Christmas Greetings to  you all as we prepare to celebrate the coming of the Christ child, the basis of our belief that God is truly with us in this life, in this world, in this universe. Emmanuel. Perhaps we could pray this Sufi prayer for one another – ‘Your light is in all forms, Your love in all beings. Allow us to recognise you in all your holy names and forms’.

We, together with our partners in ministry and associates, continue to reflect on the outcome of the MIRP Process. The Holon, the beautiful images and the Global Heart remind us that we are all part of all that is and all that is is part of us. Let us actively respond therefore in whatever way we can in relation to the degradation of Earth and the displacement of people.

We give thanks to God for the twenty-five years since MIA came into existence; for the one hundred and ninety years since the opening of Baggot Street; and for all of you who join us on our Mercy journey or who find their own path to mirroring God’s mercy.

May we recognise and enjoy the love, peace, joy and mercy of Emmanuel this Christmas.

Messages to: Margaret Casey rsm

With the end of 2017 in sight,  we recall with gratitude the engagement of Mercy people around the world in the Mercy International Reflection Process and the subsequent exploration of Mercy Global Presence. Together we are engaged in the search for shared responses to the cry of the Earth and the cry of the Poor in our world today, flaming the fire of Mercy in us and in our Universe.

Francis, in announcing the new beatitudes for a new time, invited us to be messengers of God’s mercy and tenderness to meet ‘the troubles and anxieties of our age with the spirit and love of Jesus’ (Pope Francis 2016). As we celebrate Christmas we reflect on the mystery of love and tenderness, God among us, knowing that mystery holds both sorrow and joy, darkness and hope.

As you celebrate Christmas may you be blessed with love and tenderness.

MIA Board of Directors Ron Ashworth, Sue Clarke, Kevin Hoy, Mary Moorhead and Sisters Scholasticah Nganda, Margaret Casey, Collette Cronin, Sheila Carney, Denise Fox and Mary Reynolds

Messages to: Denise Fox rsm

May we welcome Christ into the home of our own hearts this Christmas and make room for those for whom there is no place in our world today.

Messages to: Mary Reynolds rsm

Christmas Greetings from Mercy Congregations and Institutes, Mercy Communities, Sisters, Associates and partners-in-Mercy across the Mercy world are linked to this item.

Messages to: the Editor

Image: iStock. Used under licence

We pray for those not at home within themselves-
those with dementia, whose brains fail them,
the mentally ill, whose minds disturb them,
the depressed and struggling rural workers,
the long-term itinerants of our vast cities,
the workers enslaved by venal systems.
 

Messages to: Mary Reynolds rsm - Executive Director MIA

Post your own Prayer or Reflection in our online Chapel

An interactive version of this prayer is linked to this item.

Throughout 2017 we have been fortunate to publish the long-form writing of a number of our Mercy authors, articles which were written for MercyeNews at our invitation.

The complete collection can be downloaded here:
A4 Paper size (30pps, PDF),  US Letter Size (30 pps, PDF)

The individual articles as well as the complete collection, are linked to this item.

Messages to: Mary Reynolds rsm - Executive Director

Thank you to all our contributors for news items, the longform articles and prayer services, the MIRP reports, responses to the 8 invitations, the Season of Creation photographs, comments on the live streams and suggestions of resources, all of which have helped build the global Mercy community online.

A very special thanks to Elsa Valdiviezo and the Staff of the Communications Office at the Institute of the Americas for their translations of the key materials for the Mercy International Reflection Process (MIRP).

Messages to: the Editor

This is the 49th and final issue of Mercy E-news for 2017 (Issues #705-754). All issues for this year have been archived online and are linked to this item.

The first issue of Mercy E-News for 2018 will be published on Wednesday, 24 January. Please send your contributions for the first issue of Mercy News to the Editor by Friday, 19 January.

Messages to: the Editor

On 30 November 2017 we reached 1,500,000 visitors to our Mercyworld.org website in 2017, a figure we have now surpassed. This is most impressive and we are delighted!

Thank you to all our readers for your ongoing interest, support, encouragement, and feedback.

We encourage all members of our Mercy family and, in particular, our Mercy ministries, to submit your news items for our consideration for publication. Through MercyeNews and our website you have the opportunity to reach a global Mercy audience.

Messages to: the Editor

A number of programmes are in place for 2018 including Wellspring,  the month-long renewal program for vowed Mercy women with Srs Liz Dowling, Elizabeth Davis, Mary C. Sullivan and MIA Team, and the Young Mercy Leaders Pilgrimage for school leavers, college and university students ages 18-25 in 2018.

Download the programme to see the variety of opportunities on offer, or contact Anna Nicholls rsm to discuss your requirements for a programme tailored to the needs of your Mercy group.

2018 Programme: A4 Paper size, US Letter size (2pp col. PDF)

Messages to: Anna Nicholls rsm - Team Leader Heritage & Spirituality

'We are all familiar with Luke’s story of the annunciation, a story that has inspired artists through the ages. God’s messenger, Gabriel, approaches a young Galilean Jewish woman, Mary of Nazareth, and greets her as God’s graced one..'

Read the Reflection on the Gospel by Veronica Lawson rsm (ISMAPNG)

Listen to the Gospel read by Fr Eamonn O'Connor (Ireland)

Catholic Health Association (CHA) USA, of which Mercy Health systems are members, has produced a video for each of the four weeks of Advent

Week Four (04:01) is linked to this item.

Our list of free, online, new for 2017 Advent Resources can be accessed here

'The readings for the Christmas liturgies vary from celebration to celebration. The gospel for Midnight Mass (Lk 2:1-14) comes from the great story-teller Luke, as does the gospel for the early morning Mass (Lk 2:15-20)...'

Read the Reflection on the Gospel by Veronica Lawson rsm (ISMAPNG)

Listen to the Gospel read by Fr Eamonn O'Connor (Ireland)

1859: M Agnes O'Connor, Foundress died, New York

Contribute a fact about the Story of the Sisters of Mercy in your congregation or institute to our online archive

'History, drama, hope, joy, bemusement and deep mystery are all part of the Christmas story in our liturgical celebrations. And are not these elements part of the sacred stories of our lives as well? Every element in the story of Jesus also belongs to us.'

Watch the video reflection (03:46) linked to this item.

Examples of auto-replies on emails used at holiday time. For your enjoyment and example

Source: NYTimes