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Join Us Next Week for a Virtual Good Cup of Tea
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Good Cup of Tea events have been held at Mercy International Centre and beyond since 2011. While COVID-19 restrictions prevent us gathering in person at Baggot Street this year, thanks to zoom technology we have the opportunity to come together globally.
We are holding our first virtual cup of tea regional gatherings on Remembrance Day and invite you to join us. Details of the event are linked to this item.
Vision in Action
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MGA
UN 75: 24 October, United Nations Day
On October 24th 2020, United Nations Day, Mercy Global Action affirmed and acknowledged the important work that the United Nations has undertaken over 75 years. The Sisters of Mercy have held Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council for almost 25 of those years and have remained steadfast in seeking justice for Earth and People, especially those most marginalized…
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Prayer
MIA Prayer Intention: For Political Leaders
God of all People
We pray for political leaders throughout the world who are facing very difficult decisions about how to handle the pandemic, how to provide for their people, how to continue health services, business, education and so much more in conditions they have never previously encountered.
May they exercise their authority and decision-making with wisdom, integrity and commitment to the common good.
Post your prayer in our online chapel
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Events & Programmes
Final Reminder: Remembrance Day Liturgy Online
On the 11th November, we remember the death of Catherine McAuley. Gathering in large numbers in the Chapel at Baggot St is still not possible, so this year a prerecorded liturgy will be made available through Mercy eNews on that date. We hope that you are able to link in and join in prayer for this anniversary.
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Reminder: MGP Regional Gatherings for Advent
Bookings open Monday, 16 November for the Regional Gatherings. Region One (1 December), Region Two (3 December), Region Three (2 December)
Members' News
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Sr Helena (left), with Rutendo, a client of the Centre(MLRC/David Speirs)
The Congregation
Sophia Housing, Mercy Law take holistic approach to homelessness in Ireland
Editor: The Mercy Law Resource Centre is one of two agencies featured in this recent issue of Global Sisters Report. Established by the Sisters of Mercy, the Centre provides free legal advice and representation to people experiencing homelessness.
‘"In general in society, we see legal services as a last resort, as they cost the earth," said Mercy Sr. Helena O'Donoghue, the center's chairperson, who has been involved with the organization since its start in 2009. "You don't go looking for legal services unless you have no other way out. But people who are very poor can tend to lose the strength within themselves to fight for their situation, even though it is unjust and unfair, unless they have somebody with legal skill who can speak for their cause."…‘
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Americas
Mercy College New York Celebrates 75th Anniversary of United Nations
Mercy College’s Center for Global Engagement hosted a Zoom event to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations on October 28th. The event was called “Creating The World That We Want” and was aimed at highlighting the importance of the UN and its role in the future world.
Professor Michiko Kuroda organized the event which was a discussion led by three speakers. Two of whom currently work in the UN and one who is the Mercy College Youth Representative to the UN…
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Americas
Mercy Charism continues in Des Moines
The Sisters of Mercy first arrived in Des Moines, IA, in the 1890s. On Dec. 8, 1893, they established Mercy Hospital. Although the hospital’s beginnings were small -- it consisted of two private rooms and a five-bed ward -- the mission of Mercy Hospital grew over the years. Known today as Mercy One Des Moines Medical Center, it is the longest operating hospital in the city and one of Iowa’s leading hospitals.
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Used with permission of Longford LeaderThe congregation
Ballymahon Students Presented with Irish Angus Calves That They Will Rear for 18 Months
‘This week, students from Mercy Secondary School, Ballymahon were presented with Irish Angus calves as part of the Certified Irish Angus schools’ competition. [Mercy Ballymahon founded by the Sisters of Mercy is under the Trusteeship of CEIST.]
The group, who were announced as finalists in April of this year, were delighted to meet the five calves that they will rear for the next 18 months…’
Source: Longford Leader
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Aotearoa New Zealand
We Are All Made in the Image of the Same God; We Travel Together in One and the Same Boat
‘We are blessed in our Mercy world with a collective title that includes all of us in a word – whānau. And our task of extending whanaungatanga or kinship in every direction comes close to what Pope Francis is calling for in his remarkable letter – building a better, more just and peaceful world, with the contribution of all people and institutions. ‘People are more important than ideas,’ Francis writes. And that’s a key insight at the heart of the pope’s thinking – every human person is entitled to the same respect and dignity, because they are loved by the same God in whose image they are made…’
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iSMAPNG
Mount Lilydale Mercy College’s Wine Gold Medal
Hot on the tail of their recent prestigious Gold Medal in the Halliday Cabernet Challenge, Mount Lilydale Mercy College’s student winemaking program has gone on to secure a second award, this time in the Royal Adelaide Show. The wine was made by students entirely from fruit grown in the College’s vineyard…
Resources for Remembrance Day (2)
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Resource
Commemoration of the Death of Catherine McAuley
Three reflective resources on Remembrance Day by Sheila Carney rsm, Vice Postulator of the Cause for Catherine’s Canonisation, Americas: an Address (2010), blog post (2013), video clip (2019)
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Resource
Recordings of the Suscipe
Recordings of a number of versions of the Suscipe can be found on the Mercyworld.org website. The most recent addition is the video of the senior choir at All Hallows’ School, Brisbane, Australia, singing Sr Elaine Deasy’s version which was included in the MIA Mercy Day Mass this year.
