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Mercy Global Presence Segment Four 'Integrated' Begins Today
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We begin Segment Four in this Holy Week and in this time of continuing global vulnerability with the first of our ‘Integrated’ themes —'Contemplative Seeing’.
Presenters for March are: Elizabeth Davis rsm (Newfoundland, Introduction), Katherine Doyle rsm (Americas, Theological Imaginings), Ma Victoria Pederanga rsm (Philippines, Artistic Inspiration), Jo O’Donovan rsm (The Congregation, Grassroots Ministry), Michelle Gorman rsm (Americas, Mercy Global Action), Maria Teresa Retana rsm (Philippines, Distinct Voice), Valda Dickinson rsm (Parramatta, Reflective Prayer)
Save the dates: Regional Gatherings are planned for Pentecost Week (25-27 May):
All are welcome to attend on the date (or dates) that suits you.
Details are linked to this item.
Messages to: MGP Guiding Group
Vision in Action
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Prayer
MIA Prayer Intention: Holy Week
Gracious God, you have heard the cries of your suffering people. You have sent Jesus to us to be our redeemer and brother. Open our eyes to see the immensity of your love for us and the wonder of what you have done for us. Give us the courage to be your hands and heart for those who are in pain. Give us the wisdom to speak out for justice and righteousness.
May your will be done in us today and always. Amen
Source: ‘Intercessions of Mercy’ ed Joy Clough rsm
Post your prayer in our online chapel
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MIA
Easter Greetings
The shops are full of Easter Eggs and Easter Bunnies, and the Hot Cross Buns have been with us for weeks already!
In the midst of it all may we each experience the blessing of finding those quiet times when we can be deeply aware of what Easter is really all about. What a privilege it is for humans to glimpse the reality that life has come into existence and that we are part of the extraordinary story of creation! In Jesus we know life is stronger than death in ourselves, in others, and throughout the universe. The hope of this message floods us with gratitude.
Special Greetings at Easter from all at Mercy International Association. May the blessings of the Easter Season sustain and nourish you.
—Berneice
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MGA
MGA Participates in Generation Equality Forum
This week, Mercy Global Action is participating in the Generation Equality Forum, a global gathering for gender equality, convened by UN Women and co-hosted by the Governments of Mexico and France with the leadership and partnership of civil society and youth. After a year of postponement due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Forum kicked off virtually in Mexico City, Mexico from 29 to 31 March 2021 and will culminate in Paris, France from 30 June to 2 July 2021…
Members' News
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GB Institute
'Fix You' Song by St Mary's Primary School, Eltham, London, Chamber Choir
GB Institute
'Fix You' Song by St Mary's Primary School, Eltham, London, Chamber Choir
Past Pupils, Jay and Anna, both professional singers, together with current students at St Mary’s and their headmaster on guitar, found new ways to sing wonderfully together during lockdown. This performance of Coldplay’s ‘Fix You’ (words) was filmed online last month. Note the inspiring quotation from Captain Sir Tom Moore that appears with many of the children and which has carried so many people in the UK through lockdown: ‘Tomorrow will be a good day’, and don’t miss the big finish which incorporates heartfelt scenes from the book The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse .
St Mary’s began as a school run by Sisters of Mercy and the Convent is still on site which means that the Sisters, while no longer in a teaching role, are able to still be involved in the life of the school.
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The Congregation
Supporting Families With An Acquired Brain Injury During The Pandemic
The Congregation
Supporting Families With An Acquired Brain Injury During The Pandemic
My name is Catherine O Hare. I belong to the South Central Province and live in St. Leo’s Community in Carlow.
For the past eleven years I have worked with ‘Headway Ireland’ as an Information and Support Worker in the South East of Ireland, covering counties Carlow, Kilkenny, Wexford and Waterford and part of Tipperary. What does Headway do? We work with anyone over the age of eighteen who is affected by an Acquired Brain Injury. An acquired brain injury is any injury to a person’s brain that happens during their lifetime. The injury can be caused by a stroke, a bleed in the brain, an infection, a tumour, a lack of oxygen or a fall, for example…
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ISMAPNG
Celebrating 175 years of Mercedes College
ISMAPNG
Celebrating 175 years of Mercedes College
Mercedes College Perth, Western Australia, has the proud distinction of being the first school in Australia founded by a Religious Congregation (1846) and WA’s first permanent school, and the present site of the college is of unique historical importance. Celebrations were held earlier this month.
