Special Thanks and Congratulations on the Anniversary Celebrations

For all that has been, THANKS; for all that will be, YES.

Messages to: mercyenews@mercyinternational.ie

On behalf of the Sisters of St John of God I would like to convey my heartfelt congratulations on this special occasion of 20 years of Mercy International.

Your worldwide network has truly been a gift to millions of people around the world especially in alleviating poverty, working for justice on behalf of the most marginalised, and your focus and action on human trafficking.

We wish you continued blessings and every success in sharing your gifts of mercy, justice and compassion around the world.

Sr Brid Ryan
Congregational Leader

Friends in mercy, friends of mercy and friends for mercy,

With all of you around this Earth, we rejoice in this week that has been – a week of thanksgiving and challenge and promise. With image and music and drama and words, we communicated across forty-five countries and six continents. We were engaged in a way that has never happened before in our history. We prepared for the week in our own places, but we lived the week together in all our places. Together we saw mercy alive and active among us and among those with whom we share this mercy journey every day.

The thanksgiving was evident throughout. We delighted in the prayer moments led by our different congregation, in the memories of twenty years ago and in the photographs bringing images from our places back to our founding place. The challenge came in the reality check of the injustices and inequities and exclusion still so evident among us and in the awareness of the fragility of Earth and our failed stewardship. And it is the promise – the energy, the interconnection and the spirit – that has been the heart of it all. Each congregation and institute is stronger and wiser because this week unfolded in the way in which it did. We have the surety that “we” now means sisters, associates, colleagues and partners in ministry. We have the surety that we can be global mercy because we have seen global mercy alive.

We have the rich nourishment of thanksgiving in our very beings. We have the heightened awareness of the challenges that still need mercy’s voice and mercy’s presence. And we have the promise that we can do so much as receivers of God’s mercy and bearers of God’s mercy. What a source of blessing this week has been for us, for the church and for our world!

Now Catherine’s words echo in our hearts in a new way, “Hurra for foundations, makes the old young and the young merry.” May we go on now to make new foundations, not necessarily of place, but of vision and of commitment and of energy.

Sister Elizabeth Davis, rsm
For the Sisters of Mercy in Canada and Peru

Image: Adele Howard rsm. Mary Reynolds rsm commissions each of the Carriers of the Light as Mary Kay Dobrovolny rsm ( at the podium) reads the names of the countries where Mercy has a ministry presence in the continents of the Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia and Oceania

Dear Mary and Team,

Congratulations and heartfelt thanks to all those involved in the 20th celebrations of MIA. The live streaming enabled us all to appreciate and feel part of the oneness of our Mercy Global Family. Whether present at the gatherings or watching at home Mercy felt alive, active and joyful.
Renewed thanks and blessings.

Mercy Union GB

Dear Mary and Team,
Our sincere gratitude to all of you for such an energising, inspiring and challenging few days. The celebrations last week helped us focus on global mercy. Hopefully there is a renewed sense of enthusiasm for our mercy charism. Your involvement of so many people on a daily basis was very commendable. The hospitality offered was par excellence! The experience of the global networking through E-News, streaming etc. highlights for us all that is possible when we all co-operate.

Deepest gratitude to you, Mary and all involved.
Love and blessings,
Margaret Casey, Patricia O’Donovan, Cecilia Cadogan, Scho Nganda and Marie Louise White

(Leadership Team – The Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy)

Dear Mary and all the team at Baggot Street and Adele and Anne and the IT Team,

Congratulations on an extraordinary celebration of Mercy - International and local.

We affirm the depth of spirit that has been transmitted worldwide:
- Of extravagant yet simple and moving ritual;
- Of challenge and empathy for the World’s poor;
- Of inclusive companionship of lay and religious;
- Of renewal and weaving of Catherine’s vision in today’s context.

We thank you for the planning and preparation for the hours spent on hospitality, logistics, technology and engaging with us across all continents.

We rejoice with you and send our blessings that you and each of us take energy and inspiration from these celebrations.

The Leadership Team, Parramatta

Congratulations & very grateful thanks to Sr Mary Reynolds & ALL those involved in the MIA 20th Birthday celebrations.

We are especially grateful for the live streaming of all the events, it helped us to feel as if we were actually present with you all in Baggot St.

