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Gift of Materials: Catherine McAuley and the Mission of Mercy
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Mercy International Association is delighted to announce a gift of materials for two valuable artefacts from the Provincial Heritage Centre, Charleville, Co. Cork, Ireland. This generous heritage donation from the Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy, Southern Province, will feature in Mercy International Association’s new heritage exhibition, Catherine McAuley and the Mission of Mercy, later in the year. The gift of materials includes a framed picture of the Crucifixion, presented by Catherine McAuley to Mother Mary Angela Dunne, Foundress of the Sisters of Mercy, Charleville, Co. Cork, in 1836 on a temporary loan of five years. In addition, Mercy International Association has received a traditional religious habit of the Sisters of Mercy worn up to Vatican 2. This habit was donated to the Provincial Heritage Centre, Charleville, by the late Sr. Marcella Barry, Convent of Mercy Cobh, on August 5, 2005. The oral tradition suggests Catherine brought the painting to Mother Angela Dunne when she came to Charleville to lay the foundation stone for the convent. It is said the painting was carried in a jute sack with straw for protection. These sacks were traditionally used for storing potatoes and were made of a coarse cloth. Click the read more button to view the full article.
Mercy in Action
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Mercy Connect
Home Away From Home
Mercy Connect
Home Away From Home
Earlier in the month, the Border Mail newspaper featured an article on the new respite service that Mercy Connect operates at Avondale Place (in partnership with Henty Respite Trust) in Australia. Click on Read More to read journalist Jodie O'Sullivan’s interview with Harry Janetzski and his father, John. Click the read more button to view the Border Mail article.
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Mercy Global Action
Mercy Global Action Attends The 2024 Global Forum On Migration And Development
Mercy Global Action
Mercy Global Action Attends The 2024 Global Forum On Migration And Development
From January 22–26, Cecilie Kern, MGA's Global Policy and Research Advocate and Chair of the NGO Committee on Migration, attended the 14th Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) Summit in Geneva. The summit was the culmination of 18 months of preparation under the French chairmanship of the GFMD. Mercy Global Action has been engaged every step of the way, contributing actively to the background papers and the thematic workshops through the Civil Society Mechanism. Cecilie reflects: "It has been a privilege to participate in the GFMD, and to advocate for representation of the diverse perspectives, experiences, and voices of civil society in conversations about migration narratives."
Click the read more button for Mercy Global Action’s latest newsletter.
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Community Support
Sustaining Mercy With Herbs, Candles And Soaps In The Philippines
Community Support
Sustaining Mercy With Herbs, Candles And Soaps In The Philippines
Article By Catherine Walsh
If Jesus wanted to empower 12 female apostles in the Philippines, he wouldn’t have to look any further than a dozen women who work at McAuley Herbal Clinic in Lala, Mindanao—located in one of the country’s poorest regions.
By making and selling herbal medicines, soaps and candles in partnership with the Sisters of Mercy, the women are contributing to the wellbeing of their communities as well as earning money to educate their children and improve the lives of their families. And all of this is possible, they say, because of Sister Hilda Jimenez, an energetic woman who founded the clinic 35 years ago.
“I am so grateful to Sister Hilda,” says Divina Rosalejos, who left school after the sixth grade. “I used to be ashamed because I was so poor. But she has changed my life.”
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Mercy Beyond Borders
Voices of Resilience: Unforgettable Days in South Sudan
Mercy Beyond Borders
Voices of Resilience: Unforgettable Days in South Sudan
Step into the shoes of the incredible young women scholars in South Sudan as they share their personal stories of an unforgettable day.
There was a man who wanted to marry my sister. At that time, we all lived in the village. This man approached my father to ask for my sister's hand in marriage, and my father agreed. However, my mother objected because the man was very old. Despite her disagreement, my sister was eventually forced into marrying the old man. On the day of the wedding, my mother advised my sister to flee from home, which she did. When it was time for the wedding preparations, my father discovered my sister's absence and, in anger, he beat my mother. After beating my mother, he chased all of us away from the compound. To read the full story, click on the read more button.
