Mercy Echoes Episode Five

Mercy Echoes is the official podcast of Mercy International Association (MIA), presented by Brenda Drumm, MIA Head of Communications.

MIA is an organisation of the leaders of Mercy Congregations, Institutes and Federations throughout the world, founded to serve the Sisters of Mercy, their associates and partners in ministry.⁠ ⁠

The purpose of this Association is to inspire Sisters of Mercy and their Associates to incarnate the spirit o Catherine McAuley  in ways which are creative and appropriate to the needs of our time and to foster unity of mind and heart among Sisters of Mercy worldwide.

Episode Five

Our guest for episode five is Sr Suzanne Ryder from the West of Ireland.

Suzanne was brought up in Ballinrobe, County Mayo, where she was educated by Mercy Sisters at both first and second levels. Geography was one of her degree subjects that sparked an interest in justice issues for her. She did not hesitate to say yes to an invitation to go on mission to Perú when asked. This huge learning experience shaped her time as the first Justice Coordinator in her Congregation. It also opened her to the wonders of Mercy worldwide.

Her Congregational position led her to be one of the four Focal Point People to organise justice at a global level. Presently, Suzanne is involved in the ministry of Spiritual Companionship, the practice of Centering Prayer, and Communication, in the Western Branch of the Congregation.

Suzanne spoke to Brenda about her life and ministry and shared some of her vocation story, her time in education, her time in Peru and farther afield.

Suzanne also shared her story of being diagnosed with MS aged 33 and how this and many other experiences have shaped her life as a Sister of Mercy.