Context for Reflective Prayer

On Easter Sunday, Pope Francis reminded us that Jesus "has truly risen."  In the midst of this dramatic situation of Covid-19, which has “displaced” so much in our lives and in our world, we may have difficulty seeing, feeling and hearing the effects of this resurrection.  This context reminds us of something we already know and which we too often forget: that it is the crucified one who is the risen one. The word of God comes to aid our fragile memory.

When I was reflecting on what to offer for the prayer for mercy and the displacement of peoples, I was reminded of two things.  Firstly, that displacement, exile and strangers are motifs that are part of the Judeo-Christian tradition.  Many of our biblical stories present interconnecting themes of exile, displacement, border crossings and encounters with strangers/ “others.”...

Secondly, I am an Irish Sister of Mercy, and my country was devastated by famine between 1845-1849. This resulted in the displacement of thousands of people.  Between 1845 and 1855, 1.5 million people left Ireland for good. In 1846, 100,000 left. Departures peaked in 1847, when 250,000 left and over the next 5 years it averaged 200,000 per year. ...

Spanish translation using DeepL Translator. Traducción al español con DeepL Translator

Sheila Curran rsm is the Coordinator of Mercy Global Presence for the Congregation of Sisters of Mercy and a member of the Northern Province. She is a practical theologian and works in areas of the of  feminist theology, migration and refugees.

Sheila's ministry and research has been shaped by her experience of living and working in Peru, particularly her involvement with the Institute Bartolome de las Casa, a non-governmental social justice and human rights organisation founded by the liberation theologian Gustavo Gutiérrez.

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