Catherine wrote ‘The principal aim of this congregation is to educate poor girls, to lodge and keep poor young women until they can provide for themselves in some suitable way, and to visit the sick poor.’ [Letter late 1833-early 1834].

Touched by God’s mercy and compassion, and fired by the inspiration of the Gospel and Catherine McAuley, let us all - Sisters of Mercy, Associates, Co-workers and Friends - strengthen our resolve this International Womens Day to  give expression  to that same concern for women, helping ensure those we encounter enjoy a future that is bright, equal, safe and rewarding.

The theme for International Womens Day (IWD) 2013 is - "A promise is a promise: Time for action to end violence against women".

Visit the UN Women's Day website for facts, figures and resources to mark this day and to access the "One Woman" song to be launched on 8 March 2013.

Messages to: Mary Reynolds rsm - Executive Director MIA

Mercy International Association joins with the Mercy Sisters in Kenya in praying for the election of wise leadership following the commencement of vote counting on Monday.

Messages to: Mary Reynolds rsm - Excecutive Director MIA

Following on Aedin McLoughlin's presentation last week on Unconventional Gas Exploration and Extraction, Enegi Oil and Tamobran Resources – two of the mining companies interested in commencing the fracking process in Ireland- have recently applied for Exploration Licences in areas where they currently hold Licencing Options. This is before the Irish Environmental Protection Agency has even presented its report on the Environmental Impacts of fracking. Major relevant studies are also being carried out in the USA and the EU to be completed in 2014/15.

Given that there are major concerns around the impacts on the environment and on public health, Irish Sisters of Mercy and their Associates have written to the Government this weekend asking for no licences to be granted at least before the EPA and EU studies are carried out

Messages to: Mary Purcell - Assistant Director Mercy Global Action

Editor: The presentation at Mercy International Centre by Aedin McLoughlin from Good Energies Alliance Ireland Ltd on the topic “Why Religious Communities should be concerned about Fracking”, which was reported on in last week's E-News (Issue 503), has now become available. Please note file size before commencing download.

Download the presentation here (9mgb) PDF.

Your whole life should be a continual act of praise and prayer. Catherine McAuley.

Prayers with the intercession of Venerable Catherine McAuley are asked for all whose names are in our hearts and on our prayer list.

Messages to:
Anne Hannon rsm - Vice postulator Europe and Africa
Sheila Carney rsm - Vice postulator Americas
Caroline Ryan rsm - Vice postulator Australia & PNG, Aotearoa New Zealand, Philippines

This week's Soup and Substance was on the Life and works of St. Francis and his relationship to modern ecological issues. It was presented by Cathal Duddy OFM.

Resources: Handout, Canticle of the Creatures, Presentation

The video of the interview with Cathal at the Soup and Substance event can be accessed here.

Messages to: Mary Purcell - Assistant Director MIA

Leaders of the Congregations of Sisters of Mercy of Brisbane, North Sydney, Parramatta and the Institute of Sisters of Mercy of Australia and Papua New Guinea, warmly invite
Sisters, Colleagues, Friends and Associates to the third Catherine McAuley Symposium
with renowned Catherine McAuley Scholar and Author, Mary C Sullivan rsm (Americas)

Mary's reflections: Getting Up Again and Laying Down our Lives: The Enduring Work of Mercy
                               : Sharing Christ's Merciful Yoke of Solidarity

Perth- Saturday 6 April :10.00am -3.30pm; Sydney - Saturday 13 April: 10.00am -3.30pm

RSVP Essential by 8 March.
Download the full details, including venues, here PDF

RSVP to attend Perth symposium to: Jan Elliott
RSVP to Sydney symposium to: Denise Fletcher

During February half-term a group of 12 sixth-form students and 4 teachers from Maricourt visited their partner school in Sierra Leone. Maricourt and St Raphael’s Catholic Junior Secondary school have been partner schools since 2007.

Staff and pupils have completed exchange visits over the years and the partnership has strengthened and flourished. During our visit this year, Maricourt students taught lessons, led workshops at a teacher training conference and assisted in organising the opening ceremony for a new community library...

Messages to: Cathy Edge rsm - Institute IT and Web Co-ordinator

Editor: Maricourt is this week's featured Mercy website

Introducing a monthly series by Mary Wickham rsm. Each month Mary will give a reading of a poem that illuminates aspects of Mercy. She will explore what the poems, from a wide range of cultures and eras, reveal to us about Mercy as an attribute of God and as a quality we are called to express in our lives.

The first poem in the series is Kindness by Naomi Shihab Nye.

Messages to: Mary Wickham rsm

Editor: We invite Mercy liturgists, theologians, scripture scholars, artists, writers.. to share inspirations from your learnings through Mercy e-news. Please contact: the Editor

Mercy Center at Madison, Connecticut, a leading spirituality center offering personal, professional and spiritual growth and renewal programs for people of all ages and faiths, invites readers to consider attending its forthcoming special events:

Waking Up to This Day: Seeing the Beauty Right Before Us with Paula D'Arcy, 19-20 April (PDF)

The World Transfigured: A Workshop for Spiritual Directors. Exploring the Path to God Through the Senses with Janet Ruffing rsm, 10-14  June (PDF)

Don't miss out on these special opportunities or any of what we have to offer. Come visit us!

Messages to: Ann M. McGovern rsm - Associate Director of Hospitality and Programs
 

A small group of committed Catherine McAuley students spent their afternoon on Monday, 4 March down at the creek area located behind the bus bay of the school where they were involved in cleaning the creek up as part of Clean Up Australia Day.

Further details are linked to this item.

Messages to: Jacqui Hamilton - School Development Officer

Why not consider a Mercy Sabbatical spending time following one woman’s dream of a different world – from Dublin to London and to Birmingham? Each location has extensive archives that tell the founding story of the Sisters of Mercy and each has its individual and unique resources.

Experience, Treasures of the Mercy Journey in Birmingham, 7 – 13 July 2013.

Facilitated by the Team at St Mary’s
Cost £490.00 (all inclusive)

Further details can be accessed here

Messages to: The Director

1857: Foundation to Melbourne, Victoria from Perth, Western Australia - M Ursula Frayne
1961: The foundation stone for the new St Mary's Convent in Wellington was blessed. Sisters took up residence in 1963

Reinterpreting the Eucharist: Explorations in Feminist Theology and Ethics "brings together a diverse range of voices with each using their own marginalised experience to explore other ways - indigenous culture, medieval and contemporary art, social history, and environmental ethics - of engaging with the Eucharist."

Order online from the publisher

Maricourt Catholic High School was founded by the Sisters of Mercy on 12th September 1957 under the title of Mater Misericordiae High School.

Maricourt seeks to provide and sustain a living Catholic community which is rooted in Christian values and where growth and knowledge, respect, love and fellowship arte shared by all.

Track the epic journey of Han, Luke, Chewie, Leia and the other heroes of George Lucas's galactic saga. This highly detailed  digital map of the Star Wars Universe also shows the routes taken by the characters in each movie sequel.