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Mercy Enews
No. 510 | 17 April 2013

Catherine McAuley, foundress of the Sisters of Mercy, used her inheritance in service of the needs of her time. Today, Sisters of Mercy, through Mercy International Association, use their resources to respond to issues of global poverty demonstrated in the massive displacement of persons worldwide...This vision keeps alive the founding spirit of Catherine among peoples of the world most in need of God's compassion and mercy.
from the MIA Visioning Statement 2007

Feature

A Day with Mary Sullivan rsm (Sisters of Mercy in Australia and Papua New Guinea)

A good cup of tea greeted the three hundred Sisters, Associates, Colleagues, Relative ( Ross McAuley, Catherine's great, great, great, great, great nephew) and Friends of Mercy who gathered in eager anticipation on Saturday 13 April in North Sydney to hear Mary C Sullivan rsm. The week previously another sizable and animated group assembled at Aranmore Catholic College in Leederville, Perth for the same purpose.

Why such an eager turnout? The words of Veronica Lawson rsm who introduced Mary at the North Sydney gathering express well Mary’s great gift to those of us for whom Catherine is a significant figure and whose vision animates us. 'Mary has made her considerable scholarship available to the entire Mercy world and to all those interested in the particular refraction of God’s mercy that Catherine McAuley bequeathed to our world.’

The Congregations of Sisters of Mercy of Brisbane, North Sydney, Parramatta and the Institute of Sisters of Mercy of Australia and PNG, sponsored these two days of prayer, input, reflection, sharing and discussion, the third biennial Catherine McAuley Symposium. It was a fitting occasion for the Leaders of the 4 congregations to sign the documentation trademarking the Mercy cross in Australia and PNG.

Symposium events, organised in each of the Mercy congregations across the globe, are intended to help make the Cause for Canonisation and Catherine McAuley ‘known and loved’. The responses to the programme, some of which are linked to this article, testify that listeners were inspired and challenged by the depth of scholarship, personal conviction, humility and warmth of the presenter.

Taking as her themes ‘Getting Up Again and laying Down our Lives: the Enduring Work of Mercy’ (Session 1) and ‘Sharing Christ’s Merciful Yoke of Solidarity’ (Session 2) Mary put before us two indelible images – Catherine’s worn out shoes and her simple black shawl. These gave living witness to Catherine’s determination and tenacity of purpose. ‘Getting up again…laying down your life…taking up my yoke…’ were the invitation to stand with her today.

‘As Mercy people, we owe an incalculable debt to Mary Sullivan' concluded Veronica. 'To invoke an Easter metaphor, we expect that our hearts will burn within us as she reveals to us a little more of the Mercy story that we all inhabit.'

And they did.

Messages to:
Mary Sullivan rsm
Caroline Ryan rsm - Vice postulator Australia & PNG, Aotearoa New Zealand, Philippines
 

more

Resources

Worth Reading:
'We're All Called To Be Prophets and Mystics'.  An interview with Joan Chittister OSB by Alicia von Stamwitz that appears in the April issue of Reality Magazine, Ireland. Click here to read the interview (PDF).

 Worth Watching:
Over 8 million viewers have listened to Brené Brown on TED. Have you heard her speak on 'The power of vulnerability'? In one of TED's most popular lectures, Brené Brown offers solutions on how we can deal with vulnerability, courage, authenticity, and shame. Watch that video here See more of Brené Brown here
Watch the time-lapse of graphic recording session of Brene' here
 
Send your suggestions for "Worth..." to: the Editor

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Directors:Sister Patricia McDermott (US), Peter Burnett, Sister Colette Cronin (British), Maura Hyland, Sister Margaret Casey,
James Peppiatt-Combes (US) and Sister Denise Fox (NZ)