Social Justice Efforts of New Hampshire Mercy Community Bear Fruit
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New Hampshire Srs of Mercy & Friends at Death Penalty Protest
At a joyful celebration on June 21, the Sisters of Mercy were honored by the New Hampshire Coalition Against the Death Penalty for the key role the Mercy community played in making New Hampshire the 21st state in the country to abolish the death penalty. Sisters Eileen Brady, Mary Ellen Foley, and Madonna Moran were present at the event at the Kimball Jenkins Estate in Concord to receive the recognition and celebrate with the large crowd.
The Sisters of Mercy in New Hampshire have long played an active role in opposing the death penalty. In December 1997, the community adopted a Corporate Stand Against the Death Penalty…
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New Hampshire Srs of Mercy & Friends at Death Penalty Protest
Vision in Action
Prayer
MIA Prayer Intention: The Congregation
On 14 July 1994, the founding event of the Union of Sisters of Mercy of Ireland and South Africa took place, forming The Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy.
Silver Jubilee Celebrations take place this coming Saturday.
We pray with all members of the congregation on this significant occasion and rejoice with them in the unity and community they share.
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Final Vows Programme
The Sisters on the programme held at MIC (30 June-6 July) are from USA, Philippines, Jamaica, Guyana and Kenya. Opening prayer for the programme was coordinated with one of the monthly online ‘Mercy under 60s’ prayer sessions. Through video conferencing participants were joined by Sisters in Australia, UK, Ireland, Newfoundland and Canada - a further wonderful experience of global Mercy.
Please keep these women and all those on the path to becoming Sisters of Mercy in your prayers.
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MGA HLPF Series: Mercy Global Action Advocacy Points for HLPF
As a member of the Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) Major Group, Mercy Global Action has signed on as a supporter of the NGO MG Position Paper, which was submitted to the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) as a contribution to the 2019 session of the UN High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF). The Paper calls for a “holistic, coherent, multi-sectoral, and multi-stakeholder” and human rights approach to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Position Paper can be accessed at this link…
Members' News
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Americas
Mining Companies Under Intense Investor Scrutiny Over Waste Practices
Following the January breach of the Brumadinho mine in Brazil, Mercy Investment Services and fellow investors concerned over the impact of mining facilities on communities have asked mining, oil and gas, and tar sands companies to explain how they handle ore waste, a mud-like material called tailings, from their facilities…
Aotearoa New Zealand
'Go and Do Likewise': Scripture with Kathleen Rushton rsm
Kathleen Rushton rsm points to the radical challenge of the parable of the Good Samaritan Luke 10:25–37 for Jesus's first listeners and for us today. Sr Kathleen writes: ‘We can choose to pass by “on the other side of the road". Or we can cross the road — each person in their woundedness, neighbour to another wounded one and the wounded Earth. The ethical demands are boundless.’
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ISMAPNG
Mercy Connect Partnering with Foodshare to Make Meals that Matter
Mercy Connect opened the Bottlebrush Café in early 2017 at its Thurgoona Head Office. Bottlebrush Café is just one of several day programs that Mercy Connect provide to people with a disability to live a connected and meaningful life in the Albury community.
The café, originally opened two days a week, provides the opportunity for participants to learn and develop skills in the kitchen. Each week a different meal is made, meaning different skillsets are being developed…
Brisbane
Mater Helps to Lower Risk of Preterm Births for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Families
A birthing program established by Mater Hospital Brisbane and two other health organisations in South East Queensland, has almost halved the risk of preterm birth rates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander babies.
Results have been published in the Lancet’s eClinical Medical Journal highlighting significantly improved results for women having a baby through the Birthing in Our Community program.
