Hospitality at Mercy International Centre for Eucharistic Congress Pilgrims (MIA)

From June 10th through the 17th, approximately 75,000 people from around the world participated in the 50th International Eucharistic Congress in Dublin, Ireland. The primary location for the Congress was the RDS (Royal Dublin Society), a mere 1.6 km away from Mercy International Centre, Baggot Street.

Mercy International Centre was alive with the energy of the Eucharistic Congress with pilgrims and Congress volunteers who stayed overnight at Baggot Street. Twenty four resided at Baggot Street for either a partial week or the full week.

During the daytime hours, this energy was supplemented by the people who came to spend time in prayer in Catherine’s chapel and at her grave and take a tour of the house. Over 150 people from Australia, Canada, England, Germany, Haiti, Ireland, Italy, Peru, Switzerland, and the United States availed themselves of the opportunity to spend time in Catherine’s house.

Church dignitaries who toured Mercy International Centre included: Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan (Archdiocese of New York); Bishop John C. Dunne (Diocese of Rockville Centre, New York); Bishop Michael E. Putney (Diocese of Townsville, Australia), and Bishop Edmund M. Rice (Archdiocese of St. Louis, Missouri). Additional tour participants included:a group from St Joseph’s Mercy Secondary School in Navan (Co. Meath, Ireland), diocesan Congress delegations from Knoxville Tennessee; Savannah Georgia; Springfield Missouri; and Townsville Australia. Groups and individuals included: Sisters of Mercy, women and men religious of other communities; Mercy partners-in-ministry, Mercy educated alumni/ae, friends of Mercy, and some who previously had very little association with the Sisters of Mercy and Catherine McAuley.

The Irish Committee for the Cause of Catherine’s Canonisation assisted Mercy International staff in locating and training additional tour guides. We are indebted to Srs Caitriona O’Hara Kathleen O’Keefe, and Patricia Greene who assisted MIC staff and volunteers of Srs Carmel Byrne, Carita Irwin, Kathy Higgins, Mary Reynolds, and Mary Kay Dobrovolny in providing free tours for all who came to the door.

Messages to: Mary Kay Dobrovolny rsm - Assistant Director Heritage & Spirituality