Feedback
Those involved in the Research Conference (November 2007) continue to invite all Sisters of Mercy, Associates, Companions, co-workers and partners in ministry to comment, if they wish, on the Conference itself, its theme, the research papers that were prepared beforehand, the presentations that occurred at the Conference, and the Vision, Theology, and Praxis that emerged.
As you take up the theological reflection process in your local contexts, this Feedback page will provide a space in which you can share experiences - vision, theology and praxis - with others in our Mercy World and beyond.
Please submit your comments to mircfeedback@mercyworld.org. They will then be inserted on this Feedback page. Thank you in advance for your generous involvement.
This story dates back to July 3rd 2007. I was sitting in my home at 1 Mornington Way, Trim, Co. Meath, reading the Mercy e-news. About the second item on the news that week was the announcement of the Mercy International Research Conference, which would take place at the Mercy Centre in Burlingame, California from 9th – 12th November 2007. Having some time to spare I decided to read further to see who was attending from Ireland. Perhaps I thought I was being somewhat insular, I’m not sure, but something within me moved me to continue reading. I very quickly came across the name Tui Cadigan from the New Zealand Sisters of Mercy who was to attend this same conference. I wondered to myself, “Who is this lady”? “Where does her surname come from? “There’s not much difference between Cadigan and Cadogan”! (My surname)
I immediately emailed the Sisters of Mercy in New Zealand, explaining who I was….a Mercy Sister from Ireland and asked them to forward my email to Tui. The following morning I had a reply from Tui telling me briefly about herself. She wrote that she thought her ancestors came from Bantry, Co. Cork. I decided to investigate further, given that my father also came from Bantry! I emailed Tui again and asked her to send me details of her father and grandfather. Thanks to our technological advances, I had a further email from Tui by the following morning which included photographs of her parents, grandfather and great-grandfather. I knew as soon as I saw the photograph of her father that we had to be related – as he bore some resemblance to one or two of my brothers!!
I phoned my Auntie Kathleen in Bantry who has details of our family tree and told her my story. To my great surprise she knew all about Tui and her family. I had to slow her down as, along with her west Cork accent, she gets very excited when talking about various branches of the family! I finally discovered from her that Tui and I are third cousins, sharing the same great, great grandparents! The one piece of information my auntie Kathleen didn’t have was that Tui is a Mercy Sister from Aotearoa New Zealand! Through the Mercy e-news I learned that she is one of two Sisters of Mercy of Maori descent and is the delegate for Maori Religious on Te Runanga o Te Hahi Katorika ki Aotearoa (National Catholic Maori Council). She works primarily with Maori in the community and within Government organisations. She affiliates to the three South Island Iwi (tribes) of Waitaha, Ngati Mamoe and Poutini Ngai Tahu.
Last week on 13th November I phoned the Mercy Centre in Burlingame and spoke on the telephone to Tui for the very first time. Between our Cadogan / Cadigan and our Mercy connections, I felt that we had known each other all our lives. Who knows when and where we might actually meet in the future!!
This is quite an amazing experience for me that a Mercy link should be “accidentially” discovered, through the Mercy e-news. It shows me with certainty that there is a powerful communion throughout all creation, irrespective of time and distance. It also gives me a deeper understanding of the importance of being aware and attentive to the apparent “accidental” events in our daily lives. Finally, I’m left wondering, what if any difference is there, between an “i” and an “o” when it comes to relationships and Mercy?
Cecilia Cadogan rsm (Ireland)
Nga mihi arohanui, Members of Mercy International Research Conference
Warm greetings from Aotearoa New Zealand. By the time you begin the conference I shall be in retreat (9-16 Nov) and re-membering you all ever so often in prayer from a glorious situation high above the sea and in sight of our Southern Alps – Tui and Seno, you know Sr Eveleen House and, Janet, we walked along the waterfront in August.
Since beginning to read and ponder over the conference papers just over two weeks ago, I have drawn into your circle of global Mercy women focusing on “Fire Cast on the Earth – Kindling”: Being Mercy in the Twenty-First Century as a listener in my context. I have been warmed, encouraged and challenged by the strength of global Mercy rippling outwards to draw me ever more deeply in the ongoing articulation of experience, of context, of dialogue with the Tradition and living into new vision, new theology an new praxis for Mercy.
I have been extended, troubled and enlivened by the multifaceted scope of the papers as I worked my way through them in the order listed on the website – here I can only mention a few. From different contexts: disturbed by Elizabeth’s paper on global human trafficking and Anne’s paper on Kibera (our community watched The Constant Gardener DVD last weekend); from History – Mary’s paper drew such parallels between Catherine’s age and ours. Her thread of the spiritual works of Mercy were found in Janet’s paper and Pat’s; to claim our distinctive contribution (Doris); Elaine’s engagement with Elizabeth D’s paper.
