Prayers through the intercession of Venerable Catherine McAuley are requested for the intentions of Mary McAdam, Kevin Busch, Carol Henretta, Beatrice Tolley, Alicia Reynolds and all those whose names are on our prayer list.

Message to Anne Hannon rsm - Vice postulator Europe and Africa, Sheila Carney rsm - Vice postulator Americas or Mary Duffy rsm - Vice postulator Australia, New Zealand, Philippines

On Tuesday Jan 31st the students from across Ireland, who attended the Young Mercy Leaders Pilgrimage in August 2011, were invited to Baggot St. to continue the conversation about how they can be a leader in their schools embodying the charism of Mercy. Fifteen students accompanied by five adults attended. They were from four different schools. It was evident from the moment of their arrival in the house that their enthusiasm hadn’t waned since the pilgrimage ended!

Messages to Kathy Higgins rsm

Catherine McAuley gave high priority to providing shelter and support to homeless, abused and vulnerable servant women and girls. She would have a special understanding for Sabriana, whose story was recently reported by Cois Tine, an outreach project of the Society of African Missions.

MIA Global Action continues its campaign against trafficking with its Opposing Trafficking Working Group. Last week the working group met by telephone conference and discussed its campaign for the upcoming year.

Messages to Betty Lacey

Please join in praying for those injured and displaced by the magnitude 6.3 earthquake that struck the mid-coastal region in Peru on January 30, 2012. The earthquake did not cause injury or damage in the areas where Sisters of Mercy live and serve. The earthquake’s epicenter was 9 miles southeast of the city Ica. This city is located 160 miles south of Peru’s capital Lima.

Five Mercy congregational families have vowed members living and serving in Peru: Congregation of Sisters of Mercy, Ireland; Institute of Our Lady of Mercy, Great Britain; Institute of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas; Sisters of Mercy, Newfoundland; and Sisters of Mercy, North Sydney (Australia). Sister Mary Anto (Americas) reports, “We are well, thank God. The saddest thing is that it is the people from Ica who were struck; they experienced an earthquake in 2007 and now another one…” The city of Ica is the capital of the Ica region in southern Peru.

Messages to Mary Anto rsm

As Sister Mary Carmela Cabactulan rejoices in the shipment of medical supplies that arrived in Tacloban, Philippines mid-January, she recognizes this as a special manifestation of God’s favour. She writes:

"We are truly happy to share our joy in the Lord that we have received medical equipment and supplies shipped to us by the Perry Rotary Club of Georgia, USA. The shipment contained in a 40-footer van arrived at the new Mother of Mercy Hospital in Tacloban City, Philippines on January 15, 2012 (celebrated in the Philippines as the Feast of the Holy Infant Jesus). Our simple faith tells us that on His feast, the Holy Infant has gifted to the hospital named after His mother, the Mother of Mercy , with priceless instruments, to help make our health care service more effective especially for the poor among us. God has sent us kind and generous past students and friends in this new endeavour for mercy."

Messages to Mary Carmela Cabactulan rsm

A recent copy of the Tablet Magazine contains an article by Sister Deirdre Mullan rsm where she reflects that living in an inter-dependent way is the challenge of the vow of celibacy

Recent experiences at the UN, with its ongoing emphasis on the importance of interconnectedness and harmony in relationships, lead Deirdre to make connections between this focus at UN and her understanding of celibacy. She sees celibacy as a testament to a nurturing love for others and for all creation.

She believes that the transformation from a culture of unfettered consumerism to a culture of living in harmony has gained momentum all over the globe.

Messages to Deirdre Mullan rsm
 

In 2011, Sisters of Mercy, Brisbane, Australia, celebrated the sesquicentenary of the foundation of the congregation by Mary Vincent Whitty rsm and the opening of All Hallows School. To mark this significant occasion, All Hallows School commissioned a life size bronze of Catherine. The sculpture, entitled “The Offering” by Meliesa Judge was unveiled and blessed on November 1st, the Feast of All Saints. The sculpture is a wonderful metaphorical depiction of Catherine, shown in the act of giving away her shawl in response to someone in need, symbolic of Catherine’s life of service in God’s name. The plinth on which the sculpture stands records four of Catherine’s many wise sayings:

“Draw persons to God by your word, by your example, and by the works of Mercy”

“Let us pray well, and never grow weary”

“No work of charity can be more productive of good to society or more conducive to the happiness of the poor than the careful instruction of women”

“We should be as shining lamps, giving light to all around us”.

Messages to Lee-Ann Perry
 

1832: M Aloysius (Anne) O’Grady died, Baggot St.

1837: M Veronica Corrigan died of typhus, Baggot St.

1902: Foundation to Shepparton from Bendigo – M Berchmans Flannery

1979: Mission to King Island from Melbourne – M Camillus O’Kane
 

This is the story of Elizabeth McQuoin, an English woman born in London whose spiritual journey took her first to Liverpool to the Sisters of Mercy where she joined the foundation planned by Catherine McAuley, and then to Sydney Australia where she established a Mercy foundation in 1865.

mercyFirst honors the spirit of the Sisters of Mercy and the legacy of their Foundress, Catherine McAuley, providing hope by reaching out to children and families in need, recognizing the unconditional, God-given right of every person to heal and grow physically, spiritually, morally, intellectually and emotionally.

The latest version of the Windows Operating System (Windows 7) is a little different from previous versions, but fortunately Microsoft has published a series of videos and resources to help you get up and running on the new system.