Advent Ritual with 'Opening the Door' for the year of Mercy & Invitation to Participate in MIRP

December 07, 2015

On 5 December, 92 Sisters from the Brisbane Congregation gathered at Mercy Place, Bardon for our annual Advent Ritual

Brisbane Congregation Gathering on 5 December. Opening of the Jubilee Year of Mercy

Doors Ritual Booklet artwork by
Venessa Wilmott
& Gaelle Rahme,
Staff of Brisbane Congregation Office

This year our ritual included 'Opening the Door' for the year of Mercy and accepting the invitation to participate in the Mercy International Reflection Process. The front cover of the ritual booklet featured many doors including the red door of Baggot Street and All Hallows Convent door – our foundation house.

Congregation Leader, Catherine Reuter spoke of Advent as a door that invites the response of being open to God’s grace in our lives.

The readings from Misericordiae Vultus, the Constitutions of the Sisters of Mercy Brisbane and the Gospel of John encouraged us to be “steeped in Mercy” bringing the goodness and tenderness of God to life (MV) especially during this Jubilee Year of Mercy.

The Advent ritual was repeated on Monday 7 December to enable the Sisters in our Aged Care facilities to participate.

Sisters at Bethesda (Aged Care facility) gathered in Prayer on 7 December for the Opening of the Year of Mercy

We marked our entry into the Mercy International Reflection Process by reflecting on the theme introduced on video by Sr Elizabeth Davis 'Doorkeepers of Mercy'. Sisters were given resources to assist reading and reflecting on Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si'. These included the encyclical in CD format, a Reading Guide and the Brisbane Mercy Calendar 2016 which skillfully and beautifully illustrates the readings and prayers from Laudato Si' and the stages of the Mercy International Reflection Process.

Our ritual closed with the following response to the Blessing Prayer:
We go forth from this place with feet that itch to continue the dance and to walk the roads of mercy.
(Mary Wickham rsm, 'Blessing of Departure‘)

Download the Ritual Booklet here (20pps; PDF)