The Season of Advent and COP24
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Editor: Both the Season of Advent and COP24, the UN Climate Change Conference in Katowice, Poland, will commence in hope and expectation this week, on 2nd and 3rd December respectively. Synchronicity.
With ‘The cry of Earth and the cry of the Poor’ resounding globally, the importance of COP24 for the world cannot be overstated…And still there is hope.
May that Vision be heard and implemented and may the prayer and practical actions we each undertake this Advent, for one another and for our common home, flow into our living into the future.
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Vision in Action
Greeting
Invitation: Send in Your Christmas Greeting for Posting on Mercyworld.org
As we bring this year to its conclusion, we invite you to share a Christmas greeting with the global Mercy community.
Send in your greetings - text or text and image - by Tuesday, 18 December. The last issue of Mercy eNews for 2018 will be published on Wednesday, 19 December.
Messages to: the Editor
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prayer
MIA Prayer Intention: Success of COP24 (3-14 December)
Let us begin today, and continue during the course of COP24, to pray for the success of this climate conference —the most important international climate change negotiations since the Paris Agreement in 2015. At that time we prayed the Prayer for Our Earth/ Oración por nuestra Tierra, preparing as we all were for MIRP. You may like to use that prayer again.
Whatevever words are used, may our prayers be for all participants, that there will be
meaningful participation,
honest and respectful dialogue,
desire for consensus and
commitment to their Paris Agreement targets and obligations.
Post a prayer in our online chapel.
Messages to: Mary Reynolds rsm - CEO MIA
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MIA-MGA
Meet Marian Gardner, New Intern With MIA: MGA at the UN
‘I am a few weeks into my internship position with MIA Mercy Global Action at the UN and I am absolutely loving it. Thank you to the efforts of Colleen and Sr. Angela my transition has been going very well. I recently graduated from Brandeis University with a double major in International Global Studies and Health: Science, Society, and Policy and a minor in Legal Studies. I was born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and at the age of nine I was adopted by a large diverse family, who lived in the state of Maine. My experiences of social injustice while living in Ethiopia created my strong passion for advocating for marginalized communities and advancing human rights…’
Messages to: Marian Gardner
MIC
Volunteer for a Month at Baggot Street in 2019: Between August and December
MIA, welcomes applicants for its volunteer positions between August and December 2019.
Hours: 5 days per week (flexitime) which includes
-Up to 6 hours per day (not all in one shift)
-Evening duties (on roster)
-Weekend duties (on roster)
-Two days off each week (not weekends)
Further details are linked to this item.
Applications: will be accepted up to 15 December 2018.
Messages to: Avril Tyrell - Facilities Manager
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Events & Programmes
Foundation Day Celebrations at Baggot Street
Sisters, Associates and Friends of Mercy are invited to celebrate Eucharist at Mercy International Centre at midday, Wednesday, 12 December, followed by refreshments.
RSVP by Friday, 7 December by phone 01 661 8061, email or using our Eventbrite booking system.
Messages to: Madeleine O’Hanlon - Receptionist
The Mass Booklet is linked to this item for those who may wish to use the same prayers, readings or hymns and so join with the Baggot Street celebration.
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Events & Programmes
Carols by Candlelight with the Celtic Choristers Male Voice Choir
Sisters, Associates and Friends of Mercy are invited to Christmas Reflections: Carols by Candlelight in the Baggot Street Chapel with the Celtic Choristers Male Voice Choir
7.30-8.30 pm on Monday, 10 December.
Tickets (€10) available by phone (1) 661 8061, email or using our Eventbrite booking system.
Messages to: Anna Nicholls rsm - Team Leader Heritage & Spirituality
Members' News
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Americas
Healthy State Alliance
The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, one of the nation’s preeminent academic medical centers, and Mercy Health, a Catholic health ministry serving Ohio and Kentucky (part of Bon Secours Mercy Health), have launched Healthy State Alliance, a bold new ambition to tackle Ohio’s most critical health needs and truly make a difference in improving the health of communities…
Messages to: Healthy State Alliance
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Parramatta
The Wonderful World of Trees
At the most recent gathering of the Earthkin Group in Parramatta, the focus was on Trees. Kevin Mc Donnell led us in a reflection on the Science, Evolution and Spirit of Trees, while Patrick Shirvingham demonstrated how artists had evolved in their perception and artistic presentation of trees in the Australian landscape. A lively discussion followed both presentations…
Messages to: Valda Dickinson rsm
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Asia Pacific Region
Samoa Gathering 19-25 November 2018
The first ever gathering of Sisters of Mercy from the Asia Pacific region arose from two strands – firstly, from a regional meeting of Asia Pacific Sisters of Mercy Leaders in 2017 and, secondly, from a desire to build on what has been learnt from the Mercy International Reflection Process (MIRP)…
A detailed Report with images is linked to this item.