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Resource
Remembering Catherine McAuley
Video (2012) of Anne Reid, Mercy Associate, narrating an account of the last days and death of Catherine McAuley on 11 November 1841.
Catherine's Resource Library
Additional articles, videos, audio tracks, web links and video clips on Catherine McAuley and the Sisters of Mercy, as well as Issues Mercy is addressing today, can be downloaded or viewed in the Library.
Mercy Matters
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Sr Martha (left) with mother & childorganisations
Mercy Organisations
The Place of Mercy and Hope, a collaborative effort between the Marist Brothers, Sisters of Mercy and Lay Persons in the Sundays River Valley, Addo, Eastern Cape, South Africa, is the latest addition to our listing of Mercy organisations.
Is your Mercy ministry included? If not, submit yours here
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Gospel
32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A
Matthew 25:1-13
'How many times were you told as a child to be ready for an outing or for the arrival of visitors or for dinner or for something else when you simply wanted to stay as you were? There are times when it matters little whether we are ready or not. COVID-19 is teaching us that sometimes it really matters and today’s gospel parable depicts a situation where it is of crucial importance to be prepared. Wisdom resides in readiness, foolishness in failure to prepare...'
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Fact
On This Day
1874: Foundation to Mudgee from Bathurst, New South Wales - M Joseph Murphy
1915: Opening of Mater Hospital, Rockhampton, Queensland
Contribute a fact from the story of your Mercy congregation, institute or federation, to our online archive.
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International Days
6 November, International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict
‘Though humanity has always counted its war casualties in terms of dead and wounded soldiers and civilians, destroyed cities and livelihoods, the environment has often remained the unpublicized victim of war. Water wells have been polluted, crops torched, forests cut down, soils poisoned, and animals killed to gain military advantage….’
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Resource
Patricia Smith rsm on the Gospel Reading
‘Thomas Merton puts it well. He says “The great historical event, the coming of the Kingdom, is made clear and is ‘realized’ in proportion as Christians live the life of the Kingdom in the circumstances of their own place and time.” And so, in each and every moment, we must be ever vigilant to continue to share the oil of justice, mercy, and all the blessings so critically needed in our world today. You know what they are.’
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Resource
UISG: Instruments for Sowing Hope for the Planet
Archived video of the webinar held on 22 October.
Towards the realization of the Laudato Si’ Roll Out plan. Practical developments of the plan for women and men religious plus examples.
Further Resources
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Worth Watching
'Before the Dawning': Marie Dunne chf
‘The song endeavours to express a message of love and hope during times of difficulty, with the assurance that this love and hope are always there…In a worldwide pandemic with the Covid-19 Coronavirus, we need to look from our darkness towards the dawn, and not lose hope. The dawn will come, the sun will rise.‘
-Sr Marie
Watch/Listen here)
Worth Knowing
How to Thrive When Everything Feels Terrible
Tactics to increase your thriving — the psychological state in which people experience a sense of both vitality and learning.
Read the article & learn the tactics here)
Worth Knowing
As Climate Disasters Pile Up, a Radical Proposal Gains Traction
‘The idea of modifying Earth’s atmosphere to cool the planet, once seen as too risky to seriously consider, is attracting new money and attention.’
Read the article here)
Worth Knowing
Eco Bible: An Ecological Commentary on Genesis and Exodus.
Rabbi Yonatan Neril & Rabbi Leo Dee: editors and lead contributors
‘A groundbreaking new Eco Bible explores the Hebrew Bible’s ecological as well as spiritual wisdom, to address humanity’s greatest challenges in protecting life on Earth. Eco Bible connects the Five Books of Moses/Pentateuch, and Jewish rabbis’ biblical teachings past and present, with contemporary scientific understanding of human health, biodiversity, and environmental protection of air, land and water.’
Press release here
Excerpts from commentary on Genesis chapter 1 here
Purchase from AmazonSend suggestions and contributions for the ‘Worth’ Section 2020 to: The Editor
The Bottom Line
‘Most of the rewards in the Beatitudes are future-oriented, which is both comforting and frustrating…as future rewards do not resolve present-day suffering.
But the Beatitudes can be read with an eye to the present, not only the future. The groups that are highlighted show characteristics that we should aspire to have today. These statements are about how people live, even in the face of adversity; and they remind us that actions, not only words, reveal faith in Christ. On All Saints’ Day, in addition to reflecting on the lives of saints, we are called to be saints.’ 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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