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World Water Day, 22 March 2019
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Editor: World Water Day is the annual UN observance highlighting the human right of all people to fresh water. Currently, 2.1 billion people live without safe water at home, putting them at risk of illness and disease. This year’s theme ‘Leaving no one behind’ is adapted from SDG6. Pope Francis recently affirmed the importance of meeting the SDGs and of addressing root causes and long-term consequences. MIA supports the SDGs, identifying 10 of the 17 SDGs as most relevant to the mission of the Sisters of Mercy. Among these is SDG6 - clean water and sanitation…
Messages to: Mary Reynolds rsm CEO MIA
MIA Vision
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Events & Programmes
Another Successful Mercy Ethos Programme at Baggot Street
Editor: 21 leaders from Mercy ministries in Australia, Ireland and Newfoundland participated last week in a Mercy Ethos Pilgrimage to Baggot Street, ably facilitated by Anna Nicholls rsm.
The first two days of the programme were spent exploring the stories of Catherine McAuley, and some of the early women of Mercy…
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Prayer
MIA Special Prayer Intention: For the Victims of the Christchurch Terrorist Attack
Mercy International Association joins Nga Whaea Atawhai o Aotearoa Sisters of Mercy New Zealand in grief, prayer and solidarity with the victims, their families, the people of Christchurch and all New Zealanders in response to the horrific and deadly attacks at the Masjid Al Noor and the Linwood Masjid mosques…
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MGA
MIA-MGA Key Advocacy Points for CSW63
MIA-MGA has a delegation attending the 63rd UNCommission on the Status of Women in New York (11-22 March). Those attending are: Marian Gardner (MIA-MGA Intern), Angela Reed rsm (MIA-MGA Coordinator), Colleen Swain (MIA-MGA Fellow), Marietta Latonio, Mely Lenario, and six delegates from MercyFirst in Syosset, New York - Autumn Potter, Sarah Mcgann, Caroline Mcgann, Sarah Lovett, Eileen Mcgann and Jenny Asaro…
Members' News
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Americas
Each Trying to Do What we Can
For understandable reasons, our MIRP group in Rochester, New York, has not formally met since 2016, but we have each been trying to do what we can to save and protect our precious water. I myself am grateful to be collaborating with the whole Mercy family on this central issue with respect to Earth’s well-being. And I try to do the following mundane things:…
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Newfoundland
Water Focus at Mercy Centre for Ecology and Justice
Water has been a particular focus at the Mercy Centre for Ecology and Justice as we acknowledge the sacredness of water and become ever more conscious of the effects of climate change with the daily reminders of our unusual weather patterns…
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ISMAPNG
Fascinated by Water
I’ve always been fascinated by water. Perhaps it’s because my star sign, Scorpio, is associated with the element of water! Whatever of that, water has always been a powerful image and experience in my life. Recently in the cool of the evening, I took a drive out to Chifley Dam about 20 kms south of Bathurst…
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Newfoundland
Realisation: All Water is in Jeopardy
“Thank God we’re surrounded by water”, is a refrain in a song we sing in Newfoundland and Labrador, the tenth province of Canada. And we are indeed surrounded by water, since we are an island jutting out into the Atlantic Ocean on the east coast…
Of late we have begun to realize that all water is in jeopardy…
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River Negro. Source: Wikipedia. User Pertile. Used under CC 4.0Americas
Defend the River from Fracking Contamination
I live in a beautiful valley, in the Province of Río Negro (Argentina) where people have cultivated fruit and vegetables for over one hundred years, thanks to the clear, fast flowing river that runs through the valley, giving it life via an irrigation system that was made with great effort by the pioneers of this region…
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Americas
Water Usage Greatly Reduced at Mercy Center
For over 20 years, Rick Stockton, maintenance supervisor at Mercy Center in St. Louis, Missouri, had previously been employed as heating and cooling supervisor at Mercy Hospital in St. Louis. When he came to Mercy Center as Maintenance Supervisor, he became aware of how much water was being used and wasted by the refrigeration system which was being “Water Cooled”…
Mercy Matters
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ResourceReflection
water.shapes.earth
water.shapes.earth combines the power of aerial photography and storytelling to rediscover the beauty of our planet, and to show how water shapes Earth and influences our lives.
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Resource
Bright Wings, Dappled Things
Hopkins’ poetry is brought together with the photography of Fr Browne and the commentary of Jo O’Donovan rsm (The Congregation). Sr Jo ‘takes the reader through the story of Hopkins’ intellectual development and carefully explains the theological and philosophical underpinnings of his poetry’.
Order from Messenger Publications or from Amazon
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Reflection
Lenten Commitment
Give up harsh words: use generous ones.
Give up unhappiness: take up gratitude
Give up anger: take up gentleness and patience.
Give up pessimism: take up hope and optimism…
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Gospel
24 March 2019. 3rd Sunday of Lent Year C
Luke 13: 1-9
'Today’s gospel begins with two warnings about the need for repentance. It ends with a parable about an unproductive fig tree and a faithful “gardener God”. The warnings include two examples of untimely deaths, one reported to Jesus and then used by him to illustrate the urgent need for repentance, the other reported by Jesus as a further illustration of his point...'
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Fact
On This Day
1871: Foundation to Ennistymon from Gort, Co Galway
1890: Profession of first Sister in Gunnedah, M Berchmans Smart
1993: Profession of Elizabeth Mun Barrantes, first Peruvian Sister to enter Pittburgh community
Contribute a fact from the story of your Mercy congregation, institute or federation, to our online archive.
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International Days
World Poetry Day: 21 March
In celebrating World Poetry Day, 21 March, UNESCO recognises the unique ability of poetry to capture the creative spirit of the human mind.
Enjoy reading a poem today.
‘I believed I wanted to be a poet, but deep down, i just wanted to be a poem.’
-Jaime Gil de Biedma
Further Resources
Worth Playing
Ode to Water
‘Oceans, rivers, springs, and rain, water blesses the earth again...
Sacred Water, Precious Water, Healing Water’
Enjoy it hereWorth Reading
Climate change: The essential guide for both young and old
What you can do about it, and why there is hope that we can tackle its worst effects.
Find out hereWorth Reading
Make this the year of ‘transformative solutions’ to avert disastrous climate change: UN Deputy Chief
It is within our power the UN Deputy Secretary-General told delegates gathered in Nairobi for the UN Environment Assembly, on Thursday.
Read about it hereWorth Reading
UN resolution pledges to plastic reduction by 2030
One hundred and seventy countries have pledged to "significantly reduce" the use of plastics by 2030.
Read the article hereWorth Reading
Canadian religious Conference (CRC) Newsletter
The March 2019 issue is now available
Read it online hereWorth Reading
England could run short of water within 25 years
Exclusive: Environment Agency chief calls for use to be cut by a third
Find out more hereWorth Reading
World pledges to protect polluted, degraded planet as it adopts blueprint for more sustainable future
At a meeting of the world’s top environmental body, ministers lay groundwork for a new model of development to protect planet’s degraded resources.
Read the article hereWorth Reading
Billions deprived of the right to water
Launch of the UN World Water Development Report on 19 March
Find out more hereSend suggestions and contributions for the ‘Worth’ Section 2019 to The Editor
The Bottom Line
‘…access to safe drinkable water is a basic and universal human right…’
~Pope Francis, Laudato Si, #30
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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
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