Sisters of Mercy and partners-in-Mercy responded to the invitation to gather together online across the Mercy world last Thursday to watch the release of Laudato Si', with at least 770 members of the Mercy family logged on and accessing the Vatican livestream via the mercyworld.org website. During and shortly after the Vatican launch, Sisters and partners-in-Mercy from Aotearoa New Zealand, Newfoundland, Philippines, America, Ireland, Australia and England posted their initial responses to this inspiring event. As Mercy Congregations and Institutes have issued Statements, these have been posted online here on mercyworld.org

We welcome your response to the encyclical and invite you to share with the Mercy world, using the comment facility (attached to this item) or through a more detailed response published in eNews or on the website, how you have been inspired to action in response to the Pope's challenge 'to protect our common home'.

Messages to: Mary Reynolds rsm - Executive Director MIA

MIA invites us to join with Pope Francis in offering his prayer for the earth, included at the conclusion of his encyclical -

'All-powerful God, you are present in the whole universe
and in the smallest of your creatures.
You embrace with your tenderness all that exists.
Pour out upon us the power of your love,
that we may protect life and beauty.
Fill us with peace, that we may live
as brothers and sisters, harming no one.
O God of the poor,
help us to rescue the abandoned and forgotten of this earth,
so precious in your eyes...'

Post your own Prayer or Reflection in our online Chapel

Messages to: Mary Reynolds rsm - Executive Director MIA

An opportunity will become available later in 2015 for a Sister of Mercy to be appointed to the role of Assistant Director with responsibility for Administration and Finance.

The position will be based in Dublin with, initially, a 3 year contract.

The successful candidate will
-be able to demonstrate an understanding of Mercy International Association;
-have experience in personnel management;
-possess well developed interpersonal and organisational skills;
-be sufficiently experienced and competent to oversee financial matters;
-be proficient with Word and Excel.

Applications will close on Tuesday, 30 June, 2015.

Download the advertisement here ( 2pps; PDF)

Download the Referee template here (Word)

Applications to: Mary Reynolds rsm -Executive Director MIA

Position Inquiries to: Sylvia Williams rsm - Assistant Director Administration and Finance

God of love and mercy, touch with your healing power and restore to full health all whose names are on our prayer list.

We ask this with confidence through the intercession of Venerable Catherine McAuley. Amen.

Messages to: the Vice postulators

'Nga mihi atawhai - greetings to all in Mercy! Providence, says Catherine McAuley’s biographer Mary C. Sullivan, is the most frequent reference to God in all her writings. "Her notable confidence in God – expressed repeatedly in her letters and implicit in all the prayers that were especially significant to her – was grounded in her faith in God’s mysterious but benevolent providence." The Path of Mercy, The Life of Catherine McAuley, p160'...

Messages to: Katrina Fabish rsm - Congregation Leader

This year, Mercy Investment Services has been monitoring three trucking firms on resolutions filed last year. Mercy Investments learned that more than 3,000 drivers have received certification by Truckers Against Trafficking (TAT) and are serving as eyes and ears across U.S. highways. In addition, companies have supported TAT financially and are addressing the issue in their newsletters. One of the firms, Con-way, released a story where one of its drivers reported a suspicious incident.

Read how  this truck driver's actions saved a young woman being trafficked. 

Messages to: Pat Zerega - Senior Director of Shareholder Advocacy

Congratulations to all Sisters of Mercy who have received local and national awards recently. News has reached us of the following commendations -

Sr Noel Menezes (Americas/Guyana) received the second highest government annual award, the Order of Roraima, at the Guyana Independence Day celebrations on 26 May. This award is 'limited to only thirty five living Guyanese recipients. Established in 1976, it awarded to any citizen of Guyana who has given outstanding service to the nation'. (Wikipedia)

Messages to: Noel Menezes rsm

Sr Kerry Gordon (ISMAPNG ) has been awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM ) as part of the recent Queen’s Birthday honours, for her service to the performing arts as a teacher and to the community of Townsville.

Messages to: Kerry Gordon rsm c/- Northern Administration Centre

Annually, the Catholic Health Association of the United States (CHA) presents its Achievement Award to an original, bold, innovative program that delivers measurable results for communities served.  The 2015 Achievement Citation Award has been presented to Dignity Health Mercy and Memorial Hospitals’ Department of Special Needs and Community Outreach, Bakersfield, California.  Their wonderful 'Beyond the Walls' joint community benefit offerings of 45 diverse programs and services, including health education and antipoverty programs, 'fundamentally alters the health care dynamics for high-risk, underserved populations'.

To learn more about the program's portfolio in operation, watch the inspiring video here (06:28)

Messages to: Debbie Hull - Regional Director at Mercy and Memorial Hospitals
 

Image: l-r: Stephanie Weber and Debbie Hull accept the Achievement Citation Award for the "Beyond the Walls" program at the 2015 Catholic Health Assembly. Photo by Evelyn Hockstein © The Catholic Health Association. Used with permission

On 4 June 2015 1700 students of Monte Sant’ Angelo Mercy College North Sydney and Mercy Catholic College Chatswood joined with the Sisters of Mercy North Sydney and community to celebrate the Sesquicentenary (150 years anniversary) of the Sisters of Mercy North Sydney.

This was an auspicious and historical event with more than 2000 members of the local community coming together to honour and pay their respects through prayer, to the foundress Mother Elizabeth Ignatius McQuoin and the Sisters of Mercy North Sydney past and present....

