Mercy World - All News

Introduction

As the ‘roll out’ of the new web platform begins, Mercy E-news will, over the next few weeks, facilitate a ‘tour’ of the new web, introducing the user to the various sections. The following outlines the sections that will be highlighted:

02/08/10 About MIA
09/08/10 The Centre
16/08/10 Foundress
23/08/10 Heritage
30/08/10 Spirituality
06/09/10 Mercy Network
13/09/10 Mercy Global Action
20/09/10 Resources
27/09/10 News Centre

There will be two parts to this highlight. There will be an article focusing on the topic and the Technical Tip will direct the user about how that section functions

The section being toured and highlighted this week is ABOUT MIA

The Founding

In the 1980s when Sr. Mary Trainer, USA and Sr. Sebastian Cashen, Dublin began a conversation about their dream for the future of Baggot Street, they could not have imagined how communication and inter-connection would develop among Sisters of Mercy and their partners in ministry over the next twenty or so years or how the then convent would become an International Centre and welcoming home space to religious and lay from around the Mercy World. The story of how the dream was realised and how that dream has since taken wings is a story worth the telling and one marked by the same providential guidance as directed Catherine herself. If you would like to read that story, go to History of MIA in the About MIA section

The New Vision

After a decade of growth in which there was an extraordinary bonding of Sisters of Mercy around the world and a forging of unity of mind and heart, Leaders were again inspired to ask ‘What is God calling us to at the beginning of the third millennium’? A discernment process on this question led to the articulation of a New Vision. You will find the text of this vision by going to Vision in the ‘About MIA’ section of the web. The Vision has three elements.

It anchors itself in the Mercy wellspring – God’s compassionate mercy

It is a call to focus our resources on responses to issues of global poverty

It emphasises the centrality of Mercy international Centre as a place of rich heritage and hospitality and a place of renewal and nourishment.

Structure

Mercy International Association is set up as a Company, which has charitable status and is registered in Ireland. The section Company Details gives the official information relating to the Company. The Members of the Company are the Leaders of the nine Mercy families. You will get the details on these nine Members by going to the Members section. The Members meet in Dublin each year for the annual AGM. A Board of Directors is responsible for managing the company. The Board is made up of seven Directors, three of whom are lay. The section on Directors gives a biographical note on each Director. The Board meets three to four times annually. The day to day running of MIA is the responsibility of the Executive and Assistant Directors. For further details on each of these, see Contact us . (All of these sections are sub-sections of ‘About MIA’. The aim of the structure is to facilitate the Living, Telling and Supporting of the Mercy story and to integrate the activities of Mercy International Association in the service of the mission of Mercy today.

The following is an organisational chart of the structure

Strategic Plan

In March 2009, the MIA Directors met in Burlingame to establish directions on how to bring forward the Vision. The following six directions were agreed:

Imagine, articulate and implement the new identity and extended role for Mercy International Centre

Structure the organisation, hire and train staff

Develop a greater degree and specificity and understanding regarding Global Action

Create a communications plan attentive to cultural realities in a global context

Plan for financial sustainability

Create a structure that is capable of seeking new horizon.

A strategic plan based on these directions was then formulated. Having established the values, the six main directions were formulated into questions:

How can we make MIC the iconic centre of the Mercy world and share its richness on a worldwide basis?

How can we grow an organisation that effectively and efficiently enacts the purpose and vision of MIA

In what ways can MIA respond to issues of global poverty?

How can MIA enable Sisters of Mercy, their associates and colleagues in ministry to develop a global sense of identity and interconnection and to be effective in the living, telling and supporting of the Mercy Story? '

How can we secure MIA future in a situation where our funding is insecure?

How do we remain attentive to seeking new horizons?

Using each of these questions as a Goal, the Objectives (Why do we want to do this?), Strategies (How will we approach this tasks?) and the Tactics (What actions will we take?), the Strategic Plan was drawn up. You can read the full text by going to Strategic Plan in the About MIA section.