Some phrases that have stayed with me:
A call to do deeper,
”voluntary poverty was for them a theological and practical necessity”;
“Spiritually ignorant of a mature theology of God”
“I will be the face of love for you”
“from … these eleven have come through the providence of God, the 9710 Sisters of Mercy in the world today,”
“kindling”
I look forward to ripples/kindling which this conference will make in the Mercy world and beyond…
Kath Rushton rsm (Aotearoa New Zealand)
As our Mercy Researchers gather for the Mercy International Research Conference in Burlingame, I send greetings and wishes on behalf of the Sisters of Mercy of Newfoundland. May your global reflection on "'Fire Cast on the Earth -- Kindling': Being Mercy in the Twenty-First Century" inflame and enhance Mercy worldwide.
Blessings, prayers and good wishes for a successful and rewarding conference. We eagerly anticipate receiving the fruits of your work.
With our thoughts and prayers,
Sisters of Mercy in Newfoundland
Love and all good wishes,
Marion Mc Carthy rsm (Great Britain)
Thank you for the papers prepared for the conference. I am so pleased that they are available to all. I pray that your time together will be enlivened by knowning that we are "standing with you", and look forward to reading about your time together and being challenged by what it means "to be Mercy in the twenty-first century".
Berice Livermore rsm (Mercy Australia)
To all the members of Mercy International Research Conference,
Bail O Dhia ar an Obair
I send greetings to each of you as you gather to engage in theological reflection on the theme:
“Fire Cast On the Earth-Kindling’: Being Mercy in the Twenty- First Century.”
Thank you for the inspirational and challenging papers you have already prepared and made available to us through the Sisters of Mercy Web-site. Through them you have provided a wonderful opportunity for all of us Mercy women to reflect together on the Conference theme at this time of new kindling for Mercy International Association. I look forward to the daily update from you and promise that you will be specially and frequently remembered in prayer over the next three days.
May the God-Three continue to inspire you as you share wisdom and search together and through this Conference may all of us be renewed in courage to flame forth in a great outpouring of Mercy for our world at this time.
Breege 0’Neill rsm (Ireland)
Congratulations on this profound entry into the Mercy heart in this century! I have read many of the papers and have been imprinted with the Mercy themes, especially of women, which strand through them all like rivers and streams.
I especially appreciate Elizabeth Davis' questions - they are leads into the future - and I wonder what it would mean to have a whole conference on "trimming our sails" at this moment in our history?
Though I want to read again and more closely, let me say that at this time I thank Mary Sullivan and Pat Fox for emphasizing the presence of "spiritual ignorance" and how deeply Catherine realized the link between the spiritual and corporal works of Mercy. That one thought draws me in right now; not only the spiritual wilderness of our world, betrayed again and again by institutions of every ilk, but how we as Catherine's descendants can make that link more visible and present. You have set me off into this exploration, and I thank you all.
Brenda Peddigrew rsm (Newfoundland)
Nga mihi o te wa and warm greetings to you all
I am following with great interest the work of the conference. What a gift your reflections will be to us all. With love and best wishes for a fruitful and enjoyable conference.
God bless
Ma te Atua koutou e manaaki
Denise Fox rsm (Aotearoa New Zealand)
I appreciate so much the work you are doing on behalf of Mercy and our world in need. And thank you for sharing your reflections and thinking with us. It's refreshing for mind and spirit. Many continued blessings!
Therese Randolph rsm (San Luis Obispo, California, USA)
Greetings to you all from the Communications Office of the Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy, Ireland.
I have been thinking of you all as you go through these days of the MIRC Conference. It is a wonderful occasion and an important one for the Mercy World. We have all drawn our inspiration from the one source and it is on occasions when we come together, that we realize how much we have in common.
I have been reading the Research Papers and there is food for thought there for a long time to come.
Thank you for making the fruits of your research available to all Sisters of Mercy throughout the world.
With best wishes for the remaining days.
Sincerely,
Ailish O'Brien rsm (Sisters of Mercy Ireland)
Greetings, prayers and good wishes as you continue to work with the Holy Spirit during these special days in Burlingame. A special 'hello' to the Irish contingent!!
In thought and prayer.
Nancy Clarke rsm (Galway, Ireland)
Good morning all!