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Stories of Service
Mercy Housing Southwest Resident Services Program
Stories of Service
Mercy Housing Southwest Resident Services Program
Southwest affordable housing properties in Arizona often encounter barriers to maintaining their independence, including obstacles to good health, stable housing, and basic needs, such as access to food. By providing food, crucial services, and support where residents live, the Mercy Housing Southwest Resident Services Program encourages seniors to engage in their community and maintain their well-being. The program helps residents to age in place with dignity, reduces isolation, and provides access to services and programs for residents to maintain their independence.
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Community Solidarity
Bearing Witness To Tragedy And Standing Ready To Act
Community Solidarity
Bearing Witness To Tragedy And Standing Ready To Act
On Wednesday, October 25, 2023, my happy memories of my first few years in Community in Lewiston, Maine, changed forever. On that day, 18 people were shot and killed in the most traumatic gun violence event ever in the state of Maine. It happened in Lewiston, where I had spent the first four years of my ministry as a Sister of Mercy as a teacher. I was in my 20s; I was young and filled with zeal and joy, both as a new teacher and because of the 12 other Sisters of Mercy with whom I lived. My dream of becoming a religious sister, a woman serving God and God’s people, had become a reality. That was in the early 1970s. Now, over 50 years later, the name of Lewiston no longer brings to mind the joy, youth or promise of my memories.
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Mercy Works
Cultivating Change In Remote PNG: The Daru-Kiunga Diocese Project
Mercy Works
Cultivating Change In Remote PNG: The Daru-Kiunga Diocese Project
As the sun’s first rays kiss the horizon, a small girl begins her day in a humble village along the Down Fly River in the vast and remote western Diocese of Daru-Kiunga, Papua New Guinea. Life here is a tapestry of challenges and dreams. With each dawn, she embraces the hope that someday, things will be different. Her steps, like those of the generations before her, are marked by resilience and determination. For over twelve years, Mercy Works has dedicated its efforts to assisting those struggling in this challenging environment. Recently, in January 2023, it was decided to engage a Papua New Guinean consultant to conduct a thorough evaluation of past operations, setting the stage for a remarkable new collaboration. In February 2023, the recommendations from the Evaluation Report were discussed at a pivotal meeting held in Kiunga, a bustling town on the fringes of this district.
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Workers Rights
Catholic Religious Australia Supports The Fair Works Legislation Bill 2023
Workers Rights
Catholic Religious Australia Supports The Fair Works Legislation Bill 2023
Catholic Religious Australia (CRA), of which Sisters of Mercy Parramatta Congregation is a member, has supported the government’s proposed Fair Work Legislation (Closing Loopholes) Bill 2023 (the Bill) in a submission supporting better protections for workers in precarious employment arrangements, where they may be exploited. In the submission, CRA endorsed the Bill’s changed definition of ‘casual,’ which places primacy on the reality of employment over time, allowing a worker to apply to their employee to become permanent after six months if work arrangements have changed. To read the full story, click on the read more link.
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Mercy Foundation Australia
Celebrating Ten Years of Home In A Box in Sydney
Mercy Foundation Australia
Celebrating Ten Years of Home In A Box in Sydney
People fall into homelessness for many reasons, but the solution is always the same. Everyone needs a safe, affordable, permanent home, with access to whatever supports are needed to face any challenges that may arise in the future. Home in a Box was developed in consultation with a young woman who had experienced rough sleeping. She shared the difficulties she experienced when she was finally housed, attempting to settle in and make a home without any possessions. Recognising there was a need to fill this gap, Home in a Box was created. Home in a Box is designed to help people settle into their new home, find routine, and restart their lives. Home in a Box consists of brand new, high-quality sheets, towels, a dinner set, glasses, cookware, kitchenware, cutlery, toaster and kettle, and a dustpan and brush. Over the past ten years, with the support of generous donors, we have helped create a home for more than 560 households, consisting of mothers and children, single women and men, all of whom had experienced homelessness.
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Human Trafficking
Sisters In Argentina Working To End Human Trafficking
Human Trafficking
Sisters In Argentina Working To End Human Trafficking
In the province of Formosa, on Argentina’s north-eastern border, Clorinda is more than just a point on the map. It’s a richly diverse town, including the Qom indigenous people, but it is also witness to the complexities and challenges faced by any border community. Since they arrived in 1992, the Sisters of Mercy have supported the local community in many ways. In 2000, they created Ñande Roga Guazú, a space dedicated to empowering women and children on gender-related issues. The work expanded to include workshops on various topics, including alternative medicine and practical skills, such as sewing and cooking. However, over time, sisters have become ever more committed to the work to end human trafficking and gender violence.
