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World Water Day: A Reflection
by Carolyn McWatters rsm
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“If there is magic on this planet, truly it is contained in water” (Loren Eiseley). My heart has been captured by water’s magic, and warms whenever I ponder it. As one who participated in the Mercy International Reflection Process five years ago, I had the opportunity to facilitate a local group whose focus was water. The discipline of planning and leading three retreat days on this topic during the next three years provided me with the opportunity to delve into it and recognize some very significant truths…
Vision in Action
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MIA
Temporary Closure of Mercy International Centre Due to COVID-19 Virus
You will be saddened but not surprised to learn that we have closed 64A Baggot Street for two working weeks from Friday 13 March to Monday 30 March in response to the COVID-19 virus. On Thursday 12 March the Government in Ireland closed schools and colleges for two weeks, and advised all public places, with the exception of those providing essential services, to close.
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MIA
Volunteer at MIC in 2021
Mercy International Association, 64a Lower Baggot St, Dublin, welcomes applicants for its volunteer positions in 2021.
Why not consider volunteering?
Volunteers need to be able to commit to 4 – 10 weeks between 4 January 2020 & 12 December 2021.
Applications close 9 April 2020 (Holy Thursday).
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MIA
Position: Heritage Assistant
Mercy International Association is excited to be planning a significant visual and technological upgrade and revision of the Heritage Room displays.
A vibrant, creative, skilled person is sought to support this project and the overall sharing of the Mercy Story at Mercy International Centre.
Applications close 4pm GMT 3 April 2020.
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MGA
World Water Day
The United Nations will commemorate World Water Day and celebrate freshwater on March 22. Amidst the celebration of water, we recognize the ongoing struggle of many people around the world who cannot easily access clean water and sanitation.
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Prayer
MIA Prayer Intention: Prayer in Response to COVID-19
We pray for our world - for all of us, each one now in some way impacted by COVID-19: but especially for those persons who are ill, those who have lost loved ones and those whose personal and work lives have been severely disrupted by the reach of this virus…
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MIA
MGP Segment Two Commences 25 March
Resources for Theme One 'Faith Traditions & Mercy' in Segment Two,'Mercy', will be available through Mercy eNews next week, 25 March.
Join us on the journey!
Members' News
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Aotearoa New Zealand
'Gaining Sight and Insight': Scripture with Kathleen Rushton rsm
Kathleen Rushton rsm interprets John 9: 1-41 and suggests how this story of the man born blind can influence our lives. Sr Kathleen writes: ‘Like the man given sight, we are invited to join Jesus in God’s mission - the “work of the One who sent me”.’
Download the article here
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Philippines
Caritas Germany Visits Mother of Hope Children's Centre
Our Mother of Hope Children’s Center looks after, supports and cares for street children in Tacloban City. The Center began in the aftermath of the Super-typhoon Haiyan which hit the Philippines on November 8, 2013. It serves 64 street children from 35 families residing in 16 villages within Tacloban City.
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Americas
Catholic Sisters Week 2020
Catholic Sisters Week is an annual celebration from March 8-14 to uplift the lives and ministries of religious sisters around the world.
This year, the Institute is celebrating the week with a three-part digital feature entitled History of Service, Future of Possibilities.
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The Congregation
98 Children From Mukuru Slum Get Form One Sponsorship
Ninety eight children from Mukuru slum in South B, Nairobi, who were yet to join Form One for various reasons, will be sponsored. This was announced on Saturday, when parents revealed that they did not take them to school primarily because of lack of money or poverty. The Education ministry has been pushing for 100 per cent transition to secondary school, with President Uhuru Kenyatta setting a deadline to quicken the process.
