)
)
)
Foundation Day 2020
)
Berneice Loch rsm pictured in the Callaghan Room at MIC
On Saturday 12 December we are invited to celebrate and reflect on Foundation Day. It marks the date on which Catherine McAuley and her companions, Anna Maria Doyle and Elizabeth Harley, returned to Baggot Street from the Presentation Convent at Georges Hill, having just professed their vows as the first Sisters of Mercy. And so began the story of the Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy and all who have joined them in their commitment to bringing God’s love and Mercy to the poor, the sick and the uneducated. In recent times these original works of Mercy have extended to care of our Common Home. Next year, in 2021, we will be entering the final decade of the Congregation’s second century…
Berneice Loch rsm pictured in the Callaghan Room at MIC
Vision in Action
)
MGP
Global Contemplation: A Living Cosmic Advent Wreath Embraced in Mercy
A Living Cosmic Advent Wreath – during three regional gatherings held in the first week of Advent 2020, Sisters, Associates and Partners in Mercy (each one of whom is a channel of God's mercy in our world in this time) created together a living Cosmic Advent Wreath. Two hundred and three Mercy women and men from twelve countries (Australia, Canada, Guyana, Guam, Ireland, Kenya, New Zealand, Peru, Philippines, South Africa, United Kingdom, and the United States of America) shared their reflections which had been gathered in personal and communal contemplation begun two weeks before the regional gatherings…
)
Prayer
MIA Prayer Intention: Foundation Day
As we celebrate Foundation Day, let us pray the Litany of Mercy/Letanía de la misericordia written for the Year of Mercy by Mary Wickham rsm.
Creator God-
Maker and Source of Mercy-
all praise to You.
Jesus –
exemplar and champion of Mercy-
all praise to You.
Spirit-
artist and animator of Mercy-
all praise to You…
Post your prayer in our online chapel
)
MGA
Human Rights Day Emphasizes the Tools to Build Back Better
Human Rights Day is observed every year on 10 December, commemorating the day in 1948 when the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). At the heart of the Mercy World is the recognition of human rights, the human dignity of all and the rights of nature. By focusing on the protection, promotion and fulfillment of human rights, and by analyzing gender norms, different forms of discrimination and power imbalances, we can ensure that policies and programmes reach those most left behind
)
Send in Your Christmas Greeting
As we bring this year to its conclusion, we invite you to share a Christmas greeting with the global Mercy community.
Send in your greetings - text or text and image - by Tuesday, 15 December. The last issue of Mercy eNews for 2020 will be published on Wednesday, 16 December. Email: mercyenews@mercyinternational.ie
Members' News
)
L-r: L-r: Sr Anna Dublé, H.E. Dr Nariman Al Mulla, Lila McInerney in the college chapelISMAPNG
Visit to Mercy College Coburg of the Consul General of the United Arab Emirates for Interfaith Dialogue.
An historic event took place at Mercy College Coburg (Victoria, Australia) on Thursday December 3rd when the Consul General of the United Arab Emirates, H.E. Dr Nariman Al Mulla, visited the school to engage in an event 'to foster tolerance and interfaith dialogue between both religions, which is considered one of the key values in the UAE'.
Dr Nariman Al Mulla addressed the work of the UAE in relation to peace and explained the emphasis of the leadership of their country on the value of tolerance. They now have a Ministry of Tolerance. The Consul General also presented the college with a large framed photo of the signing of the Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together…
)
Americas
Casa de Misericordia Opens on Mercy Day
The opening and blessing of Casa de Misericordia followed seven months of preparation – locating a house, arranging a two year lease with the parish and diocese, emptying and refurbishing space which required a lot of attention, and most important, forming relationships with countless people with whom the community will collaborate in working with migrant persons.
Casa de Misericordia is located in Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish near the U.S. Mexico border…
)
ISMAPNG
A Day of Great Joy for the Institute
On Saturday, 14 November, in Kaugia, Papua New Guinea, Meryline made her profession at a Mass at the Holy Spirit Church. At the same time, Michelle and Mai took their final vows at a Mass at the Ursula Frayne Memorial Chapel in Melbourne. While they were separated physically by thousands of kilometres, they and all of those watching the livestream of the Melbourne ceremony, were joined together in a wonderful prayerful spirit…
)
Americas
Sisters Provide Shelter, Clean Water After Hurricanes Hit Central America
Diane Clyne rsm, Director of Development for the CCASA (Caribbean, Central America, South America) Mercy community was among those religious interviewed for this story in Global Sisters Report. Sr Diane shared the responses of Mercy people and the needs of the locals impacted by Hurricanes Eta and iota.
