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Introducing our new CEO Mary O'Donovan
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We are delighted to announce the appointment of Mary O’Donovan as our new Chief Executive Officer. Mary will succeed outgoing CEO Sr. Patricia O’Donovan rsm, who will stay on with MIA in a leadership role on the Opening Doors initiative.
Mary has 30 years of experience working in the non-profit sector in Ireland and overseas, and she comes to MIA from the role of Executive Director at the National Maternity Hospital Foundation at Holles Street, Dublin, where she has been building capacity and funding to advance healthcare for women and babies.
Commenting on her appointment, Mary said, "I am very happy to be taking up the role of CEO at Mercy International Association. Especially now as the Mercy Family prepares for the celebration of the opening 200 years ago of Catherine McAuley's First House of Mercy on Baggot Street. From this sacred place in the heart of Dublin, Catherine's vision and mission has extended across the globe through generations of Mercy Sisters who continue to make an impact today.
"In my role as CEO of MIA, I will work with the Mercy Global Family to preserve Catherine's heritage and legacy, calling on her spirit of hospitality, charity and Mercy that is evident in every corner of what is now the Mercy International Centre. I also hope to contribute my practical experience and skills from the global Health, Education and Environmental organisations I have worked for in Ireland and overseas.
"Catherine's work and legacy is an inspiration to me, and I feel both privileged and excited to be joining MIA at this time"
Mercy In Action
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MGA at Commission for Social Development
MGA at Commission for Social Development
From 10 - 14 February, Mercy Global Action actively participated in the 63rd session of the Commission for Social Development, focusing on solidarity, social inclusion, social cohesion and advocating to protect the rights of the most marginalized and excluded in our communities.
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Mercy Global Action
MELF Cohort 4 anticipate trip to New York
Mercy Global Action
MELF Cohort 4 anticipate trip to New York
Our Mercy Global Action (MGA) office is looking forward to welcoming the Fellows from MELF Cohort 4 to New York City. Ahead of their arrival, MGA asked the Fellows what they are looking forward to about their immersion trip to New York.
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MELF Cohort 5 to be announced on 8 March
MELF Cohort 5 to be announced on 8 March
Cohort 5 of our Mercy Global Action Emerging Leaders Fellowship will be announced on Saturday 8 March - International Women's Day. We look forward to sharing the details of our next MELF group with you and to getting to know them.
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Sister Mary Waskowiak walks with migrants
Sister Mary Waskowiak walks with migrants
Coffee in hand, Sister Mary Waskowiak takes her seat on a meditation cushion the morning after the consequential U.S. presidential election. She and four other women sit silently in the chapel of Casa de Misericordia – the House of Mercy – in San Diego, California, contemplating the election’s meaning for their migrant friends and for their ministry.
Mercy Matters
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Fact
On This Day
February 27
1840
M Clare Augustine Moore professed at Baggot St.
2005
The Sister Mary Hanrahan Arts Faculty Building is opened at Villa Maria College, Christchurch. It is named for Mary Hanrahan rsm, Principal of the College for 20 years.
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Communications
Episode One of Mercy Echoes Podcast goes live
Episode One of our new podcast went live this month. Sr. Elizabeth Davis rsm spoke about transformation and synodality. She shared insights into the processes of the Synod, Synodal Prophets and Missionaries, how we keep the Spirit of the Synod alive and stitch it into the Jubilee Year and how we have enough now to transform our Church and our World.
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Spirituality
Lent 2025: the interlinking strands of Mercy, Justice and Hope
This Lent we are focusing on the interlinking stands of Mercy, Justice and Hope. When we are moved by compassion to reach out to others, to act for Justice and Mercy, we can be a sign of hope to the world. Our theme this year links to the Jubilee Year of Hope we are celebrating in the universal Church.
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Opening Doors Update
Opening Doors is part of our response to the challenges facing Mercy today. After wide-ranging consultation, five themes emerged as significant to our Mercy companions: Action for Justice, Communications, Formation, Structures and Youth Engagement. We share an update with you for February.
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Heritage
Mercy International Centre hosts conference on investing in fulfilment of Laudato Si'
We were delighted to host a gathering of representatives from various religious congregations and missionary societies at Mercy International Centre on 15 February. The event was organised by Vita Impact to explore Laudato Si' in action and the ways in which we can meet the challenges of Laudato Si' through faith aligned investment for social and climate justice.
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Death of Sr. Mary Hanrahan rsm, former Director of MIA
We received some sad news earlier this month, from the Sisters of Mercy New Zealand Ngā Whaea Atawhai o Aotearoa, of the death of Sr. Mary Hanrahan rsm, on 2 February. Mary was the Director of Mercy International Centre (MIC) from 1997 to 2001. One of many highlights during her time at MIC was welcoming the gift to the Centre of Catherine McAuley’s ring.
Further Resources
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Worth Reading
Mercy Moment
We invite you to check out our #MercyMoment which is a pause for thought we share each day on our Instagram and Facebook pages.
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Worth Reading
Pope Francis' Message for Lent 2025
In his Message for Lent 2025, Pope Francis invites the faithful to “journey together in hope," and to take the opportunity of the upcoming Lenten Season to ask ourselves whether we are truly willing to heed God's call to change our lives.
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Worth Knowing
Catherine McAuley and the Mission of Mercy
Our 'Catherine McAuley and the Mission of Mercy' exhibition offers visitors a fascinating library of heritage audio recordings, an interactive digital archive, and a unique collection of stories, photos, and artefacts from the first House of Mercy founded by Catherine McAuley in 1827 in Baggot Street, Dublin.
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Worth Watching
Official Hymn for the Jubilee Year
The official hymn for the Jubilee Year is called Pilgrims of Hope. It is available in video format, as well as in various languages. The hymn was written by Pierangelo Sequeri and set to music by Francesco Meneghello.
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Worth Knowing
New content on our Preservica Heritage Portal
We have opened up our Mercy Heritage using an online tool called Preservica. This tool has allowed us to store, catalogue, preserve and make available our archival material. We will be adding some content relating to the illuminated works of Sr. Clare Augustine Moore.
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Worth Watching
MGA's Cecilie Kern at the UN
During the recent Commission for Social Development, MGA's Cecilie Kern delivered an oral statement on behalf of the NGO Committee on Migration, calling on United Nations Member States “to demonstrate leadership in dismantling systems that isolate and oppress migrants, refugees, asylum seekers, and diaspora communities, and to reframe these discussions to promote social cohesion and remove barriers to social cohesion – to focus on solidarity and reciprocity, and to ensure that people on the move, who often have a very limited voice in the political and media narratives around them, are given space to be part of these discussions.
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Worth Knowing
Young Mercy Leaders' Pilgrimage 2025
Find out more about this year's Young Mercy Leaders' Pilgrimage which in 2025 will focus on secondary school (high school) students and take place from 1st to 4th of July. The Young Mercy Leaders’ Pilgrimage is an opportunity for second level students to gather together in Mercy International Centre in Dublin for a journey of empowerment and leadership.
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Worth Reading
Coordinators and secretaries of the ten Synod Study Groups hold meeting
Representatives of the ten Synod Study Groups set up by the Pope met on 18 February to present an update on their work. Cardinal Mario Grech reminded participants of the importance of considering external contributions, which can still be submitted via email (synodus@synod.va) to the General Secretariat until 31 March 2025.
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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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