The Special Synod on the Amazon: A Call to the Universal Church to Consider New Pathways and an Integral Ecology by Sheila Curran rsm
Members of the Yagua Tribe
“See, I am making all thing new.” Rev 21:5
Introduction
In October, 2017, Pope Francis, conscious of the grave situation in the Pan Amazon Region, called for a Special Assembly, a Synod of the Amazon entitled New Pathways for the Church and for an Integral Ecology, which will take place from 6 to 27 October 2019. The Pan Amazon Region contains the most diverse rainforest in the world and is home to 2,779,478 indigenous people, belonging to 390 groups-nationalities, with at least 137 isolated or uncontactable groups. There are 240 spoken languages belonging to 49 linguistic families. The region is often referred to as the “lungs of the planet”…
Members of the Yagua Tribe
Connecting from Home with MIC Next Week
Events & Programmes
Reminder: Quick Access to the Silver Jubilee Celebrations
The homepage of Mercyworld.org will have a direct link to each day’s celebration. The simplest way to access the day to watch livestreams (24th) or video presentations (25th) will be to click on the particular date in the window on the homepage of our website.
Prayer
MIA Prayer Intention: for Mercy International Association
As we prepare to celebrate next week the silver jubilee of Mercy International Centre, we invite all members of the Mercy Family ‘born in a house in Dublin’, to pray this prayer which was composed for our 20th anniversary. Let us each commit to ‘preserving the best of the past, fostering the best of the present and shaping the best for the future’.
Download the prayer: in English, in
Spanish (PDF). The 9 Days (Novena) of Prayer for the Feast of Our Lady of Mercy can be accessed here (PDF)
Communications
Mercy eNews 24, 25, 26 September
Mercy eNews will not be published next week. Instead, late in the evening (Dublin time) of 24, 25 and 26 September, the email we will send to all our subscribers will link to the day’s celebration page containing the archived videos, photos and other new material from the day’s events.
Issue #838 of the ‘regular’ Mercy eNews will be published on 2 October. As always, we welcome your contributions.
Mercy Day Greetings
These will be live on our Mercyworld.org website on Monday, 23 September.
Have you sent in yours? We welcome greetings from Ministries, Communities and individuals and/or a photo with caption from your Mercy Day celebrations
Vision in Action
Events & Programmes
Mercy to Earth: A Full and Varied Programme Witnesses to the Sacredness of All Creation
Events & Programmes
Mercy to Earth: A Full and Varied Programme Witnesses to the Sacredness of All Creation
Editor: September this year could be labelled ‘climate emergency action month’ given the number of global events, so what better timing could there be for the Mercy to Earth programme? Held from 9-13 September, the participants from Aotearoa New Zealand, Samoa and Ireland heard from presenters in person (Margaret Daly-Denton, Nellie McLaughlin rsm, Carmel Bracken rsm, Mary Reynolds rsm, Anna Nicholls rsm, Anne Walsh*) and online (Chris Hill, Marianne Comfort, Angela Reed rsm*)…
MIA
Reminder: Mercy Global Presence Launches 29 September
MIA
Reminder: Mercy Global Presence Launches 29 September
In these next four months, we will listen to many distinct voices singing the ground-shifting song of Cosmos (September), the lifegiving chant of integral ecology (October), the resounding melodies of humankind experiencing deep social change (November), and the joy-filled canticles of praise for the incarnation of our God in Cosmos and in the person of Jesus the Christ (December).
From “panoramic vistas to the tiniest living form” (Laudato Si’, 85), “Global” at the centre of “Mercy Global Presence” will come alive with new wonder, new mystery and new meaning.
On 29 September we will send to all our subscribers a link to the MGP microsite to let you know that the process is underway and the explorations of the theme are available on the microsite.
GlendaloughEvents & Programmes
Ireland Pilgrimage 2020
Events & Programmes
Ireland Pilgrimage 2020
MIA is delighted to be hosting a guided pilgrimage journey from 19-28 June 2020, exploring some of the ancient Celtic sites, the beautiful Irish landscape and many of the early Mercy foundations in Ireland.
Details are linked to this item
MGA
MIA-MGA Signs onto Global Fracking Ban Letter
MGA
MIA-MGA Signs onto Global Fracking Ban Letter
Leading up to the 74th Session of the General Assembly, Civil Society, led by Food & Water Europe/Food & Water Watch and the Breathe Project, has prepared an open letter to Secretary-General António Guterres calling on him to publicly demand a global fracking ban.
This statement will be delivered to the Secretary General prior to the gathering of the United Nations General Assembly and Climate Summit.
