Mercy Global Action Emerging Leaders Fellowship (MELF) Cambodia Programme Concludes
The ten participants in the MELF programme at Metta Karuna
Editor: From 23 August - 1 September the first ten participants in the fellowship, drawn from Papua New Guinea, Australia, United States, Peru and Ireland, undertook their first international engagement at Metta Karuna Reflection Centre, Siam Reap, Cambodia.
Last week we published reports from the first five days. This week we publish accounts of the final five days in Cambodia.
The ten participants in the MELF programme at Metta Karuna
Vision in Action
Prayer
MIA Prayer Intention: Care for Creation
Pope Francis’ message for the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation emphasises that ‘this is the season for letting our prayer be inspired anew by closeness to nature, which spontaneously leads us to give thanks to God the Creator.’
Join us in praying the Prayer for our Earth, available for download from our site in English and in Spanish.
Post your prayer in our online chapel
Resource
UISG Promotes MIA Season of Creation Calendar
We’re delighted that Sowing Hope for the Planet, a project of UISG (International Union Superiors General) has included our Season of Creation calendar in their list of resources for the Season.
Have you seen our resources for this Season? They are linked to this item.
prayer
Protecting Our Oceans: September Prayer Intention of Pope Francis
Let us pray this month that politicians, scientists and economists work together to protect the world’s seas and oceans.
‘Creation is a project of love given by God to humanity.’ (Pope Francis)
Members' News
ISMAPNG
Consciousness of the Cosmos: Elaine Wainwright rsm
Elaine Wainwright rsm suggests readings and activities to raise our consciousness of Earth and the cosmos during the Season of Creation. Sr Elaine writes: ‘These readings call us to develop an increasing awareness of gratitude, wonder, appreciation and new consciousness of the evolving cosmos’.
Read the article here.
L-R: Srs Mary Wood, Judith Moroney, Tina Vaeatangitau, Raylene Dwyer, Sue France (CongregationLeader)Aotearoa New Zealand
New Team Elected
At the recent Whakaminenga Chapter 2019 Nga Whaea Atawhai o Aotearoa Sisters of Mercy New Zealand elected a new leadership team.
The new leadership team will take office on 12 December 2019 for a five year term.
Titiro whakamuri, whakarite ināianei hei hāngai whakamua. Embrace the past, prepare now to shape the future.
ISMAPNG
Conference of Major Superiors of the Pacific Islands
Institute of Sisters of Mercy of Australia and Papua New Guinea (ISMAPNG) Leader, Eveline Crotty rsm recently joined 40 other participants in Fiji for a Conference of Major Superiors, which included congregational leaders and invited participants, from the Pacific Islands, New Zealand and Australia. She attended on behalf of the Institute and Catholic Religious Australia. Sr Eveline shares some of her experiences in the article linked to this item.
Stock photoThe Congregation
Ageing Ireland: A retirement village ‘better than a hotel’
‘The place in question is Charleville Sheltered Housing Services, which opened in 1991. A cluster of 28 single occupancy bungalows built around a central group home, a short walk from the centre of town, it offers different tiers of independent living in a supported environment…
The idea for the service came about during Sr Celestine Farrissey’s 30 years’ working as a public health nurse in Charleville and later in the McAuley Nursing Home, which she had been instrumental in setting up…’
Source: Irish Times
Mary Lang, President AHS, on the roof next to the solar panelsAmericas
Student Effort Generates Solar Arrays
Editor: Assumption High School (AHS) Kentucky describes itself as ‘a community driven by innovation’. It’s not surprising then that solar panels sit on the school’s roof.
As a participant in an environmental youth group, OurEarthNow, Maria Nash '18, was instrumental in bringing the solar panels to Assumption. Through her education at AHS and involvement in the group, her interest grew in finding a way to make power sources more sustainable.
’As a school sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy, we strive to find ways to make our building more sustainable in an effort to provide our kids with a world they can live in tomorrow. ‘#CompassionInspires
Americas
Happy 111th Birthday Sr Mary Aidan
The Convent of Mercy in Mobile, Alabama celebrated with Sr Aidan on 20 August and reported that:
"We believe her to be the oldest Sister of Mercy in the world and perhaps the oldest member of any Religious Order. Most days she is up and dressed, sitting in the community room reading, as well as, observing all the comings and goings and occasionally summoning a passerby by name. One of the amazing things about this remarkable woman of Mercy is how much she still participates in community activities—and that includes everything from liturgy and prayer to bingo and bunco."
