MGP 'Creating Circles & Culture of Mercy’ Resources Are Now Online
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We have come to the end of the Mercy Global Presence sixteen month process with the resources for the fourth and final ‘Integrated’ theme: ‘Creating Circles & Culture of Mercy’ now available on the Mercy Global Presence microsite. During July we will be preparing the final (16th) poster and Flip Books, as well as a Report for the MIA Members and Board which will also be shared with the Mercy family.
Presenters for June are: Elizabeth Davis rsm (Newfoundland, Introduction),
Victoria Biggs (GB Union, Theological Imaginings), Tara Egger (North Sydney, Artistic Inspiration), Anne Francis (The Congregation, Grassroots Ministry), Tylia Barnes (Americas, Mercy Global Action), Scholastica Nganda rsm (The Congregation, Distinct Voice), Sandra Lupi rsm (Brisbane, Reflective Prayer)
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Vision in Action
Prayer
MIA Prayer Intention: Through the Eyes of Mercy
Prayer
MIA Prayer Intention: Through the Eyes of Mercy
'Through the eyes of Mercy, with the hands of Mercy,
with the voices of Mercy, in the spirit of Mercy
we are emboldened to live our lives anew,
in Mercy and Justice to heal a hurting world.'
The reflective prayer by Sandra Lupi rsm for this final MGP theme incorporates the song commissioned by the Sisters of Mercy Brisbane Congregation to commemorate 160 years of service (1861-2021).
As we listen to the song, let us pray that we, too, will be ‘emboldened to live our lives anew, in Mercy and Justice to heal a hurting world.'‘
Post your prayer in our online chapel
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MGA
Expressions of Interest Now Open For New MGA Justice- Based Task Forces
MGA
Expressions of Interest Now Open For New MGA Justice- Based Task Forces
An exciting opportunity exists to join one of two newly-established MGA task forces to commence in August 2021. Each of the task forces is directly linked to Mercy Global Action’s priority themes of Migration and Water/Climate Change.
The task forces are issue-based, time-limited and have an action–oriented focus. Comprising twelve members, including the MGA team, the task forces will draw upon the experience, expertise and aspirations of its members in relation to either migration or water/climate change. Linked, see the terms of reference for each of the MGA Task Forces Water & Climate Change, Migration
Expressions of Interest (EOI) are now open for membership of an MGA Task Force and will close on Tuesday, July 13th 2021 at 5pm, EDT. Sign up here!
Members' News
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The Congregation
Northern Province Summer Series Launched Wonderfully by Barbara Reid o.p.
A gathering of over 80 appreciative participants from Ireland, UK, USA, Peru, Newfoundland and Australia heard biblical scholar Barbara Reid o.p. address ‘Reading the Scriptures with the Mind, Eyes, and Heart of a Woman’ on Monday, 28 June. In the first part, Sr Barbara explored feminist liberationist biblical interpretation. In the second half she applied this methodology to the death of Jesus, highlighting the shift in theological thinking from ‘atoning for sins’ to ‘self-surrender to love and birthing new life’.
There will be two further talks in the series; Yvone Gerbara (8 July) and Miriam McGillis (14 July). Further details on the flyer here: A4 size; US Letter size
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ISMAPNG
Advance Notice: Book of Poems, Prayers and Blessings
Advance notice is given about a new book of poems, prayers and blessings by Mary Wickham rsm. Mary is pleased to announce that a new and collected book of her work is currently with the publisher and will be available later in the year. The collection is titled Being The Bird and includes a large number of previously unpublished poems, many with a Celtic flavour, as well as a gathering up of some familiar Mercy favourites such as The Door of Mercy, The Litany of Mercy, and the Baggot St poems. Stay tuned for further information in due course about where to order your copy. The book will make an ideal gift and useful resource for Mercy places and people. Click here for a little tribute poem written by Mary recently.
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The Congregation
The Mercy Girl Effect Leadership Training 2021
The Mercy Girl Effect Leadership Training Programme (MGE) was held virtually during the past week and we welcomed students from across the USA and Ireland as we continued our journey of educating, advocating and deciding on our Action Project for the Academic Year 2021-2022.
During the two-day conference, which has been held at Gwynedd Mercy University for the past 15 years, the student ambassadors followed a similar structure to the one we have used so successfully in the past…
ISMAPNG
Integral Ecology and Interculturality
Last month, Cathy Solano rsm conducted a webinar on interculturality and how it relates to our human experience within integral ecology (1:25:34).
The presentation covered ( in broad outline): the essentials of interculturality then interculturality at the micro, meso and macro levels.
