Sisters of Mercy Contribution Recognised By Muckno Parish (Castleblayney and Oram), Co. Monaghan
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Blayney Blades Women’s Group were delighted to be part of the celebration of the work done by Sisters of Mercy in Castleblayney when, at a special Mass of Thanksgiving on Friday 22nd March, the Parish of Muckno, (Castleblayney and Oram), Co. Monaghan honoured the various contributions of the Sisters of Mercy to the life of the parish and wider community. Afterwards, the Bishop of Clogher, Most Rev. Larry Duffy, unveiled a specially designed commemorative plaque in St. Mary’s Church Castleblayney. The liturgy was followed by refreshments and short performances by the three convent schools in the Íontas Centre…
‘The seeds sown here by the Sisters of Mercy over the decades will continue to produce fruit in the future.’
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Vision in Action
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Prayer
MIA Prayer Intention: For Workers
On this May Day (International Workers’ Day), let us pray for all workers whose labour, alone or with others, in the service of the community contributes to our welfare and to the common good.
Let us remember also all who seek meaningful employment that they will find the right opportunity that suits their needs, respects them and their efforts and enables them to meet their financial obligations.
Post your prayer in our online chapel.
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GB Union
Death of Sr Ita Keane
It was with great sadness and shock that we learned of the death of Sr. Ita Keane, RIP, a member of the Sisters of the Union, Great Britain. Tragically, Sr Ita was knocked down by a car while crossing the road and died later in hospital. Ita was an enthusiastic supporter of MIA, both while in the ministry of leadership in her own congregation and later as director of the heritage centre at Handsworth, Birmingham, and she nurtured links between Catherine’s first and last foundations – Baggot Street and Handsworth…
MIA
Volunteer at Baggot Street in 2020
Mercy International Association, 64a Lower Baggot St, Dublin, welcomes applicants for its volunteer positions in 2020.
Why not consider volunteering?
Volunteers need to be able to commit to 4 – 10 weeks between 6 January 2020 & 12 December, 2020.
Open to Sisters, Associates and Friends of Mercy. Single person or couple welcome.
Duties: Household Duties * General Reception *Tours * Gift shop…
Members' News
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ISMAPNG
ISMAPNG Webinar: Mercy and Refugees
A Conversation with Meredith Evans rsm and Kathryn (Kay) O’Neill rsm on Tuesday, 7 May. (Your time here).
Srs Meredith and Kay are two of the many sisters in the Institute who have been involved in journeying with, and advocating for, refugees and asylum seekers. They recently attended the Refugee Alternatives Conference in Adelaide.
Register for the webinar here
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Americas
A Conversation We Can’t Turn Our Heads From
On the flight back to the U.S. from our Root Causes delegation to San Pedro Sula, Honduras, I happened to sit with a teacher chaperone for a group of Honduran students, middle and high school age, heading to a United Nations debate experience. Her English was perfect, as she had spent six years in the U.S. getting her college degrees. She was curious about our international delegation. I was curious about her view of the Honduran reality…
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Americas
Make Preparations for the Vatican's Synod on the Amazon (6-27 October)
Marianne Comfort reports on learnings from the March conference, ‘Integral Ecology: a Synodal response from the Amazon and other essential biomes for the care of our common home’, and proposes actions to take between Earth Day and the start of the Synod on the Amazon on October 6.
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The Congregation
Reflections As I Leave Brazil
I remember years ago seeing the work of a sculptor in Cobh. It depicted a 15 year old girl with her two younger brothers heading for the emigrant ship that would bring them to the US. The girl is looking back, the older boy points to the future and the younger lad is between both….bewildered. As I left for Brazil in 1986, I felt a strange mixture of all three as I looked back at family, community and friends, looked forward eagerly to the fulfillment of a dream and yet, unsure, fragile, alone…
Americas
Mercy Sister Named President and Chief Executive Officer of the Catholic Health Association of the United States
29 April -Today , the Board of Trustees of the Catholic Health Association of the United States (CHA) announced that Sister Mary Haddad rsm has been chosen as the tenth president and chief executive officer of CHA.
