'Auschwitz: A Reflection' by Carol Rittner rsm

The entrance of the notorious Auschwitz II-Birkenau in Oswiecim, Poland

Vision in Action

MIA Prayer intention: World Day for Consecrated Life

Prayer

MIA Prayer intention: World Day for Consecrated Life

On this day of prayer for women and men in consecrated life, we give thanks for all Sisters of Mercy and the witness they give by their lives in a world so in need of God’s compassion and consolation. May they be blessed and strengthened in their fidelity to living the gospel. We pray with those discerning their call to religious life, those who have recently made first vows or been finally professed. We remember with gratitude and affection those Sisters of Mercy we knew who are now enjoying their eternal reward.

Post your prayer in our online chapel

MESSAGES TO: Mary Reynolds rsm director@mercyinternational.ie
 What Lies Ahead for COP 26...

MGA

What Lies Ahead for COP 26...

MIA Mercy Global Action is committed to increased action and urgency as we prepare for the Paris Agreement to come into force later this year at COP 26 in Glasgow. The year 2020 and this next decade provides various opportunities for increased action as we approach major milestones such as the fifth anniversary of Pope Francis’ Encyclical Laudato Si’ and the Paris Agreement, as well as the 50th celebration of Earth Day….

Members' News

Sisters of Mercy of the Americas 2020 Statement on Nonviolence

Americas

Sisters of Mercy of the Americas 2020 Statement on Nonviolence

As 2020 begins, the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas reaffirm our commitment to engage actively our Critical Concerns through the lens of nonviolence. End-of-the-year acts of hatred and violence in New York and Texas and the escalating conflict between the U.S. and Iran remind us how important this approach is. It is impossible to separate the issue of violence from our attentiveness to (the)Earth, Women, Immigration and Racism that make up the critical concerns of our congregation…

Choral Success For Schools In Northern Province

The Congregation

Choral Success For Schools In Northern Province

We had double reasons to celebrate music achievements of schools both North and South. Beyond borders, beyond Brexit, beyond boundaries, the universal experience of the creative and expressive engagement in choral singing conjured up a magical memory of the tradition of music making in our Mercy schools where we had inculcated a love of singing. School Choirs from Our Lady’s Secondary School in Castleblaney, Co Monaghan and Thornhill College, Derry, both achieved national prestigious awards for choral excellence…

All Mercy Hospitals Rank Among World’s Most Technologically Advanced

Americas

All Mercy Hospitals Rank Among World’s Most Technologically Advanced

Mercy, one of the largest Catholic health systems in the U.S., has earned Stage 7 certification from the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) for all 28 of its inpatient hospitals and critical access locations, placing them among the world’s most technologically advanced health care facilities of their kind.

New Report Gives Young People a Voice in Addressing WA’s Youth Suicide Rate

Australia

New Report Gives Young People a Voice in Addressing WA’s Youth Suicide Rate

A major new report aimed at addressing the appalling 20-year high youth suicide rate in Western Australia has been released by MercyCare and its report partners.

Informing Youth Suicide Prevention for Western Australia report from Youth Mental Health Sub Network, chaired by MercyCare Family and Community Services Executive Director Lyn Millett and North Metropolitan Heath Service Youth Mental Health Director Warwick Smith, lays out a future blueprint for the State.

In Western Australia, suicide is the leading cause of death for young people aged 15 to 24 years…

Institute of Our Lady of Mercy - New Website

GB Institute

Institute of Our Lady of Mercy - New Website

It seems appropriate that we are launching our website in the ‘Year of the Word’ initiated by the Catholic Bishops of England and Wales. This is a year when we are encouraged to listen to the God who speaks. May we all hear our God who uses so many ways to speak to us.

Mercy Matters

Hidden tricks you didn’t know your iPhone could do

Digital Life

Hidden tricks you didn’t know your iPhone could do

‘Simple as Apple’s operating system seems, you can find plenty of advanced features hidden below its polished surface.’

Presentation in the Temple, Year A Mosaic of the Presentation of Jesus at the temple in the Rosary Basilica at Lourdes

Gospel

Presentation in the Temple, Year A

‘This year the Feast of the Presentation falls on a Sunday and takes precedence over the celebration of the Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time. We might ask why this feast is of such importance in the liturgical calendar…’

On This Day

Fact

On This Day

1923: Convent opened in Parkes, New South Wales

1923: Opening of Mercy Hospital, Young, New South Wales

1957: Foundation to Kunjingini, Papua New Guinea from Brisbane

Contribute a fact from the story of your Mercy congregation, institute or federation, to our online archive.

1 February: St Brigid's Day Element from the Brigid window in the Baggot Street Chapel

International Days

1 February: St Brigid's Day

St Brigid is one of the Patron Saints of the Sisters of Mercy (Familiar Instructions page 182) and one of the saints 'to whom Sisters of this religious Institute are recommended to have particular devotion' (Rule and Constitutions 16.3)

Happy St Brigid's Day to all members of the Mercy family!

Mercy Moments

Resource

Mercy Moments

In preparation for celebrating the fifth anniversary of the publication of Laudato Si’, each month in their Mercy Moments one page reflection, Mercy Partners Queensland will focus on one of the Ten Green Commandments which sum up the main messages of the encyclical. These monthly reflections will be made available here in this Mercy Matters section.

Further Resources

Theme from Schindler's List

Worth Watching

Theme from Schindler's List

A story of courage that the world needs now more than ever'.’

Watch/listen here
Leadership in Intercultural Communities

Worth Knowing

Leadership in Intercultural Communities

This recent UISG event featured Patricia Murray ibvm and Tim Norton svd. The webinar recording is available in English and Spanish. Sr Pat’s presentation slides are available here; Fr Tim’s are here

A Conversation with Ron Rolheiser, OMI

Worth Watching

A Conversation with Ron Rolheiser, OMI

‘The seven ‘movements’ in the second half of life – movements of our hearts and spirits toward a new way of being.’

Read the text or listen to audio highlights

Listen to the interview
How young women religious are changing the church

Worth Reading

How young women religious are changing the church

‘… According to Georgetown University’s Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate, 90 percent of Catholic sisters alive today are over the age of 60; most are closer to 80. The majority are white. Many younger religious sisters, who reflect the increasing diversity of the general population, have no peers in their home congregations…’

Read the article here
'Update'

Worth Reading

'Update'

The February issue of ‘Update’, the newsletter of LCWR is now available

Read the issue here

Send suggestions and contributions for the ‘Worth’ Section 2020 to: The Editor

The Bottom Line

‘All too often, language is used which turns disagreement into dehumanisation.

Words are used as badges of shame to mark others as enemies, to brand those who are different as somehow deviant.

All too often, virtue seems to be sought through verbal violence.

All too often, real violence ensues, and acts of unspeakable cruelty are still perpetrated around the world against people for reasons of their religion, their race or their beliefs.

Knowing, as we do, the darkness to which such behaviour leads, we must be vigilant in discerning these ever-changing threats; we must be fearless in confronting falsehoods and resolute in resisting words and acts of violence.’

—Prince Charles, Speech at 75th Anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau camps

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