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Stories of Service
Nonviolence And Earth Education At Holy Cross High School In The Philippines
Stories of Service
Nonviolence And Earth Education At Holy Cross High School In The Philippines
At Holy Cross High School in Mindanao, Philippines, students learn about nonviolence through education on caring for Earth and peace-building activities. The school’s educational workshops support participants in implementing eco-friendly practices, including sustainable gardening. In September and October 2023, everyone at the school celebrated the Season of Creation by sharing daily prayer, preparing a sustainable garden, tending school grounds and surrounding areas, and planting calamansi trees. In addition, a group of students and teachers attended an ecology seminar at the Mercy Ecological Center in Sibaruc and planted trees during a visit to KT's Kabuhatan (a Sisters of Mercy ecological center) in Tonggo, Tudela, Misamis Occidental.
Mercy Matters
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Fact
On This Day
February 27, 1851
Sisters take charge of Illinois General Hospital.
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Lenten Resources
Opening Our Hearts Lenten Series 2024
Mercy International Association invites you to our 2024 Lenten series. Each week, from Ash Wednesday, February 14, to March 27, 2024, we will be publishing a reflection by members of Mercy Global Action’s Emerging Leaders Fellowship (MELF). Our theme this year is ‘Opening Our Hearts’. We hope you will find light and inspiration in these reflections and that they enhance and support your Lenten prayer and discernment. Please click on the read more button below to view Mercy International Association's Lenten Reflections 2024.
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Mercy Education Project
Join the Mercy Education Earth Challenge
As a ministry of the Sisters of Mercy, Mercy Education is committed to furthering the goals of the Laudato Si’ Action Platform in order to respond to the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor. For 2024, Year 3 of the Laudato Si’ Action Platform, all Mercy Education member schools are encouraged to choose at least one project to undertake in anticipation of Earth Day on Monday, April 22, 2024. Anyone, person, or group from the Mercy School community can commit to an Earth Challenge. It can be led by administration, faculty or staff, student leadership, student environment clubs, etc. For more information about the Mercy Education Earth Challenge, please click on the link below.
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Social Impact
Opening of Lionel Kelland Hospice, Grand Falls-Windsor Newfoundland
On November 23, 2023, the Lionel Kelland Hospice was officially opened in Grand Falls-Windsor. The hospice is a community project created through the generosity of many people, especially the Presentation Sisters, who have been working closely with the organizing committee for almost ten years. The Sisters donated their St. Catherine’s Renewal Centre property, which has been renovated to accommodate a ten-bed hospice with beautiful space for the families and those caring for the patients. The Sisters of Mercy were given the privilege to name one of the wings. The west wing will be named after Sr. Mary Fabian Hennebury, who established the first palliative care unit at St. Clare's Mercy Hospital in St. Johns in 1979.
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Awards
Mercy Hospitals In America Earn A Grades for Safety
Three Mercy hospitals in the St. Louis region earned A grades in The Leapfrog Group's Fall 2023 Hospital Safety Grade. Mercy Hospital St. Louis, Mercy Hospital South, and Mercy Hospital Washington are among only 30% of hospitals across the country to earn the highest possible grade from the national nonprofit patient safety advocate group. Mercy Hospital St. Louis, with its 23rd straight A dating back to 2010, and Mercy Hospital South, with its 5th straight A dating back to 2021, were designated Leapfrog Straight A hospitals. Mercy Hospital Washington earned its 15th A out of 16 grading periods dating back to 2016. Leapfrog assigns letter grades to hospitals across the country based on more than 30 national performance measures reflecting errors, accidents, injuries, and infections, as well as the processes in place to prevent harm.