Sister Mary has served with CHA since 2009 and oversees sponsorship, mission, ethics, leadership formation and learning integration for CHA…
Messages to: Mary Haddad rsm
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GB Union
Saintly Feasts: Food for Saints and Scholars
Editor: In Issue #805 (6 February 2019), we linked to an article from St Mary’s Convent Handsworth on the presentation by the Jesuits of the Campion Medal to Colette Scully and Martina Maher, former members of the Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy who remain closely connected with the congregation. That article spoke of the book of recipes the duo would be publishing this year through Messenger Publications.
The book is now available. All royalties to the Jesuit Refugee Service UK…
Mercy Matters
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Digital Life
Google Doodles
Doodles are the fun, surprising, and sometimes spontaneous changes that are made to the Google logo to celebrate holidays, anniversaries, and the lives of famous artists, pioneers, and scientists.
They are all archived online. Here’s Google’s Earth Day 2019 doodle
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Fact
On This Day
1843: School opened at St John’s Newfoundland
1847: Sr Bernard Dickson entered Bermondsey Convent, London. She ministered in Chelsea, the Crimea and New Zealand
1855: Foundation to Kilrush from Birr - M Anastasia Beckett/M Vincent Egan
1862: Foundation to Clara, Co Offaly from Tullamore - M Gertrude Dunne
1880: Foundation to Jamaica, West Indies from Cincinnatti
Contribute a fact from the story of your Mercy congregation, institute or federation, to our online archive.
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Gospel
5 May 2019. 3rd Sunday in Easter
John 21: 1-19
‘March 25 this year saw the publication of Pope Francis’ Post-Synodal Exhortation, Christus Vivit. The Pope addresses his words to “young people and to the entire people of God”. Quite early in the document, there is a call for the church to be a “living church”, a church that is “attentive to the legitimate claims of those women who seek greater justice and equality” (par. 42)…’
Reflection
At Easter
Reflection from ISMAPNG Leadership for Easter using text of ‘Garden Song’ by Mary Wickham rsm (02:04).
Video producer: Anne McMillan rsm
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Technical Tip
27 Incredibly Useful Things You Didn’t Know Google Sheets Could Do
‘Read on, and get ready to take your Google Sheets experience to a whole new level.’
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Quote
Words of Mercy
‘God does not look at the action but at the spirit motivating it’
- Catherine McAuley
Further Resources
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Worth Reading
Climate change has worsened global economic inequality, Stanford study shows
A new Stanford University study shows global warming has increased economic inequality since the 1960s. Temperature changes caused by growing concentrations of greenhouse gases in Earth’s atmosphere have enriched cool countries like Norway and Sweden, while dragging down economic growth in warm countries such as India and Nigeria…’
Read the article hereWorth Watching
King's Chorus Missa Gaia: The Rain Is Over and Gone
The King's Chorus, along with Capella Regalis Men and Boys Choir and soloist Theresa Thomason from Paul Winter's Missa Gaia
Enjoy it hereWorth Reading
Worth Watching
Imagining God as a woman with theologian Elizabeth Johnson, CSJ | Faith in Focus
Feminist theologian Elizabeth Johnson joined Fr. James Martin, SJ, on Faith in Focus for a conversation on how the feminine qualities of God can enrich our church and our prayer lives.
The interview commences at 8:03 and concludes at 16:58.
Watch the interview here)
Worth Reading
A Global Deal for Nature
‘At a time when the world is grappling with meeting the Paris Climate Agreement and trying to prevent the sixth mass extinction on Earth, an international team of scientists has published a way forward - a Global Deal for Nature….
The deal calls for 30% of the planet to be protected by 2030, with an additional 20% to be maintained or restored to a natural state and designated as climate stabilization areas.’
Read the article here)
Worth Knowing
WCC ‘Roadmap’ resource for eco-justice
The most recent World Council of Churches (WCC) resource rooted to the congregational level of churches’ engagement in ecological and economic justice is now available for free download in four languages.
Resource in four languages hereWorth Knowing
'Losing Earth' by Nathaniel Rich
‘Everything is changing about the natural world and everything must change about the way we conduct our lives.’
A new book from Nathaniel Rich released 9 April. Find out more here
Send suggestions and contributions for the ‘Worth’ Section 2019 to The Editor
The Bottom Line
All life holds within itself a promise of resurrection.
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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