Messages to: Kathleen Rushton rsm
Mercy Matters
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Gospel
2 December 2018. 1st Sunday of Advent Year C
Luke 21:25-28, 34-36
‘Today’s gospel passage, with its vivid description of the end-time signs, may seem a strange choice of reading for Advent and the beginning of the Church year. Its depiction of global devastation has a particular resonance in a post-industrial world faced with the effects of climate change…’
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Resources
Preparing for the Season of Advent
As we do each year, we have compiled a list of new- for- Advent free online resources for your reading, listening, viewing, praying and reflection.
We will continue to add to this list and welcome your suggestions of worthwhile additions.
Messages to: the Editor
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Fact
On This Day
1844: Sister Mary Joseph Lynch, founder of the Detroit, Michigan region, received the holy habit of religion at the Kinsale convent.
1884: Foundation to Grafton, Australia from Bermondsey - Sr Stanislaus Simson.
Contribute a fact from the story of your Mercy congregation, institute or federation, to our online archive.
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Technical Tip
What is Firefox Sync and Why Would You Use It?
Firefox Sync lets you share your bookmarks, browsing history, passwords and other browser data between different devices, and send tabs from one device to another…
Firefox Sync by default protects all your synced data so Mozilla can’t read it….
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Our Centre
Mercy International Centre Gift Shop.
Catherine McAuley Reflection cards and Mercy tea coasters are newly available items in the Gift Shop.
Purchase online or in person.
Messages to: Shop@mercyinternational.ie
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Reflection
Turn. Learn. Pray. Worship. Bless. Go. Rest.
7 Practices to consider adopting.
Promotional video for ‘The Way of Love: Practices for Jesus-Centered Life’.
Bishop Michael Curry (Episcopalian) recently invited the whole Church to take up what he calls ‘The Way of Love’, a series of practices that will help people to live Jesus-centered lives.
Our New Website
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Resource
Bibliography - Background
The Bibliography is an attempt to list all the published books, articles, and multimedia items produced by or about the Sisters of Mercy since the founding of the congregation in 1831.
This resource is a large, rich, and multifaceted legacy, and given the vastness and diversity of the global Mercy mission, ministries, and family, the content of the Bibliography itself is probably the closest we will ever come to any "history" of the Sisters of Mercy in the world.
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Resource
Bibliography - Submit Your Work
The Bibliography, work of the Mercy International Research Commission, was completed in 2005 and updated in 2006 then again in 2007. In 2018 we invited authors whose work had been published since 2007 or had not been listed (an oversight) to provide details online. We renew that invitation and it remains ongoing. Submit details here.
Four publications from the many hundreds of entries will be featured in the Bibliography section each week.
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Resource
Bibliography - How To Use It
All listings can be searched by type (Dvd, book etc) or by category (Catherine, Sisters of Mercy etc). Where there is additional information about a publication, as with three of our featured titles this week, this will be indicated by an arrowhead appearing at the end of the title. Click on the title to access the further information (a work in progress for all entries).
Articles listed in the MAST journal will eventually be linked to that issue in the MAST journal archives. An example of that can be seen with the item featured this week. Click the word MAST on the card and access the article
We thank the Mercy Association in Scripture and Theology (MAST) for making their archives available online.
Further Resources
Worth Watching
The Prayer
Opera duo, Jonathon and Charlotte, perform ‘The Prayer’ at St Pancras Railway Station, part of the Station Sessions featuring up and coming artists.
EnjoyWorth Knowing
16 Resources to Increase our Understanding of Gender-Based Violence
Curated by Side by Side, a global movement of people of faith who want to see gender justice become a reality across the world. Resources on their site reflect the diversity of members and the variety of contexts in which they work.
Worth a lookWorth Reading
'Limiting Global Warming'
Written by a team of climate experts and development practitioners from Africa, Europe and Oceania, who studied scientific literature and grassroots reports. The publication identifies Small Island Developing States, Least Developing States, South Asia, Southern Africa, the Horn of Africa, the Mediterranean, the Middle East, Central America and Northeast Brazil as climate change “hot spots”.
Download the ReportWorth Reading
'Believe in Change: A toolkit for the Catholic community to promote gender equality. '
Produced by CAFOD (The Catholic Agency For Overseas Development in England & Wales) in March 2018. Explores the issues and presents information, options, recommendations and tools.
Download the ToolkitWorth Reading
Michael Gove, UK Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Endorses Laudato Si', Urges all to be 'Warriors for Social Justice'
Read the text of his talkSend suggestions and contributions for the ‘Worth’ Section 2018 to The Editor
The Bottom Line
‘Climate change, its related hazards including extreme weather events and slow onset events, pose a major threat to the existence of the poor and vulnerable communities.’
-Faith Groups, Limiting Global Warming, 2018
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Mercy eNews
The online newsletter of Mercy International Association is published fortnightly, 24 weeks each year and distributed to subscribers via email.
For more information on the directors click here