Every good wish and blessing to all MIRC participants as you conclude your deliberations to-day and set off for home. We have been 'praying the Prayer' and reading the Papers and look forward to the outcomes.
May 2007 marked the formal setting up a new trustee body for all the Mercy and Presentation second level-schools in the Republic of Ireland. We are now in the process of practical transfer to this new body called CEIST - Catholilc Education an Irish Schools Trust (www.ceist.com). This is part of a 'succession' plan for the provision of Catholic education based on Gospel values in Ireland 'after we're gone'. It is putting our resources at the service of people/education/the Church in a new way. Given our age profile, we see this as a prudent provision. Having worked on the Project Team for the new trustees body I have been challenged by Mary Sullivan's paper and her confident assertion that Catherine McAuley to-day would 'create for women and children new Mercy schools of all types in destitute areas of the world where they are most needed' I find myself grappling with that idea and how it might look in practice, without letting ourselves be over influenced by the Tír na nÓg (illusion of perpetual youth) syndrome ... a collaborative international Mercy venture... a campaign to rally the involvement of young teachers for a limited period of time in third world locations ... provision of Mercy funding for such a venture ...
The re-call to poverty and spirituality seemed very comfortable beside this!!
Thank you Mary!
Canice Hanrahan rsm (Ireland)
Dear Sisters,
Greetings to you all from Australia. The MIRC sounds very exciting. I'm looking forward to hearing more.
Love and prayers,
Cheryl Camp rsm (Australia)
Dear Sisters,
Just to let you know that we continue to pray for the good work going on in Burlingame. The articles are truly inspirational and it is wonderful to be able to have them while you continue the theological reflection. Thank you to each one of you.
Blessings from Catherine’s House
Caitlin Conneely rsm (Ireland)
Dear All,
I am thinking of you and hope that the research conference is going well.
Kindest regards,
Annette Schneider rsm (Australia)
The Prayerful support of the Sisters of the Institute of Our Lady of Mercy Great Britain is with you at this time.
Philippa Kohlbecker rsm (Institute of Our Lady of Mercy Great Britain)
Dear Research Conference Delegates
Thank you for all the information being received online from your conference. I wish you every blessing of love and wisdom as you continue your conference, on behalf of Mercy. You are being remembered in my heart as I pray, and I look forward to reading the Briefing papers etc.
Warm wishes,
Kathleen Friel rsm (Western Province, Ireland)
Congratulations to all of you who participated in this great and glorious event. I am overwhelmed with the wealth of Mercy that is available through the web site All of you who prepared and presented articles, talks, etc. are the best of 'Mercy'. I look forward to praying with you as we move on and reading all the research papers that were presented at this conference and hopefully contributing to being Mercy in the 21st Century. I hope you enjoyed your time in Burlingame.
Blessings in Mercy,
Joan Lauriente, Associate (Burlingame...soon to be West Midwest)
The paper which Janet Ruffing presented to the Conference afforded me much food for reflection. Having been in one of Janet’s classes at Fordham University, many of her comments in this paper resonated with me. There are several sections in the paper which I would like to reflect on but will select only one, namely, that entitled ‘Signs of Hope’. Janet cites Albert Nolan: people are responding to injustice with compassion. A sign of hope indeed. I add some reflections.
As long as we can hear a voice appropriating the words of Job:
“Where, then, is my hope? Who can see any happiness for me?”,
we surely pray with Francis of Assisi: “Where there’s despair in life, let me bring hope.” Despair is encountered in news from every part of the globe and there are many analysis of the phenomenon. Let me offer another perception:
“The cultural scene is dominated by individualism, consumerism and materialism. The same forces minimise the sense of community and help create alienation, disaffection and selfishness …... the dominant values of a consumer culture ….. its by-products: greed, self-interest and lack of compassion.”
Against these dominant ‘values’, many people, especially the young, are lured into drug culture and turn to crime. Yet there is evidence – this is where I see signs of hope – that people are seeking sources for what is inspirational – some call it ‘spiritual’, and striving to emerge from the trough of despair. Many young people appreciate the care offered by adults, especially good teachers, who hold out to them an alternative to the dominant culture of today and who are ready to ‘walk the talk’ with them.
However, it would be foolhardy to deny that more and more problems press on us and vie for attention. But New Year annually awakens an instinct for aspirations and hope for the immediate future. We hope and pray that humanity will aspire to greater things and to a better world. A New Year cannot help but provide a beacon of hope.
Thank you to those who organised this remarkable Conference. Special thanks for sharing the papers with those not present and allowing us to be part of this important event.
Sr Patricia Orr rsm (Scotland)