Mercy Matters
Digital Life
How do I take better photos?
‘Here’s how to get the shot right on your phone or camera’
Season of Creation Resource
Plastics
National Public radio (NPR) has produced an interactive which explores some of the plastics the recycling system was designed to handle and explains why other plastic packaging shouldn’t go in your recycling bin.
MIC Gift Shop
Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy
Clare Agnew’s Works of Mercy, including the cover, have been reprinted. These can be ordered online or purchased in person from the MIC Gift Shop.
Fact
On this Day
1857: Wigton Convent, Cumbria founded from Bermondsey - Sr Joseph Orpwood
1874: Foundation to Hazelton from Buffalo - M Theresa Cantillon
2000: 150 years of Sisters of Mercy service in Aotearoa New Zealand is celebrated. Celebrations attended by guests from throughout the Mercy world include gifting of a Sacred Space & bronze sculpture to Auckland.
Contribute a fact from the story of your Mercy congregation, institute or federation, to our online archive.
Americas
New Curriculum Guide on Catherine McAuley and the Works of Mercy
The Mercy Education System of the Americas (MESA) is proud to announce a new curriculum guide for elementary school teachers about Catherine McAuley and the Works of Mercy.
Using the framework of the 15 Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy, the guide delves into the life and legacy of Catherine McAuley and provides opportunities and resources to inspire students about ways they can make Mercy real in the world today. A robust reference list provides information about service learning, suggested reading for students and teachers about the life of Catherine McAuley and much more.
An introductory video from the writing team can be viewed here. The guide (free download) in Google Docs and PDF is linked to this item.
Gospel
8 September 2019: 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C
Luke 14: 25-33
On June 17 this year, the Vatican’s Dicastery for Integral Human Development issued a letter about the Season of Creation. It noted that during this season Christians across six continents work to put into practice Pope Francis’ encyclical on integral ecology, Laudato Si’, and “participate in community events to deepen their love for Creator, creation, and each other”…
Further Resources
Worth Playing
Litany for the Earth
From the album Deep Peace by Barbara Bridge. Inspired by Pope Francis’ encyclical, Laudato Si’, this litany calls us to honour all creation and serve as stewards of Earth.
Listen here
Worth Knowing
Clean Up the World Weekend
The official Clean Up the World Weekend is here again! It's time to choose an area, organize support and inspire your friends and family. Register events to clean up, fix up and conserve our environment at https://www.cleanuptheworld.org/
Join Clean Up's global movement to make a world of difference.
Worth Reading
Child poverty in Africa: an SDG emergency in the making
‘The profile of world poverty is changing dramatically. This briefing paper focuses on one of the most troubling but least explored aspects of that change: a marked increase in the share of global extreme poverty accounted for by children in Africa. While the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) include a collective pledge by governments to eradicate extreme poverty by 2030 for ‘all people everywhere’, as things stand that pledge will be broken for African children…’
Read the briefing paper here
Worth Reading
‘It’s Really Close’: How the Amazon Rainforest Could Self-Destruct
‘The Amazon’s plant life stores an estimated 100 billion tons of carbon. By comparison, every coal plant worldwide combined emitted 15 billion tons of carbon in 2017. So even if only a small proportion of the trees destroyed by large-scale deforestation burn, this longtime buffer against climate change could instead become a driver of it…’
Read the article in the NY Times
Worth Watching
Towards a Water Wise World
World Water Week is the annual focal point for global water issues. World Water Week 2019 has just concluded in Stockholm. This video presents the challenges the world is facing to achieve a sustainable future and a water wise world.
Watch the video here
Worth Reading
Stop Trafficking! Newsletter
The September 2019 (vol. 17 no. 9) issue is now online. This issue highlights aspects of child trafficking, including information from the Preda Foundation in the Philippines
Read the issue hereSend suggestions and contributions for the ‘Worth’ Section 2019 to: The Editor
The Bottom Line
‘Each Christian man and woman, every member of the human family, can act as a thin yet unique and indispensable thread in weaving a network of life that embraces everyone. May we feel challenged to assume, with prayer and commitment, our responsibility for the care of creation. May God, "the lover of life" (Wis 11:26), grant us the courage to do good without waiting for someone else to begin, or until it is too late.’ Read more
Mercy eNews
The online newsletter of Mercy International Association is published weekly, 48 weeks each year and distributed to subscribers via email.
For more information on the directors click here