‘The biggest needs are food, potable water and medical supplies…’
)
Aotearoa New Zealand
Our Call to be ‘Sowers of Prophetic Hope’
Saturday 12 December marks Foundation Day, 189 years since Catherine McAuley and two of her young companions took vows in Dublin as the first Sisters of Mercy.
It is also, by both thoughtful planning and good fortune, our own Foundation Day, marking 15 years since Sisters of Mercy in New Zealand, Tonga and Samoa agreed to merge their historic four Congregations and become one…
)
ISMAPNG
STEngineers Handsfree COVID Stations
The Santamaria College Attadale (Perth, Australia) Year 7 STEngineers students have been working on an engineering task. The girls researched, designed, built, and tested a hands-free hand sanitising station. The station had to be in line with the ‘Everyone – even when well – can help slow the spread of COVID-19’ government campaign.
It was a challenging task. The girls were provided with a budget of $30. They had to choose resources from the Bunnings website, design a structure, and then the even more difficult task -constructing it…
Mercy Matters
)
Fact
On This Day
1822: Birth of William McAuley - Catherine's youngest nephew (died in New South Wales, 1904)
1888: Commencement of home visitation ministry, Parramatta
Contribute a fact from the story of your Mercy congregation, institute or federation, to our online archive.
)
Gospel
3rd Sunday of Advent Year B
John 1:6-8, 19-28
'The first section of today’s gospel reading comes from the prologue of John’s gospel and offers comment on the identity of John the Baptizer. The second section revolves around a question that has already been answered in the prologue. In other words, the reader knows the answer to the question posed by the characters in the second section..'
)
International days
12 December, Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe
‘May the people of the Americas, who were blessed by the appearance of Our Lady at Guadalupe on this day in 1531, be renewed in their hope and strengthened in their efforts to build a more just society.’
Source: Morning and Evening Prayer of the Sisters of Mercy
)
Digital Life
Apple Redesigns Accessibility Hub, Launches Videos on New Features
‘On Thursday – December 3, which is the International Day of Persons with Disabilities – the company launched a redesigned Accessibility hub, detailing some of these features in products such as the iPhone, Apple Watch, Mac and iPad. The site is divided in four sections: Vision, Mobility, Hearing, and Cognitive, each with several examples of features that may be useful to people with disabilities.’
)
Resource
A Lens on the Works of Mercy plus Works of Mercy
'A Lens on the Works of Mercy: Clare Agnew and her Legacy' is the culmination of a research project by Annette Schneider rsm, undertaken during the three months from mid-January till mid-April, 2019, at Mercy International Centre, Dublin. Read more
'Works of Mercy' - a copy of the line drawings by Clare Agnew illustrate scenes of the early Sisters of Mercy engaged in the Corporal and Spiritual works of Mercy in Ireland in the 1830s.
)
Resource
Servant Leadership: Marie Michele Donnelly rsm
What does it mean to be a servant leader? What does it mean to be a Mercy servant leader? This session reviews the characteristics of a servant leader, which can include listening, empathy, healing, stewardship and more.
Further Resources
)
Worth Watching
For a Life of Prayer: Pope's prayer intention for December 2020
‘We pray that our personal relationship with Jesus Christ be nourished by the Word of God and a life of prayer.’
Watch it here![Unititled [This is what was bequeathed us] by Gregory Orr](http://a.storyblok.com/f/45074/b6f8e796ee/planet-gif.jpg/m/400x0/filters:quality\(60\))
Worth Watching
Unititled [This is what was bequeathed us] by Gregory Orr
‘This is what was bequeathed us:
This earth the beloved left
And, leaving,
Left to us…’
![Come, O Come, Emmanuel [Acoustic Sessions]](http://a.storyblok.com/f/45074/1281x684/bffb61f79c/acoustic-sessions.JPG/m/400x0/filters:quality\(60\))
Worth Watching
Come, O Come, Emmanuel [Acoustic Sessions]
‘O come, O come, Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear…’
)
Worth Reading
The Social Life of Forests
‘Trees appear to communicate and cooperate through subterranean networks of fungi. What are they sharing with one another?’
Read the article here)
Worth Reading
LCWR 'Update'
The December issue of ‘Update’, the monthly newsletter from LCWR (Leadership Conference of Women Religious) is now online.
Read 'Update' hereSend suggestions and contributions for the ‘Worth’ Section 2020 to: The Editor
The Bottom Line
‘In the dark days in which we live, there are bearers of light and hope. Joy arises from realizing there are many among us who notice the brokenhearted and afflicted…These are God’s agents of justice and hope. They are Emmanuel, God-with-us.
The poet, Theodore Roethke, writes: “In a dark time, the eye begins to see.” Perhaps this difficult time reveals the deeper meanings of our Advent prayer, “Come, Lord Jesus.”…’ Read more
)
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
)
)
)
)
)