Further Resources published in Mercy eNews during 2015 # 1: January - March

The Further Resources published in Mercy E-News throughout 2015, grouped together in categories for your convenience, can be found linked to this item. If you hadn't time throughout the year to read, watch or listen to any of these resources, you might like to look through some of them over the Christmas holidays and before Mercy E-news returns on 27 January 2016.

Note: Timebound news items, including UN observances, conferences, exhibitions, lectures, short courses and other highlighted events, have not been included and monthly links to newsletters such as Stop Trafficking and LCWR's Update have been replaced by a link to the current/latest issue at the end of this resources list. Resources for addressing the issue of human trafficking have been added to this list.

Worth Playing:

'Be born in me' sung by Francesca Battistelli.  Lyrics here. Watch/Listen to it here. (06:19)
Nichole Nordeman, lyricist of this song  says 'We sing along with Mary, who is a scared teenager trembling in the presence of an angel yet understanding the significance of her calling: “Be born in me…trembling heart, somehow I believe that You chose me…”'

From the album 'Music Inspired By The Story', a two disc compilation featuring 24 artists and 18 songs inspired directly from The Bible. Purchase the song here from iTunes or from Google play

'It Is Mercy' by Matthew Baute from his 2008 CD "River of Grace" Play it here (04:52). Available on Google Play * iTunes *emusic

Blessing Song by Joe Wise (04:33)

Michelle Sherliza OP who put this Blessing Song video clip together with Joe's singing, has created videos for 'Wake the World With Dawning Joy', the song for the Year of Consecrated Life. The English version can be found here (02:40). The multi-cultural version can be found here (02:42)

'Now is the time for mercy. Now is the time for grace.This is the season of compassion. That the world may see your face'. Lyrics from 'Mercy Song', one of the theme songs for the papal visit to the Philippines, written for Yolanda survivors and sung by Cherrie Anderson, a Taclobanon who is now the lead singer of the Filipino British electronica band, "Ooberfuse". Watch it here (04:17) Teachers: this tune will have appeal for students.

Cyprian Consiglio, OSB Cam., is a composer, a musician, and a monk of New Camaldoli Hermitage, a community in the Camaldolese Benedictine tradition, located in Big Sur, California. The lyrics of his song 'There Is No Joy (Like Freedom)' from the album 'My Soul's Companion', are from a text from the Dhammapada, a collection of sayings of the Buddha in verse form.
Watch/listen here (02:52) Purchase on iTunes

'Beyond the Days of Hope and Mystery/ We see a Light of Faith renewed/ And in Our Longing We Thirst for Guidance/ To Walk With You.' Lyrics from 'Beyond the Days' sung by Mary Ellen Kopp. Listen and watch it here (04:08)

Michael W. Smith & Amy Grant - performing Thy Word - [Live] based on the words of the Psalmist: 'Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path' (Ps 119:105). Watch/listen here (04:49). The lyrics are available for download here

'I am a women and my place is in the home and my home is the whole wide world'. Sara Thomsen's song ‘A Woman’s Place’ celebrates the women of the world. The perfect song for International Women's Day. Watch/listen here (04:10)

'By Breath'. This song is an anthem to interconnectedness - 'By breath, by blood, by body, by spirit, we are all one'. Sara Thomsen explains her composition this way: 'This song takes the 4 elements and uses the metaphors of breath for air, blood for the water, body for the earth, spirit for fire'. Enjoy it here (05:54). Lyrics in English and Spanish can be found here Purchase this song on iTunes

'Amazing Grace' sung by Measha Brueggergosman and the Ebenezar English Choir Watch it here and explore the space using your mouse as this is a 360 degree interactive video (03:09 ). The actual site Songs of Freedom  is well worth exploring. Those of us who can't watch the tv series of the same name that premiered on Canada's Vision TV on Monday, 2 February, can join Canadian opera singer Measha Brueggergosman on her personal journey and historical quest via the website as she performs an intensely powerful selection of spirituals, music that emerged from Africa out of the slave trade to America.

 Worth Reading:

'34 Affirmations for Healthy Living'
Try positive self-talk to eat better, feel stronger, and rejuvenate your body. - Read the list here

Kathleen Glennon rsm (The Congregation) wrote  'Healing and Wholeness' , her second book, "for  those who are ill or for those who are dying and for their carers'.
An account of  the origin of the book and how circumstances in her own life changed her focus can be read here. Order from The Columba Press,  Veritas or from Amazon

'Technology can assist us in being neighbors, but it cannot replace human encounter. As we study the possibilities technology has to offer in delivering spiritual care to patients and families who do not have direct, local access to trained professional chaplains, we need to pay more attention to the processes we are developing than the equipment we are purchasing. There is no substitute for genuine empathy, engagement and compassion.' from 'Mission and Leadership - Details of Encounter are Key in Telespiritual Care' by Brian P Smith in 'Health Progress', January-February 2015, Volume 96, Number 1.  Read it here

