Mercy Day at Baggot Street (MIA)

On this 185th anniversary since Catherine opened the House of Mercy on Baggot Street, eighty five Sisters of Mercy, Mercy Associates, partners in ministry and friends of Mercy celebrated Mercy Day in her original house on Baggot Street. The home countries of those participating in this celebration included Australia, England, Ireland, Kenya, United States and Wales.

The celebration included a liturgy presided over by Patrick Hume SJ (Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice) followed by food and conversation in the dining room. Helena O’Donoghue rsm (Congregation/South Central Province) provided the reflection on the Mercy Day readings.

In her reflection, Helena referred to the helix strand of Mercy DNA that binds each one of us together with all of the women and men of Mercy who have gone before us. She spoke of the humanity of Catherine whose enduring influence continues to inspire us to be fully alive in our expression of Mercy. She reminded those present that just as Catherine’s spirituality and the spirituality of Our Lady of Mercy whose feast we celebrate this day were both grounded on Calvary, we too are called to spend our lives easing pain and bringing hope to others.

The liturgy was enriched by music led by Eithne Doyle rsm (organist), Rosaleen Hogan rsm (singer), and Ailish O’Brien rsm (violinist), all from the South Central Province of the Congregation/Ireland. Readers were Mary Lyons rsm (Congregation/Western Province), Brigid Marnane rsm (Congregation/Kenyan Province), and Helen Mees (Associate, Brisbane Australia).

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