Birthing in Our Community was established in 2013 by Mater, the Institute for Urban Indigenous Health and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Health Service Brisbane in response to a need for women who are pregnant with an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander baby to access culturally and clinically safe care throughout their pregnancy and at birth…
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ISMAPNG
Prestigious Volunteer Award for Mercy School
Many in the OLMC (Our Lady of Mercy College Heidelberg) community will have read about or participated in the Bell Bardia Community Meals Project run by volunteer students and staff from OLMC. Led and coordinated by Marie Jenkins, Clair Stapley and Teresa Clarke-Balazs, the volunteers (up to 80 people on rosters) prepare more than 100 substantial meals every week for people who live in West Heidelberg, in a ‘pocket of disadvantage’ where there is significant generational poverty and unemployment…
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Americas
Sister Mary Maurita Sengelaub RIP
‘A Sister of Mercy for seventy-three years, Provincial and Generalate Council Member, Distinguished Healthcare Leader, Governance Consultant, Sister Mary Maurita Sengelaub died peacefully at McAuley Life Center in Farmington Hills on July 6, 2019, prayerfully surrounded by Sisters and staff…’
From Sr Maurita’s obituary
Mercy Matters
Gospel
16th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C
Luke 10:38-42
‘The story of Martha and Mary has been interpreted fairly consistently over the centuries. Mary’s silent contemplative pose at the feet of Jesus has been affirmed while Martha’s action-oriented focus has been seen as a less desirable Christian stance. To be a “Mary” is to “choose the better part”. To be a “Martha” is to be “anxious and distracted about many things”.
In recent times, some interpreters have re-evaluated this reading of the Martha-Mary story…’
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Fact
On This Day
1897: Foundation to Bundaberg from Brisbane - M Syra
1905: Sr Stanislaus Dawson given permission to start Teacher Training College, Endsleigh, Hull.
Contribute a fact from the story of your Mercy congregation, institute or federation, to our online archive.
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Tech Tip
Do You Really Need to Eject a USB Drive Before Removing?
‘Short answer? Yes. Wait…but why? You’ve just yanked it out like a bad tooth so many times and nothing has ever gone wrong. Why should you start caring now? What’s the worst that could happen?…’
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Organisations
Be Listed in the Global Mercy Directory
Mercy Services and Mercy Connect are the two latest additions to our global directory of Mercy ministries.
Is your ministry listed here?
If not, we invite you to add your details.
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Resource
Third Pope Video Released in Preparation for World Day of Migrants and Refugees in September
The third video in the series has the sub-theme “It’s about not excluding anyone”.
Watch previous releases:
“It’s also about our fears”
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Resource
MIA Supporting Plastic-free July
Editor: In each week’s Mercy eNews during July, we will highlight resources supporting plastic-free July.
Where Your Recycled Plastic Ends Up (4:15) is a recent video from The Story of Stuff Project, a website offering videos, teaching tools, podcasts and other resources to help ‘build a society based on better not more, sharing not selfishness, community not division’.
Further Resources
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Worth Watching
Integrity of Justice: July Prayer Intention of Pope Francis
Let us pray that those who administer justice may work with integrity, and that the injustice which prevails in the world may not have the last word.
Watch the prayer video hereWorth Watching
Outside the City- Documentary
‘A monastery in the Charnwood Forest in the East Midlands of England is the subject of a new documentary that looks at the monks’ transition from farming to brewing, while asking deeper questions about the role of religious life in the modern world.’
Watch the trailer here Read the Article here)
Worth Reading
Christian Art Today
The Gospel reading of the day, alongside a work of art believed to be poignant, reflective and appropriate to that reading, accompanied by reflection on the artwork.
Sign up for the daily email hereWorth Watching
Voices about the Amazon
‘Save the Amazon, she will save us’
On 3 July, CIDSE, in collaboration with REPAM, released a series of 17 mini (1.5 minute) video interviews on the Amazon, covering issues such as the upcoming Synod, nature, climate, gender equality, indigenous rights, land rights, corporate regulation and systemic change.
Watch videos with English subtitles Watch videos with Spanish subtitlesWorth Reading
Blessings
Whenever you need a moment of inspiration, a pause in the day, a prayer for a group — try a blessing.
Blessings for many occasions from Tui Motu InterIslands Magazine)
Worth Reading
Tree planting 'has mind-blowing potential' to tackle climate crisis
‘Planting billions of trees across the world is by far the biggest and cheapest way to tackle the climate crisis, according to scientists, who have made the first calculation of how many more trees could be planted without encroaching on crop land or urban areas…’
Read the article hereSend suggestions and contributions for the ‘Worth’ Section 2019 to: The Editor
The Bottom Line
The Church which “goes forth” can move forward, boldly take the initiative, go out to others, seek those who have fallen away, stand at the crossroads and welcome the outcast whom we ourselves as a society are excluding.’
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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