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Americas
As Newly Arrived Immigrants Move Beyond US-Mexico Border, Sisters are There to Help
Mercy Sisters Rosemary Sabino, JoAnn Persch, Judy Carle and her community in Burlingame, California feature in this article from Global Sisters Report on assistance members of women’s religious women are giving to immigrants. ‘"We are committed to our immigrants, our sisters and brothers"‘ (JoAnn Persch rsm)…
Source: Global Sisters Report
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Americas
Haitian Women Are My Inspiration
Let me tell you my story.
On Jan. 12, 2010, Haiti was hit by a catastrophic magnitude 7 earthquake, causing massive damage to a nation already suffering from decades of political, economic and social setbacks and inequalities. For 35 seconds, the earth shook, and the lives of millions of Haitians were changed forever…
Source: Global Sisters Report
Mercy Matters
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Resource
John Garvey Conversations on Spirituality in a Time of Reckoning | Part 3 on Metanoia
In the third and final conversation of this three-part series on ‘Spirituality in a Time of Reckoning’, held on 25 June, Janet Ruffing rsm (Americas, Yale Divinity School) and Bryan Massingale (Fordham University) grappled with metanoia. The video is linked to this item.
View earlier conversations with other presenters: Part 1 On Grief and Part 2 On Righteous Anger .
Resource
UISG: Taking Care: The Mission of Religious Women
Maryanne Loughry rsm (ISMAPNG) will be one of the presenters at UISG’s webinar ‘Taking Care: The Mission of Religious Women’ to be held on zoom on Thursday, 8 July, from 2:00pm - 4:00pm Rome Time. Click here to see the time and date for your local area.
Zoom Link: http://bit.ly/3epaQNT
Meeting ID: 828 4575 8322
Resource
'Sacred Earth Sacred Soul' Online Book Launch
The online book launch of John Philip Newell’s long-awaited publication, Sacred Earth Sacred Soul: Celtic Wisdom for Reawakening to What Our Souls Know and Healing the World (HarperOne, San Francisco) will take place on Saturday, 10 July 2021.
Time: 2:00-3:30pm PDT. Click here to see the time and date for your local area
Details and cost can be found here
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Fact
On This Day
1837: Death of novice M Aloysius Thorpe at Baggot St
1990: Albany motherhouse ravaged by fire
Contribute a fact from the story of your Mercy congregation, institute or federation, to our online archive.
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Resource
Lucy Hone: The Three Secrets of Resilient People
Dr Lucy Hone is the director of the New Zealand Institute of Wellbeing & Resilience. ‘Her Ted Talk on Resilience (16:20) was voted one of the top 20 talks last year. She had trained as a psychologist and resilience expert but little did she know she would have to put all the tools she had learnt into practise when she lost her young daughter in a car accident in 2014. Dr Hone says through her research and now experience she has learnt there are three main principles for resilience.’
Last month Dr Horne was interviewed on Australian television. That interview can be watched here (7:09)
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Gospel
14th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B
‘Most of us have known the experience of feeling powerless in the face of rejection, especially when it is rejection from those who are closest to us, from those who might normally be expected to understand and affirm us. Mark presents such rejection as the experience of Jesus…’
Further Resources
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Worth Watching
The Lord bless you and keep you (John Rutter)
The Chamber Choir of St Andrew's Cathedral Sydney sing John Rutter's beautiful setting of the Aaronic blessing from Numbers 6: 24-26.
Watch/listen hereWorth Watching
The Extraordinary Story of Corita Kent, the “Pop Art Nun”
‘At a time when pop art was finding its footing and the nation was in a state of upheaval, Sister Corita helped make art more accessible to the public. This episode charts her art practice and her effect on generations after her.‘
Image: snip from Youtube clip
Watch the video here (18:15) Read the article here)
Worth Knowing
How a Great Green Wall could help Africa combat climate change
‘The Great Green Wall initiative aims to restore land, sequester carbon and create jobs in some of the poorest communities in the world, where climate change is hitting the hardest.’
Read the article here)
Worth Reading
How the pandemic could save us
‘Despite the tragic deaths, suffering and sadness that it has caused, the pandemic could go down in history as the event that rescued humanity. This column argues that the pandemic has created a hinge moment of change, in which governments and citizens have demonstrated their ability to undertake reforms which would have been impossible before the pandemic. Sustaining and building on this momentum for reform is vital if we are to address the critical challenges facing humanity, stop future pandemics and build a more inclusive world of shared prosperity. ‘
Read the article here)
Worth Reading
Creating a generational remix for mission
‘What is the call of the Spirit for the present generations living religious life today? While religious life has always been intergenerational to some extent, this unique generational mix has never happened before…’
Image: Malin K/Unsplash
Read the article hereSend suggestions and contributions for the ‘Worth’ Section 2021 to: The Editor
The Bottom Line
‘May God preserve and bless you all.’
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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