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Americas
Reflection: Moving from Desire to Action
Doris Gottemoeller rsm writes: ‘Nothing is as intuitively simple to grasp and as complex to implement as the concept of the common good. According to the U.S. Catholic bishops, the common good comprises "the social conditions that allow people as individuals and groups to reach their full human potential and to realize their human dignity."1 It would be hard to make an argument that the common good is not something to be universally valued and sought…’
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Aotearoa New Zealand
Sponsorship Committee Reshaped as Journey to our PJP Moves to Implementation Phase
In keeping with its terms of reference, the Sponsorship Committee has been reshaped following the last Chapter of Nga Whaea Atawhai o Aotearoa held in August last year. The reshaping reflects the fact that the journey towards the setting up of a ministerial Public Juridic Person (PJP) is moving from the investigative phase to the transition stage. There is also an ongoing need to ensure that key people involved with the financial and legal aspects of the project are able to keep in touch closely with the Sponsorship Committee…
Mercy Matters
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International Days
Greetings for St Patrick's Day
Greetings in Irish, English, Spanish with the video message for this day from President Michael D. Higgins. St Patrick’s Prayer (The Deer’s Cry) is attached to guard us all.
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Fact
On This Day
2007: Te Korowai Atawhai Mercy Hospice Auckland is officially opened on its new site in Ponsonby
Contribute a fact from the story of your Mercy congregation, institute or federation, to our online archive.
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Reflection
Lenten Reflection for the Fourth Week of Lent 2020
Video Reflection from Catholic Health USA to which Mercy Health Systems in the United States belong.
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Gospel
4th Sunday of Lent, Year A
John 9:1-41
‘Last week, we journeyed with the woman of Samaria from bewilderment to deep insight into Jesus’ identity and mission and to a strong personal faith commitment. This week, we are invited on a faith journey with a man born blind and with the varying groups of participants in the drama. All have the opportunity of coming to faith...'
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Technical tip
How To Know If Your Data Has Been Compromised In a Data Breach
‘Online services like Have I Been Pwned, DeHashed and BreachAlarm will let you check for any mention of your personal data, like email addresses or passwords, in previous data breaches.’
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International Days
21 March: World Poetry Day
The poem ‘Kindness’ by Naomi Shihab Nye and the reading of this poem by Mary Wickham rsm where ‘we are reminded that kindness was a virtue much valued by Catherine McAuley as close to the heart of mercy’, are helpful reflective resources amidst this unfolding pandemic crisis.
Further Resources
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Worth Reading
Beijing + 25: The 1995 platform for women remains a promise-in-waiting: Joan Chittister
‘It's Beijing + 25. It's 25 years since more than 40,000 women and I gathered in Beijing for the U.N.'s Fourth Conference on Women. It was one of the major experiences of my life. Women came from everywhere full of hope, determined to bring all women into the mainstream of public life. The one based on equality, on peace, on liberty, on respect…’
Image: Chilean politicians attending the conference CC By 3.0
Read the article here)
Worth Reading
What would happen if the world reacted to climate change like it’s reacting to the coronavirus?
‘What would a fast, coordinated, collective response to climate change look like?’
Read the article here)
Worth Reading
What would happen If Everyone Truly Believed Everything Is One?
‘Research suggests a belief in oneness has broad implications for psychological functioning and compassion for those outside of our immediate circle…’
Read the article here)
Worth Watching
Living Water: Suzanne Toolan rsm
Sr Suzanne Toolan’s powerful hymn was used as the accompaniment for Works of Mercy 6: To Give Drink to the Thirsty, a reflection prepared by the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas in 2016 for the Stations of Mercy initiative.
Watch/listen here)
Worth Reading
Seven Weeks for Water 2020
The 12th annual “Seven Weeks for Water”, weekly theological reflections and other resources on water from the World Council of Churches' Ecumenical Water Network (WCC-EWN). Produced for the seven weeks of Lent and for World Water Day on 22 March (which always falls during the Lenten period).
View the topics & access the resources here)
Worth Reading
UISG leader speaks on interculturality, increase of sisters on Vatican committees
Sr. Patricia Murray, executive director of the International Union of Superiors General, spoke with Global Sisters Report about UISG's key goals for 2020, changes in religious life and more.
Read the article hereSend suggestions and contributions for the ‘Worth’ Section 2020 to: The Editor
The Bottom Line
What if you thought of it
as the Jews consider the Sabbath—
the most sacred of times?
Cease from travel.
Cease from buying and selling.
Give up, just for now,
on trying to make the world
different than it is…
Read more
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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
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