'Religious men and women who professed perpetual vows to the nearly 800 communities of religious life in the United States in 2014 are highly educated and more likely than the average Catholic adult to attend Catholic high schools and universities. These were among the findings of the annual survey on new men and women religious conducted by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) at Georgetown University. 'Read the article here

 'Aspects of the Heart: The Many Paths to a Good Life' by Joan Chittister OSB, Twenty-Third Publications (2012). 'Everything we do in life, the scripture reminds us, goes into the treasury of the heart', says Sr Joan.  In this slim volume she reflects on 50 "aspects" of what our hearts can attain, ranging from 'an attentive heart' to 'an hospitable heart', from 'an invested heart' to 'a wise heart'. Order online from:  Benetvision Store * Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Among the events being held at Mercy by the Sea this northern Winter was book signing with Kerry Alys Robinson, author of 'Imagining Abundance Fundraising, Philanthropy, and a Spiritual Call to Service', published December 2014. Those unable to attend the event but interested in the spirituality of fundraising can purchase Imagining Abundance online in paperback or digital format from Liturgical Press.

Celibacy and Soul: Exploring the Depths of Chastity by Susan J. Pollard rsj - published 15 January 2015
Book Cover image, Meditation © by Mary Southard, CSJ – www.marysouthardart.org
Order online from Amazon

Mary Ewens OP, writer of 'The DNA of pre-Vatican II religious life', published this month in the Global Sisters Report, has an updated edition of her book 'The Role of the Nun in Nineteenth-Century America: Variations on the International Theme' (paperback, January 2014) available in kindle, hardback and paperback from Amazon

Cosmology & Ecojustice

The Trócaire 2015 Lenten Lecture, held in St Patrick’s College, Maynooth, on Thursday 5 March 2015, was given by Cardinal Peter Turkson, President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace. Titled ‘Integral ecology and the horizon of hope: concern for the poor and for creation in the ministry of Pope Francis’, Commonweal magazine is calling it 'An outline of the Pope’s forthcoming encyclical'. Download the lecture here (PDF) Watch the lecture here

'The Holy See’s Permanent Observer to the U.N. in Geneva, Archbishop Silvano Tomasi, says no one is exempt from the impact of climate change and we all have a moral duty to address this global concern. Archbishop Tomasi’s comments came during an address to the U.N. [6 March 2015] on the issue of human rights and climate change.' Read the full text of Archbishop Tomasi's address here

'Religions and faith-based organizations are partners for sustainable development, and will be potent agents of the achievement of the post-2015 sustainable development goals, as they have been for the MDGs and, indeed, in the history of humanity...' Archbishop Bernardito Auza, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, 6 February 2015. Read/Listen to the Address by Archbishop Auza here

'What is the sky worth?

This sounds like a philosophical question, but it might become a more concrete one. A report released last week by the National Research Council called for research into reversing climate change through a process called albedo modification: reflecting sunlight away from earth by, for instance, spraying aerosols into the atmosphere. Such a process could, some say, change the appearance of the sky — and that in turn could affect everything from our physical health to the way we see ourselves...' Read the article ''What if We Lost the Sky?' here

'Some eight million metric tons of plastic waste makes its way into the world’s oceans each year, and the amount of the debris is likely to increase greatly over the next decade unless nations take strong measures to dispose of their trash responsibly, new research suggests...' Read 'Study Finds Rising Levels of Plastics in Oceans' here

Spiritual reminiscence is a way of communicating that acknowledges the person as a spiritual being and seeks to engage the person in a more meaningful and personal way. This practical guide by Elizabeth MacKinlay and Corinne Trevitt teaches carers how to facilitate engaging and stimulating spiritual reminiscence sessions with older people, and particularly with people with dementia. This book will be available in June 2015. Further information can be found here

The Selma effect: Catholic nuns and social justice 50 years on. In this article, Carol Coburn, professor of religious studies and women's and gender studies at Avila University in Kansas City, Missouri, argues that 'Individuals, their religious communities, and the creation of many intercommunity networks and organizations helped reshape and redefine the response to social justice in late 20th-century America' and that 'The sisters’ legacy or gift is embedded deeply into the fabric of our society; and ultimately, it may prove to be the most profound and lasting legacy of the U.S. Catholic church in the 20th century.' Members of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas appear in the article - visual illustrations of Coburn's argument . Read the article here

Worth Watching:

In beautiful and evocative videos, Gael Towey & Co. Short Films document artists and their inspirations. In Season One Portraits in Creativitypresented the work of contemporary female artists: Maira Kalman, an American illustrator, writer, artist, and designer (13:54); Gabriella Kiss, jeweller and master craftswoman (12:43);  Alabama Chanin, creator of haute couture clothing (08:24) and Sheila Berger, painter and sculptor (07:57). Just  added is the first artist for Season Two - Singer, songwriter Rosanne Cash (17:28)

These portraits are nourishment for the Spirit. Ration your viewing!

