September 24, 2018
Mercy Day
Exploring the 'M' in 'Mercy' by Mary Wickham rsm
March 14, 2016A reflective exploration of Mercy using the Gospel story of the Good Samaritan, the words of Catherine McAuley, and artwork of Clare Augustine Moore
Image: Clare Augustine Moore’s depiction of the Good Samaritan story in Rule and Constitutions of the Religious Sisters of Mercy, Chapter III Of the Visitation of the Sick (PDF). Photo David Knight © MIA.
Those of us affiliated in one way or another with Catherine McAuley and her contemporaries are fortunate to have a number of extant primary sources, which convey across the centuries the genuine voice and the vision of those early inhabitants of 64A Lower Baggot Street Dublin. Amongst these is the correspondence of Catherine herself, which although not written to explicate her understanding of Mercy, does provide incomparable insight into her values and motivations. We also have her unique and defining stamp on the Original Rule and Constitutions, particularly the two sections she is thought to have composed. In pictorial form we have the 1840 series of sketches of the Spiritual and Corporal Works of Mercy by Sr. Clare Agnew. When we think of visual art and Catherine’s early companions though, our minds are most likely to turn to the exquisite work of Sr. Clare Augustine Moore that graces the early registers and other documents.
My reflection will focus on a single decorated capital letter in which Clare Augustine Moore’s art meets and accommodates Catherine McAuley’s words in the context of the Gospel. This makes it a powerful locus of the Spirit. It has further significance since it is also one of the rare instances, perhaps the only instance, where Clare Augustine Moore paints a Gospel story other than a Marian episode or the Crucifixion. So, let us explore Mercy through the Gospel story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37) as depicted by Clare Augustine Moore in its context of words penned by Catherine herself, and see how the interplay between the three elements – the Gospel story, Catherine’s words, and Clare Augustine Moore’s art- might enhance and guide our own understanding of Mercy. The material comes from Clare Augustine Moore’s illuminated version of Chapter 3: Of the Visitation of the Sick, part of the original Rule and Constitutions of the Religious Sisters of Mercy.
The Words of Catherine
While most parts of the document known as the original Rule and Constitutions of the Religious Sisters of Mercy were composed around 1835, and were painstakingly adapted by Catherine from the existing Presentation Rule, Catherine is thought to have composed from scratch Chapters 3 & 4 in late 1832 or early 1833. They both deal with ministries that were outside the scope of the Presentation Rule, but that were intrinsic to the identity of the newly formed Sisters of Mercy- visitation of the sick and dying, and care of destitute women. Mary Sullivan rsm remarks 'Chapter 3 is apparently, entirely Catherine’s own composition'.We are here very close to Catherine’s vision and voice.
In her book Catherine McAuley and the Tradition of Mercy, Mary Sullivan outlines the document’s various stages of revision and amendment, which culminated in approval of the Rule by Rome in 1841. Clare Augustine Moore’s specially illuminated copy, not to be confused with the simple 'fair copies' made by her blood sister Mary Clare (Georgiana) Moore, was produced somewhat later.
- Chapter 3 commences with the following salient words: Mercy, the principal path marked out by Jesus Christ for those who desire to follow Him… Often quoted as if it ended there the sentence actually continues has in all ages of the Church excited the faithful in a particular manner to instruct and comfort the sick and dying poor, as in them they regarded the person of our Divine Master, who has said, Amen, I say to you, as long as you did it to one of these my least brethren, you did it to Me. Here we see Catherine making the connection with the Gospel parable of Matthew 25, where Jesus asserts his arena of compassion and care: with the least, the most needy, the most hungry, the most ill. Further, he establishes once and for all an unbreakable dynamic between himself, the needy and the one who seeks to respond. The Christian is never just doing good to or for a neighbour: he or she is drawn into communion with Jesus Himself through such service because of the identification Jesus claims with the one in need.
- The first part of Catherine’s statement is crucial for us in terms of motivation and reckoning. It is Jesus who marks out the path, it is Jesus whom we desire to follow. It is here that our desire, so often weak and distracted, finds clear and resolute direction. Jesus is the protagonist, not Catherine herself, nor any Church structure or group. Two hundred years on, we honour Catherine pre-eminently because she honoured Jesus. Mary Sullivan rsm describes Chapter 3 as 'remarkably Christological' and as such it expresses Catherine’s hard won and lifelong profound relationship with Jesus. The Chapter is framed by references to Jesus Christ: the famous “principal path” at the beginning, and at the end the calling home from Visitation of the Sisters to pray in the chapel before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.
- Catherine’s use of the word 'excited' is noteworthy, reminiscent of her much loved word “animated” and having much the same meaning. Mercy excites, that is, it stirs to action, rouses to a response, calls forth mercy from the one in whom it is acting. Mercy itself, the attribute of God, rouses mercy in us to respond to the sick and dying, and by extension, to anyone in acute need. It is worth reading the rest of this Chapter 3, printed in full in Mary Sullivan’s book, to glean insights into Catherine’s own firmly held beliefs about how the sick and dying need to be approached. There is the emphasis on tenderness, the insistence on gentle honesty, with both the spiritual and temporal comfort of the person regarded as crucial to their care. This is the Catherine who did her apprenticeship in these matters for twenty years, sleeping with one eye and ear open close by the bedroom door of the invalid Mrs Callaghan at Coolock House...
Messages to: Mary Wickham rsm