Messages to:
Loreto Conroy rsm - Congregational Leader, Sisters of Mercy North Sydney Congregation
Deanne O'Shea - Director Development & Community Relations Monte Sant' Angelo

The San Francisco Department of the Environment recently recognized Mercy High School with a special award.  Mercy High School was one of five schools and the only school directed by a religious institute in San Francisco that was recognized for diverting 76% of total waste thanks to our “Blue, Green and Yellow” bin identification program.  Mercy was also recognized for creating art from recycled materials, and for maintaining a school garden on campus. Eleven Mercy students, and five staff members attended a special ceremony in San Francisco City Hall where several of our students were interviewed by local newspapers.  The representatives received a special trophy - made of recycled materials of course - from the Department of the Environment...

Read the rest of the report here (PDF)

Messages to Rita Cutarelli - Associate Principal of Mission and Campus Life

On the beautiful Feast of Corpus Christi, June 7, 2015, Mercy Associate Relationship welcomed three new members - Thomasina (Tomi) Cleal, Lois Craig and Helen Dalton. The Ritual  of Commitment was celebrated in the Sacred Heart Chapel of Mercy Convent. Associates came from as far away as Baie Verte, Conception Bay North and South, St. John’s and across the “loppy” tickle from Bell Island to join with Sisters of Mercy and friends to celebrate the joyous occasion. Every pew and Prie Dieu was filled to the delight of all present...

Download a full account of this joyful occasion (PDF)

Messages to: Diane Smyth rsm - Congregation Leadership Team

Sixteen Brisbane Sisters of Mercy recently celebrated sixty, fifty and forty years of service and ministry with members of the Congregation.

'On the Feast of Pentecost as we recall the outpouring of the Spirit of God in gratitude, let us acknowledge the compassionate and faithful commitment to the service of the gospel made and lived across the decades by our Sister Jubilarians. May the Spirit continue to transform you - being your breath and hope.

Messages to: Brisbane Sister Jubilarians c/- Kay Lane rsm

Editor: In last week's Mercy eNews we shared the story of neighbouring OLMC Parramatta and Arrupe Place. This piece concludes the story, for the present.

In the last week of term OLMC Parramatta held a winter appeal through our Homerooms. Each Homeroom was given a Winter Warmer Box which was filled to the brim with donations of blankets, jumpers, gloves and scarves and so forth.

Mercy Action Representatives yesterday took the donations to Aruppe Place, located in Coolock Cottage (which was provided to Jesuit Refugee Service to use from the Sisters of Mercy Parramatta). JRS will distribute the items to refugees in Western Sydney to help ensure they stay warm over winter.

'We have been absolutely overwhelmed with donations of clothes and blankets to help keep asylum seekers warm this winter', said Maeve Brown Shelter Project Coordinator, Jesuit Refugee Service. 'We have received donations from individuals, church groups, and schools, with the students of Our Lady of Mercy College Parramatta being especially generous.'

Messages to: Christine Pace - Communications Officer, OLMC Parramatta

The Mother of Mercy Hospital, Tacloban Leyte, Philippines  was established primarily as a base-hospital for the Nursing, Midwifery & Radiologic Technology Programs of Holy Infant College - the sister institution of the hospital which is owned and administered by the Religious Sisters of Mercy Tacloban Leyte Philippines. It was named after the Congregation’s Patroness the Our Lady of Mercy. The hospital’s location is at Benigno Aquino Avenue, Youngfiled, Tacloban City.  MMH envisions itself as the premier provider of professional quality healthcare service in Eastern Visayas.  Its mission is to deliver exceptional service; value life and ensure patient’s well-being and spiritual support; collaborate and strengthen partnerships with stakeholders and advocate transformative healing...

Read the rest of the article here (PDF)

Messages to: M Carmela Cabactulan rsm - Religious Superior

Take a 5 minute walk down movie memory lane courtesy of Time magazine.

Enjoy viewing 100 Years of Blockbuster Movies in 5 Minutes, from "The Squaw Man" (1914) to "Iron Man 3"(2013).

This video brings together moments from every film to lead the annual box office since 1914.

Source: Time

Mercy Design is dedicated to communicating your ministry through images and words. Using the symbols and images that are unique to your ministry, a rich presentation of color and images invites others to share in your mission.

1888: Foundation to St John Baptist, Tralee from Killarney - M Elizabeth O'Riordan
1888: Foundation to Midhurst from Brighton
1942: Wellington experienced a major earthquake. The brick Convent at Brougham Street was severely damaged. None of the Sisters were harmed.

Submit a fact about the Story of the Sisters of Mercy for our online archive

'... Psychologist and social critic John F. Schumaker (video; 10:35) suggests that societies with the most material goods tend to be the most anxious. “Mutual respect, community-mindedness, an eagerness to share, reverence for nature, thankfulness, and love of life”, it seems, are the major ingredients for a stress- or “demon”-free personal and community life. There would be no need to shake the dust from our feet for want of hospitality if that were the way we all chose to live. What’s more, there would be enough for all on our planet, the human and other-than-human, to live in dignity and peace...'

-Veronica Lawson rsm, Reflection on the Gospel-15th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B (Mark 6:7-13)

'Never let anything cause you trouble or anxiety which is not an offence against God.'

-Catherine McAuley

There are 11 tracks on the CD which features excerpts from the letters of Catherine McAuley plus reflections, historical background and music.

These letters can be listened to here online or purchased from The Congregation (Ireland)  Office or from the Mercy International Centre Gift Shop