In this week as we prepare to celebrate the feast of Pentecost, it is appropriate that we would reflect on the paper presented by Janet Ruffing rsm Fire Cast on the Earth: Spiritual Implications for Mercy in the 21st. Century.

In her challenging and spirit filled conclusion Janet writes: To live in intimacy with God and the world, to bring love everywhere, and to manifest the holiness and sacredness of the world, requires internal transformation and not merely a programme for social change.

This transformation is characteristically the work of the Spirit, and requires our participation and availability within the contemplative dimension of our lives. Our need for the Spirit’s nurturance, strengthening, and healing is ever more poignant as we unlike Catherine, are no longer animated by the ‘kindling’ of a rapid influx of vocations. However we live in different times and can only partner with God’s Holy Spirit in mediating God’s mercy to our world in our own context. Therefore we must rely as Catherine did on God’s own self so that we can trust that ‘the Holy Spirit is a burning and shining serenity that will never be depleted and which kindles fiery virtues so that, by the Holy Spirit, all darkness is banished’ and the fire of God’s mercy is kindled ever more vibrantly in us.

Messages to Mary Reynolds rsm - Executive Director MIA

Two new documents have been added to the MGC section of the MIA site:

Briefing Note 3, May 2010: The 2010 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons

Briefing Note 4, May 2010: Statement of the Opening of the 2010 Review Conference Of The Parties To The Treaty On The Non-Proliferation Of Nuclear Weapons

The Eighteenth session of the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) 3-14 May 2010 has recently concluded. Two papers from that Commission have been added to the MGC section under the heading 'Commissions'.

Messages to: Deirdre Mullan rsm - Director MGC

This week, Ireland is celebrating “Africa Day” with week-long activities involving poetry readings, music, and dance. In conjunction with these festivities, we are choosing to highlight the ministry of Sisters of Mercy in Nigeria.

Sisters of Mercy first arrived in northern Nigeria in the town of Yola (Adamawa State) in October 1969. They came from Dungarvan, Co. Waterford (Ireland). A branch of the original sisters began ministering the following year in Bare, a village approximately 50 miles away. Additional sisters moved from Strabane, Co. Tyrone (Ireland) to Minna, Niger State, in 1975, and from Armagh Diocese (Ireland) to Lagos in 1986.

Messages to Mary Kay Dobrovolny rsm - Assistant Director Heritage & Spirituality

1950: Dedication of Chapel of Our Lady of Mercy Albany

Monograph published in 1991 with three subsequent printings in 1992, 1995 and 2002. Currently used in Mercy sponsored institutions in the U.S., New Zealand & Australia.

The present college was formed in 1972 through the amalgamation of Stella Maris Regional College run by the Sisters of Mercy, and Marist College run by the Marist Fathers. Today, Marist Regional College is led by a lay principal, but a high value is still placed on the religious traditions of our Mercy and Marist founders, who have as their ethos, care, respect, justice and compassion for one another.

Humanity's total digital output currently stands at 8,000,000 petabytes - which each represent a million gigabytes - but is expected to pass 1.2 zettabytes this year. One zettabyte is equal to 1 million petabytes or 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000, individual bytes.

Source: The Age, Wednesday, May 5, 2010, p13