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Vows
Sr. Mara Rutten Received As Novice
Sr. Mara Rutten was received as a novice on Sunday, January 7, in Belmont, North Carolina. Mara entered the Sisters of Mercy in September 2020, in Detroit, Michigan. She is now in her canonical year, living in the novitiate in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Gospel reading from Matthew expressed Mara’s commitment to serving God and God’s people: “He said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Matthew 22:37-39) During the ceremony, Mara received the Mercy Cross from Institute Leadership Team (ILT) member Sister Terri Bednarz. The cross represents Mara’s entry into the novitiate as part of her journey in Mercy. Sister Rose Weidenbenner offered a reflection on the Epiphany after the Liturgy of the Word.
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Mercy Associates
The Future Of Leadership By Lynn Anamasi & Amanda Rusmisell
Can a course in leadership change who you are as a leader? As Mercy Associates, we both have embarked on an eighteen-month journey to find out. The course we are taking is a Leadership Collaborative started by the Sisters of Mercy. The Collaborative is now in its ninth year and includes other religious orders and associates from around the globe. Our journey into the Leadership Collaborative started at the beginning of the summer with a self-assessment of how we viewed our leadership skills. We were also asked to engage several of our colleagues, including bosses, peers and others we have encountered in our jobs, in volunteer work, or other ministries to complete the same survey assessing our leadership skills. This produced insightful information on how we currently see ourselves as leaders, and how others see us as leaders.
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Fundraising
Walk For Children
In December 2023, 17 Sisters from the Institute of Our Lady of Mercy in London gathered together and walked 80km to raise funds for the NSPCC's Childline service. Between them, they raised over £1,575 for the NSPCC. This fundraising walk carries forward the rich tradition of Mercy and the ‘Walking Nuns’ who were known for visiting the sick. Childline helps anyone under the age of 19 in the UK who is in need of help. Childline offers a free, confidential, and private 24/7 counseling service. Click on the read more button to view photographs from the day.
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Social Justice Publication
Mercy Sisters Feature In Social Justice Publication
Eight Sisters of Mercy were featured in the recently released book, Social Justice in the Stories of Jesus: The Ethical Challenge of the Parables, by Matthew E. Gordley, Interim Provost and Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Carlow University in Pittsburgh. The book delves into how the stories Jesus told challenge us as we wrestle with complex societal and human rights issues by engaging voices from multiple traditions and examining the parables in their first-century cultural setting. The book came about through the author’s work at Carlow University, where he encountered the Sisters of Mercy, and their devotion to social justice lived out through both contemplation and action. Featured in the book are Sisters Mary-Paula Cancienne, Anne Curtis, Mary Kay Dobrovolny, Diane Guerin, Marilyn Lacey, Cynthia Serjak, Judy Schubert, and Sheila Carney. Click on the read more link to view publication details.
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Vocation Stories
A Nuns Life: Sr Meg Eckart
This month, in their vocation stories section, the website anunslife.org featured an interesting article by Sr. Meg Eckart on her journey to vocation. Meg will profess perpetual vows in July 2024. While born in the United States, Meg entered the Sisters of Mercy in Guyana, South America, where she served for two years with the Mercy Volunteer Corps and said, “The poverty, simplicity, and ministries there would give the most purpose to my life.” Click on read more to view the article.
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Social Work Conference
Targeting The Root Causes Of Issues
In recent months, Sr. Theresia Tina travelled to the Philippines to present at the International Federation of Social Workers Asia-Pacific Conference. She has shared some of her experiences from her well-spent time there. The conference was an event that widened my understanding of the millions of people across the globe who invest their lives for the common good. Social workers came from all over the world. There were about 1,500–2,000 people in attendance. The participants came with their own specialist areas, such as human trafficking, homelessness, climate change, degradation of the earth, gender biased issues, and domestic violence, just to name a few. Some were invited to share, like I was in the share-out rooms. Click on the read more button to view the article.
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Sustainability
Mercy Health Goes Green With New Centralised Recycling Stations
Werribee Mercy Hospital (WMH) and Mercy Hospital for Women (MHW) have each installed a new recycling station. Located at both hospital sites, the stations were implemented as part of a new green initiative, after staff overwhelmingly threw their support behind the idea. Installed in June 2023, the stations support our hospital staff to sustainably dispose of hard-to-recycle items such as coffee pods, medication vial lids, batteries, and small e-waste like cables and headphones. In just over six months, the two stations have already recycled over 40 kilograms of coffee pods, 10,000 medication blister packs, and seven kilograms of medication vial lids.