We now go forward thanking God & Catherine for the past & saying Yes to the future of Mercy.

With love & blessings to you all

Mercy Associates, Newcastle upon Tyne England.

Dear Mary and all at MIA

Congratulations and heartfelt thanks to you all for the rich banquet of celebration, reflection and renewal we have had the privilege to participate in on the occasion of the 20th Anniversary of Mercy International Association.

Thank you for your hard work, care and creativity that made it possible to experience in a very profound way the gift it is to be part of a Global Mercy family and the potential we have together to create a more merciful, compassionate world. We have been nourished at the table of Mercy. May the journey of the banquet continue.

I hope you can now have some time to rest and rejoice as you savour the fruits of this amazing week.

Love and Blessings
Breege O’Neill
 

ZAMBIA
September 29, 2014

Dear Mary
We have just watched the Closing Ritual (Photo included) of the 20th Anniversary Celebration. Over the past week we were delighted to participate in most of the morning rituals and we wish to congratulate all who prepared these inspirational, spiritual and deeply moving prayer occasions. The message of each ritual re-enkindled the Mercy ethos of compassion for humanity and the cosmos within us and we hope this legacy will continue to be part of our mission for now and into the future.
It is our hope that these rituals will be developed into a DVD so we can continue to reflect and grow more in awareness of the richness of what was presented.

Blessings
Angela, Terry, Nollaig and Mary

It has been with great joy that I have viewed a number of the events. Now to have watched live stream the Closing Ritual, sending Mercy light to the five continents of our world, I want to say 'for all that has been thanks, for all that will be yes'. The celebrations were given an added dimension for me as I stayed in Catherine's House, and made the 'Walking with Catherine Retreat' in 2003.

In Mercy,
Marie Murphy
Australia

It has been thrilling to walk with you these past days of celebration. Indeed, for all that has been, thanks. For all that will be, yes!

Jane Bower
Companion in Mercy
Michigan, USA

Dear Mary and MIA team,

Congratulations on the wonderful week we have shared with you. It was very uplifting and full of hope. It was also amazing to hear of all the work being done throughout the world on behalf of Mercy. Your hard work and great hospitality stood out and I feel sure you will be exhausted but should feel so proud of what you have achieved for Mercy throughout the world this week. All the Mercy World now are aware of what MIA does and will know the building even if only through having seen it this past week on the internet! Please God we will each begin to work in our own way to carry Mercy forward for the future.

I would also like to say thanks to Anne Walsh and Edel Howard who made this possible through their fantastic work of bringing it all together so that the Mercy World could be present through the Media of the Internet. The presentations from each country were also beautiful and Ainya O'Connor's UN report was excellent as was Mary's story of Mercy.

The staff in the dining room and kitchen are also to be congratulated on their hard work and the hospitable way they received everybody in spite of being run off their feet at times. The welcoming smile and the endless good cups of tea were much appreciated by all. I hope you now have a good rest before moving forward with the next development.
Thanks again and God Bless and reward you all

Joan Breen
Institute UK

Dear Sisters, Associates Volunteers and all involved with Sister of Mercy,

May all be bless on this special day of Catherine's on birthday and may Our Lady of Mercy fill our hearts with her love and peace.
You all at MIC have been had great celebrations with Mercy Day and Catherine's birthday. Also may Our Lord bless each one who have enter
this House of Mercy. So I am keeping you all in my prays.

Happy Birthday to Catherine and all who share a pray and a comfortable cuppa of tea.

God Bless

Anne
Canberra, Australia

To Mary and the organizing team,

A huge thank you for all the wonderful events you have displayed before us over the last week. We, in Tipperary are following all through the archive. The communication before and throughout has excelled.

You should be extremely happy. It has helped to bring the Mercy Charism to the foreground once again.

With gratitude

Ella Noonan rsm

What a wonderful week! – a banquet of rich food for body, mind and spirit. Thank you to all who prepared for the feast, served it and invited all of us and more to the table. I have enjoyed parts of it in real time and parts of it in cyber time. There are too many to praise and thank – I have to commend everyone: the managing team of MIA, all those who from the distances contributed and who right there in Baggot Street prepared the space, carried out the details, made the adjustments as required and opened the space to let the whole world come to the feast. And feast we did! Thanks again for everything.

Diane Smyth
Newfoundland