In a recent article in America online magazine, Praying in the Digital Age, Mary Charles Mayer rsm, director of the Office of Consecrated Life for the Archdiocese of St. Louis, spoke of the significance of  having places where people can post prayer requests online.

' “The Web provides a level of anonymity for people, a large viewing audience that might also pray for their needs and a level of impersonal contact where people are safe in communicating their vulnerability or that of another person,” she said.'

Having interviewed  a number of people engaged in the ministry of prayer online, the author of the article concludes,' “Where two or three are gathered…” takes on new meaning when hundreds or thousands of people see your prayer request and offer their own prayer on your behalf. Perhaps posting prayers on Web sites and Facebook allows people who feel that no one is praying for or with them to be heard."  '

The mercyworld. org website provides two online prayer spaces - the  prayer rooms of  the Baggot Street Chapel and Catherines' Tomb and the canonisation prayer list . The canonisation prayer list holds the intentions of and for 1088 persons.

Readers of Mercy e-News are asked to keep these petitioners in their prayers, in particular those whose names are most recently added to the list: Madeline McCann, Shannon Dragon, Josephine Sanchez

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

Mercy International Association held its sixth and final gathering of the Soup and Substance Lenten programme on 29th March 2012.

In this session, Mick Quinn from the Anti Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU) of the Department of Justice and Equality spoke on the difference between Trafficking and smuggling and the national legislation in place in Ireland to combat it. The AHTU was established in 2008 to co-ordinate the activities of the different government departments on trafficking. Mick described the work of the government agencies and of civil society in working together to provide a holistic response to this problem.

You are invited to view images taken at Mick’s presentation and to access the handout distributed to the group gathered in Dublin. These are linked to this item

Messages to: Mary Purcell - Assistant Director Mercy Global Action

Over the past week there have been 21 new subscriptions to Mercy e-news, 18 from individuals and 3 from Mercy communities.

All Sisters of Mercy, Associates, Partners in Ministry, Friends of Mercy and the extended Mercy Family are welcome to receive the weekly online newsletter of the Mercy International Association (MIA). There is no charge for this service which is provided by MIA. The Mercy E-newsletter can be sent to an individual, community or organisation's email address. The Mercy E-Newletter is available in two formats; Plain Text and HTML (In colour, with images).

The online subscription form is linked to this item or contact the Editor for assistance.

Messages to: Editor

It is very heartening that Mercy sisters from around the world are taking collective action for Advocacy on behalf of our Earth home, the whole community of life and future generations.

The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, also known as Earth Summit and Rio+20, is drawing closer and we, as Mercy sisters want to impact the final decisions that will be taken at the June 2012 meeting. One step in this action was targeting governments and proposed attendees to RIO+20, from countries where Mercy sisters work. MIA Global Action grately appreciate the efforts Congregatonal leaders around the world make to encourage and animate their members to take collective action.

Messages to Catherine Gibbons rsm -  Intern MIA Global Action

The following letter was received by Mary Purcell following the fourth Soup and Substance gathering. A report of that gathering can be found here.

The letter reads (in part)-

I want to express appreciation of the very clear presentation given by Tanya Jones in relation to the issue of fracking. I feel strongly about this, not just for the impact on the human community, but equally because of the heedless rape of the earth inherent in the process.

I wrote to the Department for Enterprise, Trade and Investment, in Northern Ireland, but the written reply I received did not indicate that my concerns were taken seriously enough...

The letter is linked to this item.

Messages to:
Philomena Horner rsm - The Congregation/Northern Province
Mary Purcell – Assistant Director Mercy Global Action

Tony Blair former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and presently Patron of the Tony Blair Faith Foundation recently published this interesting article on the Foundation’s blog. When I contacted the Foundation to congratulate them on their work and to let them know of the activities of the Mercy Sisters in the area of Opposing Trafficking they commented

“Your work is admirable and innovative, and thank you for sharing it with us. We are pleased to confirm that we are happy for you to print in your newsletter our blog about religious women who work to end trafficking .”

The Tony Blair Foundation website can be accessed here.

Messages to: Mary Purcell – Assistant Director Mercy Global Action

The American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), an international society of more than 40,000 members from nearly 50 countries, has elected Mercy Health Care System Regional President Di Smalley, FACHE, as 2012-13 chairman-elect.

“As chairman, Di will preside over the most influential association representing hospital executives throughout the world,” said Lynn Britton, president and CEO of Mercy across seven states. “It’s an honor for Mercy to support Di as she steps into this important role. We’re absolutely confident in her ability to address the challenging issues facing health care – both nationally and globally.”

Messages to:  Rachel Wright - Mercy Media Relations

Editor: Mercy Health Care System is this week's featured website.

On Sunday, April 1, the Religious Sisters of Mercy (Philippines) began their retreat in preparation for the Seventh General Chapter Assembly which will be held from April 9-13, 2012.

Members of the Mercy network are invited to join with the sisters in praying their Chapter prayer:

Merciful and loving God, you are the fountain of all mercy, you provide for the needs of your people and inspire them with the fulfillment of every good intention. As we come together for our 7th RSM General chapter, enlighten our minds, strengthen our hearts for the great task ahead of us. Help us to look forward in hope for the renewal of our congregation, as we come to assess our mercy way of life, our spirituality and our ministries.

We beg you to send the Holy Spirit, to stir our hearts with the gifts of understanding, gentleness, compassion and love so that with hearts renewed we may come to live more fully as authentic mercy bearers to the people we professed to serve, especially the poor. This we humbly and confidently ask with Mary Our Lady of Mercy, in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

Messages to:  the Religious Sisters of Mercy ( Philippines) c/- Marian Ladrera rsm
 

In February and March, 2012 the Sisters of Mercy of Newfoundland marked three major events in the life of the Congregation, the Mercy Sisters in Peru and in the life of three wonderful women, their communities, families and friends.