Members' News
Americas
Bees: To Act in Harmony with All Creation
The art, in the work of beekeeping, fits effortlessly into spiritual direction practice. It demands that I be calm and remember to direct my attention and intention for the benefit of the one before me. It reminds me to let the speaker lead with their story. It reinforces in my mind the importance of providing judgement-free space when listening to others in the direction setting. Like bees, we humans can sense when we are being heard…
Newfoundland
Canada’s Catholic Sisters Call on Government Regarding the Climate Emergency
On the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, leaders of Canada’s 64 Congregations of Catholic Sisters, including the Sisters of Mercy, called on the country’s politicians to respond to the climate emergency declared by Parliament by taking concrete steps to avert it.
The statement outlines some of the many steps that the Congregations have taken to address the emergency, and calls on all politicians and political candidates to work together to address this problem.
The Congregation
Mercy Sisters & Associates Collaborate with Local Organisations to Hold First Climate Fest in Mayo
Editor: On Saturday, 28 September, from 10am until 4pm, the first Mayo Climate Fest, a free event, will be held in GMIT Castlebar. This day of performances, workshops, speakers and conversation will celebrate the beauty of the planet and showcase ways to change lifestyles in order to address the world’s climate emergency.
Mercy Sisters have been the driving force behind this day in Mayo…
Mercy Matters
Season of creation resource
Book: 'In Praise of Walking'
‘Walking is good for our muscles and posture; it helps to protect and repair organs, and can slow or turn back the ageing of our brains. With our minds in motion we think more creatively, our mood improves and stress levels fall. Walking together to achieve a shared purpose is also a social glue that has contributed to our survival as a species.’
Fact
On This Day
1828: Catherine sold Coolock House and estate to Henry Brooks
Contribute a fact from the story of your Mercy congregation, institute or federation, to our online archive.
Technical Tip
How To Optimize Your Google Drive Storage
‘These Google Drive tips and tricks optimize the already-stored content in your account, so your content consumes less space and you have more space available to store other files.’
Gospel
22 September 2019. 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C
Luke 16:1-13
‘The fourth week in the Season of Creation confronts us with the issue of the strategies we may need to employ if we are to create more sustainable ways of inhabiting the planet. A measure of cunning may be helpful. In Dancing with Strangers, Melbourne-based historian Inga Clenninden offered a new perspective on the famous incident of the spearing of Governor Arthur Phillip at Manly Cove on September 7, 1790...'
International Days
21 September: International Day of Peace
2019 theme: ‘Climate Action for Peace’.
The theme draws attention to the importance of combatting climate change as a way to protect and promote peace throughout the world.
In the lead up to the International Day of Peace on 21 September, the UN calls upon all people to take action to tackle climate change. Every human is part of the solution - from turning off the lights to taking public transport, to organising an awareness raising campaign in your community.
International Days
September is World Alzheimer's Month.
21 September is World Alzheimer's Day
Dementia was the one of the issues nominated in MIRP under the theme displacement of Persons. World Alzheimer's Month is a time to recognise the impact of dementia but also to act to support those affected globally.
World Alzheimer's Month Toolkit - English (PDF)
World Alzheimer's Month Toolkit - Spanish (PDF)**
Further Resources
Worth Watching
Anthropocene: The Human Epoch
The new documentary will be released 25 September coinciding with the U.N. Climate Action Summit on 23 September.
View the trailer here
Worth Knowing
AMRI Autumn Conference
If in Ireland on 3 October, Cardinal Peter Turkson, Office for Promoting Integral Human Development, Rome, will be the guest speaker at the AMRI (Association of Leaders of Missionaries and Religious of Ireland) Autumn Conference
Details of how to register are linked here
Worth Knowing
Livestreaming of Events from 2019 Talitha Kum Assembly
Celebrating together the tenth anniversary of Talitha Kum.
Together against human trafficking
Find out the details here
Worth Reading
Time 2050: The Fight for Earth
‘Thirty years ago, TIME named the endangered Earth Planet of the Year. It’s taken that long for the world to wake up to the reality…’
Read the article with interviews from the world's leading thinkers on climate change, here
Worth Reading
It's not about ethics, it's about how we imagine God
‘In a recent talk, Fr. Bryan Massingale argues that the deepest problem faced by LGBTQI Catholics — the one that causes us the most pain, alienation, and self-estrangement — is that they've been told a false story about God and have been given false images of God.’
Read the article hereSend suggestions and contributions for the ‘Worth’ Section 2019 to: The Editor
Members of Mercy International
A flourishing humanity on a thriving planet rich in species in an evolving universe, all together filled with the glory of God: such is the vision that must guide us at this critical time of Earth’s distress, to practical and critical effect. Ignoring this view keeps people of faith and their churches locked into irrelevance while a terrible drama of life and death is being played out in the real world. By contrast, living the ecological vocation in the power of the Spirit sets off on a great adventure of mind and heart, expanding the repertoire of our love.
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