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Final Vows
Sr. Elizabeth Small Makes Her Profession Of Perpetual Vows In Guyana
Sister Elizabeth Small made her profession of perpetual vows in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Georgetown, Guyana, on Friday, February 2. Elizabeth entered the Sisters of Mercy in 2016 and professed temporary vows on December 12, 2020, Foundation Day. The cathedral was filled with the resplendent voices of the Catholic Combined Choir. For the meditation after communion, Elizabeth chose The Summons, which opens with the line: “Will you come and follow me if I but call your name?” Sister Pat McDermott in her instruction on the vows noted that Elizabeth’s profession took place on February 2, the Feast of the Presentation, which is also the World Day for Consecrated Life.
Further Resources
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Worth Playing
The Carmelite Connection
Mercy Audio Stories is a new digital storytelling project developed by Mercy International Association, celebrating Mercy’s rich and fascinating history. Here is an audio story presented by Mercy Associate Anne Reid entitled: The Carmelite Connection.
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Worth Knowing
Worth Knowing
Water is one of the critical concerns of the Sisters of Mercy. Today, Sisters of Mercy across the world advocate for the right to clean and safe drinking water. World Water Day raises awareness about the issue of water scarcity and the importance of sustainable and equitable water systems. Today, over 2.2 million people do not have access to clean water at home. In addition, over 80% of all wastewater is returned to the environment without sufficient or appropriate treatment. World Water Day raises awareness and galvanizes action to tackle the water and sanitation crisis. This year, World Water Day (Friday, March 22, 2024) will focus on the theme, 'Leveraging Water for Peace'.
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Worth Reading
Mercy Sisters Presence In Schull 1904 – 2022
Read Sr. Gabriel Sweeney's fascinating article on the history of the Sisters of Mercy in Schull, Co. Cork, Ireland.
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Worth Reading
Jesus and the Quiet Place
Read Sr. Kathleen Rushton’s powerful gospel reflection on Mark 1:12-13.
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Worth Playing
The Tablet Podcast
Listen to Ruth Gledhill's fascinating interview with historian and author Dr. Ambrogio A. Caiani, whose new book ‘Losing a Kingdom, Gaining the World’ explores the story of the Catholic Church and its practices and traditions in the modern age.
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Worth Reading
Reflection on Mark 9:2-10 By Sr. Veronica Lawson
Read Sr. Veronica Lawson’s insightful gospel reflection on the Gospel on the 2nd Sunday of Lent, Year B (Mark 9:2–10).
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Worth Playing
The Poco A Poco Podcast
Listen to Fr. Innocent, Fr. Angelus, and Fr. Mark-Mary, members of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, for their weekly podcast, Poco a Poco! This charming podcast offers 'practical spirituality' in conversation format.
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Worth Reading
The Woman At The Pulpit
Read Sr. Attracta Tighe's moving reflection, The Woman at the Pulpit. This reflection is published in the new blog series from the Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy. To view more articles from the series, please visit www.sistersofmercy.ie/blogs.
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Worth Reading
Mercy Moments: Blessings and Grace
This year, Mercy Moments, which is produced by Mercy Partners, will focus on personal spirituality. Read Sr. Catherine Reuter’s wonderful reflection, Blessings and Grace.
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Worth Reading
Pope Francis's Commitment To Pastoral Theology
Read Michael Sean Winters' thought-provoking opinion piece for the National Catholic Reporter on Pope Francis's commitment to pastoral theology.
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Worth Reading
Carbon Fast For Lent
Would you take part in a carbon fast for Lent? Read author and journalist Fr. Thomas J. Reese's engaging article on carbon fasting for the National Catholic Reporter.
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Worth Reading
Pope Francis Reflects On The Role Of Women In The Church
Read Pope Francis's interesting reflection on the role of women in the church, published in Vatican News.
ReadMembers of Mercy International
Members of Mercy International Association share the passion of their foundress, Catherine McAuley, to bring mercy to people who are poor, sick and uneducated.
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Mercy eNews
The newsletter of Mercy International Association is published monthly and distributed to subscribers via email. If you have any queries about the newsletter, please contact mercyenews@mercyinternational.ie
For more information on the directors click here
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