A Message from Elizabeth MacNeal, Head of Heritage and Spirituality

On the 1st of January, I officially started my position as Head of Heritage and Spirituality at Mercy International Association. After relocating to Ireland from the United States, my first two weeks were spent in quarantine on the top floor of Baggot Street. This time provided a unique opportunity to transition in the quiet, to envision what the future might hold, and to draw closer to Catherine.

While we are certainly still living in unprecedented times, the hospitality of our Mercy community remains stronger than ever. I’m so grateful to the MIA Dublin staff for welcoming me in the midst of a national lockdown, to Anna Nicholls rsm for her enthusiastic virtual handover meetings across many time zones from New Zealand, and to each of you for your kind messages. While many of us remain physically distanced, this transition has been a wonderful reminder of the connectedness of Mercy.

It is this connectedness that gives me hope for the future. We at MIA remain dedicated to offering opportunities for the Mercy community to experience our heritage, to gather in renewal of our Mercy spirituality, and to be pilgrims to this sacred space. It is my hope in the coming weeks to evaluate the possibilities of these opportunities being offered in-person, and also to explore how MIA might accomplish these opportunities digitally. This year will certainly require new creativity in offering programs, tours, and resources, but I’m confident that we at MIA will find ways to do so that are both safe and enriching.

I hope this new year has brought new energy for each of you. I’m eager to welcome each of you to Baggot Street, in person or online, in the coming months; and, I’m hopeful that together we will continue to carry Catherine’s vision and legacy into the future.

Messages to: Elizabeth MacNeal - Head of Heritage and Spirituality