said.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Boats named for six religious sisters in OKC fleet dedication