Awakening the Wisdom of the Heart - The Contemplative Alliance. This film was created by the Global Peace Initiative of Women GPIW and the Contemplative Alliance at "Awakening the Wisdom of the Heart" dialogue in partnership with Naropa University in Boulder Colorado, April 2014. Watch it here (16:17)

Introducing the works of Mary Southard, CSJ, visual artist, educator, retreat director, voice for earth healing. Watch the video (08:40).

'Universe Story'.  A new video from The Well Spirituality Center, Chicago. Watch it here (06:14)

This short video, set to the song "Oh Freedom', shows images of the Civil Rights movement. These powerful and moving visuals from the 1960s are accompanied by heart-felt lyrics:

'Oh, freedom, Oh, freedom,
Oh freedom over me.
And before I'd be a slave
I'd be buried in my grave
And go home to my Lord and be free.'

Watch it here (03:04)

National Public Radio (NPR) hosts a series of 'tiny desk concerts'. These intimate performances are recorded at the desk of the host of 'All Songs Considered', Bob Boilen. Hear from names you'll know and artists new to you as you explore the great range of musical styles performed here.There's enough on offer to enjoy a concert a day for a month.  View the list here Can't sit around and watch? All concerts are downloadable as mp3 files.

Center for the Study of Consecrated Life, CTU, Chicago

Presentations from the Center's Opening Event on 12 February: 'Re-Imagining Consecrated Life in a Changing World' by Robert Schreiter, CPPS (video and podcast formats) and 'Hope Encounters: Consecrated Life for Our Times' by Maria Cimperman, RSCJ (Video and podcast formats) as well as the Q&A sessions that followed each presentation, are now publicly available online. Access these resources here

Joan Chittister appeared on Oprah Winfrey's 'Super Soul Sunday' on 1 March. If you missed or want to watch it again, the full interview is available now on OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network. Watch it here (42:26)

Cosmology & Ecojustice

In November 2014 Yale University hosted a 3-day conference “Living Cosmology: Christian Responses to Journey of the Universe", held to celebrate the centenary of Thomas Berry's birth. Among the many speakers were: Janet Ruffing rsm (Americas), Ilia Delio OSF, Miriam McGillis, Rosemary Radford Reuther, Mary Evelyn Tucker and John Grim.
12 Videos from that conference are now publicly available online here. A collection of the conference papers will be published by Orbis Books. View the Table of Contents

'U.N. Climate Talks Advance Link Between Gender and Climate Change'. “Women and girls are differentially impacted by climate change. More importantly, they are agents, they have been contributing to climate solutions, especially at the community level." -- Verona Collantes, intergovernmental specialist of UN Women. Read the article here

The Bottom Line:

'Our lives are part of the cosmos, and the cosmos is part of us. The life of humanity is not an appendix or an exception to the universe. It is a unique expression of the universe. And each of us carries the essence of the cosmos within us'.
-John Philip Newell, Poet, Peacemaker, Minister, Teacher and Scholar

'Don't ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.'
- Howard Thurman, Theologian and Mystic

'Universal peace can only come if we develop and awaken those very human qualities, hidden under the more superficial needs for power and of winning, which lead us to welcome reality. These qualities are those linked to the heart – the capacity to love people, to respect them deeply, to live authentic relationships with others, to yearn for truth and justice in the huge family of humanity; qualities of humility, of forgiveness and of compassion for those who are weaker and in need; in short to seek the wisdom of the heart.'
- Jean Vanier, Humanist, Philosopher, Theologian, Man of Letters on winning the 2015 Templeton Prize

'The great challenge today is to convert the sacred bread into real bread, the liturgical peace into political peace, the worship of the Creator into reverence for the Creation, the Christian praying community into an authentic human fellowship.'
-Raimundo Panniker, philosopher, theologian, mystic, priest and poet.

'Over the last few days, I have been able to see my life as from a great altitude, as a sort of landscape, and with a deepening sense of the connection of all its parts. This does not mean I am finished with life. On the contrary, I feel intensely alive, and I want and hope in the time that remains to deepen my friendships, to say farewell to those I love, to write more, to travel if I have the strength, to achieve new levels of understanding and insight...' from
My Own Life: Oliver Sacks on Learning He Has Terminal Cancer. 'The Opinion Pages, The New York Times, 19 February, 2015

Send suggestions and contributions for the 'Worth...' section 2016 to: the Editor