On February 5 Alita Sanchez Sanchez, from Monsefu renewed her vows as a Sister of Mercy...

On March 1 Maria Elizabeth Galan Fiestas from Santa Rosa on the coast of Peru was received as a postulant...

On March 3, we celebrated the first profession of Rosali Esperaza Vargas Mendoza whose home community is LaGrama in the Andes.

These three women are journeying through the various stages of the formation program of new members to full incorporation as Sisters of Mercy. They bring new life and great hope to the Sisters of Mercy, to the church and to the people of Peru.

Messages to Diane Smyth rsm

With their theme, “Leading in the Spirit of Catherine,” nearly 70 associates and sisters participated in two leadership development workshops the weekends of February 24-26 at Holy Trinity Shrine and Retreat in Fort Mitchell, Alabama and March 16-18 at the Moye Spirituality Center in Melbourne, Kentucky.

The aim of both workshops was to develop leadership skills and techniques among local area leaders in Mercy Association. Dr. Kathleen Kane facilitated both weekends. Dr. Kane has worked extensively with Associate Kathy Wade in the Mercy Leadership Development Program for sisters.

Messages to: Associate Lincoln Sigwald - Director of Association South Central Community

Ten Mercy centers of higher education: Carlow University, Pittsburgh PA, Misericordia University, Dallas PA, Gwynedd-Mercy College, Gwynned Valley PA; Georgian Court University, Lakewood NJ, University of Detroit Mercy, Detroit, MI,  St Joseph's College West Hartford CT, College of St Mary, Omaha NE, Mercyhurst University,  Erie PA,  Mount Aloysius College, Cresson PA, St Xavier, Chicago IL,  have been named by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) to the 2012 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, recognizing these universities as among the nation's leading colleges and universities for commitment to bettering their communities through community service and service learning.

Messages to Moya K. Dittmeier - Executive Director, Conference for Mercy Higher Education (CMHE)

Mercy Family Health Services in Cerro Candela, is located in a parish run by the Columban Fathers on the outskirts of Lima, Peru. Joan Doyle rsm has been working in South America for the past 17 years, 15 of which have been in Peru, with two other Sisters of Mercy from North Sydney—Patricia McDermott and Jackie Ford.

Joan was in Melbourne last month to say thank you to all who have supported Caritas Australia's Project Compassion appeal which is conducted each Lent.

In an interview with Fiona Basile from Kairos Catholic newspaper Joan said, "Despite the extreme poverty, I have been so moved by the tremendous spirit of the people—they're a people of great faith. In spite of their disadvantage and their very poor circumstances, they can still say 'Dios es grande'—God is great. That witness has done a lot for my own faith. It has been a privilege to work with these people."

The interview is linked to this item.

Messages to Joan Doyle rsm

Editor: The story of Mercy Family Health Services features in Story Five, Centres of Support and Skill, in Mercy and Justice Shall Meet.

Kathleen Murphy rsm  has made available an Easter Prayer Service for Mercy Sisters and Associates. Theme: As sharers in the Resurrection, we are invited with Mary to transcend our empty tombs. 

Permission has been granted to members of the Mercy community to use the prayer service, either in whole or in part, during Holy Week.

To access the Prayer Service, click here.

Messages to: Kathleen Murphy rsm

Editor: A selection of poetry for Lent and Easter - from Anna Achmatova to David Whyte -  can be accessed here. St Matthew's Passion can be heard here. The reflection on the Stations of the Cross listed in last week's Mercy E-News can be accessed here.

Each week Veronica Lawson rsm produces a reflection on the coming Sunday's Gospel. These reflections are published on the Catholic Religious Australia (CRA) website. To access the weekly reflection, visit the CRA website and click on the link  "Gospel Reflection" on the home page.

Messages to Veronica Lawson rsm

The Sisters of Mercy Justice team thanks members of the Institute for responding so quickly and strongly to their appeal to contact your legislators to express opposition to the House/Ryan budget. Two hundred thirty-eight (238) members of the institute sent messages to their Representatives over two days last week.

Unfortunately, the House on Thursday approved the fiscal 2013 budget introduced by Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI), on a partisan 228-191 vote.

The Senate is unlikely to vote on this budget, and so we need to continue expressing our support for protecting programs and services for persons who are poor and vulnerable, for keeping military cuts on the table and for considering increased tax revenue for a more balanced approach to deficit reduction.

Messages to: Sisters of Mercy Justice Team

Mercyhurst University, Erie PA,  has announced the official opening of an international center in Erie’s Sister City of Dungarvan, Ireland, a bricks-and-mortar manifestation of Mercyhurst’s longstanding relationship with Dungarvan and an illustration of the potential for substantive collaboration between sister cities.

The Mercyhurst in Ireland initiative paves the way for the university to expand its existing study-abroad opportunities, forge partnerships with European institutions on academic programs, research and other educational ventures, and establish a European base for the Center for Intelligence Research, Analysis and Training (CIRAT), an arm of the university’s internationally known intelligence studies program.

Messages to: Meghan Corbin, Director Marketing Public Relations

1891: Death of M Magdalen Bourke, Foundress of Loughrea, Co Galway

In this prayer book, the author Anna Burke rsm ponders some of the images and metaphors from “Sacramentum Caritatis” in particular, and offers her reflections and prayers as a resource for personal and communal prayer for homilies and for group reflection.

This book can be bought online from Veritas

Mercy is the eighth largest Catholic health care system in the U.S. and serves more than 3 million people annually. Mercy includes 31 hospitals, more than 200 outpatient facilities, 38,000 co-workers and 1,500 integrated physicians in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma. Mercy also has outreach ministries in Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.

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