A timeline of important events in the College’s 175 year history can be accessed here
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Americas
Intentional Communities Connect Sisters with Those Who Seek Spiritual Growth
Americas
Intentional Communities Connect Sisters with Those Who Seek Spiritual Growth
Jenny Wilson rsm who, together with Colleen O’Toole rsm, is a member of the Mercy intentional community, The Caritas Community, established in New York in 2020, is among those interviewed for this Global Sisters Report. ‘I love my life as a Sister of Mercy, and I want to share that with others,’ Sr Jenny said in explaining her involvement.
Mercy Matters
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Stock imageResource
Ali Roach rsm: The Cross of Christ
Ali Roach rsm (ISMAPNG) was the Grassroots Ministry contributor to MGP Segment Three, Theme Four ‘Presence to Self & Others’. Sr Ali retold the Stations of the Cross from the experiences of 14 clients of the homeless ministry in which she was working when she prepared her presentation. She introduces these Stations saying ‘All of my clients have carried the Cross of Christ...’
Download the presentation
in English (A4), (USLetter);
en español (A4), (USLetter)
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Resource
Virtual Way of the Cross for Economic and Ecological Justice
Sisters of Mercy of the Americas are among the co-sponsors of this Maryknoll Way of the Cross to be held online on Good Friday, 2 April at 12 noon Eastern Time. Click here to find the time and date for your local area. Click here to register via Zoom or watch live on YouTube
The script is also available for use by those unable to attend. Download it here.
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Resource
Easter poetry: Mary Wickham rsm
Mary Wickham rsm (ISMAPNG) has composed two poems for this Holy Week and Easter: Finding Eucharist and Kneeling at Easter.
The poems are linked to this item
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Gospel
Easter Vigil, Year B
Mark 16:1-8
‘At the foot of Mount Macedon, where I spent my whole childhood, stands the lovely Anglican Church of the Resurrection, built in the aftermath of the devastating 1983 Ash Wednesday bushfires… The most striking feature of the Anglican Church is Leonard French’s stained glass depiction of the resurrection experience of a devastated community, a statement of hope in the face of death and seeming hopelessness. Macedon has risen from the ashes and is once again a vibrant community…’
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Fact
On This Day
2000: 150 years of education on the site of St Mary's College Wellington was celebrated.
Contribute a fact from the story of your Mercy congregation, institute or federation, to our online archive.
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Resource
Online Workshop: Preparing for a Future Emerging Out of Chaos
Facilitator: Nancy Sylvester ihm
Date: 10 April, 2021
Time: 9:30am - 3:30pm central time
Online: via Zoom
Cost: US $75 for members, $120 for non-members.
Note: Resources by Sr Nancy are included in the ‘Good Reading’ section of the Contemplative Seeing MGP theme released today.
Further Resources
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Worth Knowing
Pandemic threatens lost decade for development, UN report reveals
‘“The global economy has experienced “the worst recession in 90 years, with the most vulnerable segments of societies disproportionately affected”, said the Inter-agency Task Force on Financing in their Financing for Sustainable Development Report 2021, pointing out that some 114 million jobs have been lost, and about 120 million people have been plunged back into extreme poverty. ‘
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Worth Watching
'Agnus Dei' from Ashes of Roses by Jocelyn Hagen
‘The traditional “Agnus Dei” text is set alongside 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 and gives an ensemble the opportunity to feature a wonderful baritone soloist.’
Watch/listen here)
Worth Reading
LCWR 'Update'
The April issue of ‘Update’, the monthly newsletter from LCWR (Leadership Conference of Women Religious) is now online.
Read the issue here)
Worth Reading
In a year of pandemic, religious life finds pain, purpose and hope
Jolanta Kafka rmi, president of UISG and Patricia Murray ibvm, executive secretary of UISG, reflect on how the pandemic has affected religious life.
Image: Patricia Murray ibvm
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Worth Watching
The Earth Hour 2021 Virtual Spotlight | What COVID-19 has taught us about our planet, and ourselves
The effects of a pandemic like COVID-19 are easy to see. But what about the causes? This video was released on 27 March, for Earth Hour. ‘ Learn why our health depends on the health of the planet, and why we already have it in us to make a change - though we may just not have realized it yet.’
Watch the video here (2:20)Send suggestions and contributions for the ‘Worth’ Section 2021 to: The Editor
The Bottom Line
‘The global experience of pandemic and the unequal access to vaccines foregrounds the language of death and resurrection at this time. As we enter into the Easter mysteries, we carry with us the chaos of broken communities. We mourn the deaths of 2.79 million people, we pray for order out of the chaos, we ask questions about the provenance of the virus in the other-than-human community and we do all we can to ensure a real return to life for the bereaved, the struggling and the displaced. We join with those who are sharing their resources and re-ordering their way of being in the Earth community in order to make this happen.’ 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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