Launch of CD in the Iontas Centre, Castleblaney, Co Monaghan
Cothú agus Lomlánú Cover
Address by Sr. Nellie McLaughlin Provincial Leader Northern Province
Good afternoon to all! I feel extremely privileged to be part of this delightful occasion when we gather to celebrate the launch of Teresa’s CD. It is a very special occasion for family and friends, for us as Mercy Sisters, the Circle of Mercy and especially for Teresa herself – on behalf of all of us I want to say – congratulations and well done Teresa. Well done too to all who helped in any way to make Teresa’a dream come to fruition, your graciousness is much appreciated.
When I was thinking about what to say to honour this great event I thought of Teresa’s first loves, music and nature, as stated on the booklet of her CD and the words of the poet Carlyle came to mind:
“See deep enough and you see musically, the heart of nature being everywhere music, if you can only reach it.”
Teresa has certainly touched the heartbeat of our consciousness reaching the depths. Music is at the heart of it all – stars, rocks – the divine energy flowing in, around and among all beings in the great family of creation; all of life is allured by the melody of God’s creativity inviting a rhythmic response from all who are attuned to the pulse of life. In this season of summer coming to a close (in the Northern Hemisphere) I’m sure many of us have had the delight of being serenaded by the sounds and wonders of nature – birdsong, buzz of bees, laughter of children, the music of the waves and trees, the breezes lilting in our ears whether at the beach, in the mountains, forest, fields or garden, rambling along country roads or enjoying the sounds of silence – all music to the soul. The sheer wonder of creation and being alive is that with our every breath we hum to the rhythm of the cosmos. This is beautifully captured by Patrick Kavanagh “A Christmas Childhood.”
My father played the melodeon
Outside at our gate;
There were stars in the morning east
And they danced to his music.
Today, I know that the stars are dancing to the music of this wonderful composition by Teresa.
We may wonder at the mystery of it all, the gift of life, of God’s love, compassion and creative energy everywhere. What music brought forth the Earth and all species? What chords stirred in the early atoms zooming in deep space, notes that would eventually sing your name and mine together with such haunting melodies as sunshine, meadowsweet, symphony, twilight, Cothu, Iomlanu, Suscipe.? What music nudges us in the circumstances of every day to dance with joy, delight and possibility? In truth we can exclaim with the poet Thoreau
The Earth was the most glorious instrument and I was the audience to its strains.
In creating this wonderful CD, Teresa has taken to heart the melodies, echoes and cadences of God’s work of art and crafted them with heart and hands of love just as one would mix the ingredients in bread-making to create that texture and taste that delights and nourishes both soul and body. If each of us were presented with the exact same ingredients and asked to bake a scone or cake….no two would taste the same! And so it is with our response to life, opportunities, challenges, possibilities, sorrows or joys, each response is unique and wonderful because it is the dedicated work of our hands and hearts. In the mystery of life and creativity we can truly exclaim with cosmologist, Brian Swimme, ‘what was once molten rock is now Mozart’s symphony’ and indeed what was once molten rock is today this delightful CD (Cothu agus Iomlanu)
There is music in everyone; I know I’m not Mozart or even a singer in the conventional sense but I have a song and a tune that only I can offer. What about you? If Teresa’s creativity and commitment mean anything surely they are saying to each of us —-you too can add to the quality and music of life. What legacy do I wish to leave present and future generations? Creating such a wonderful blend of life, art and Mercy tradition is such a sign of hope in our present circumstances when recession and pain of many forms touch us deeply, we need the music, the harmony, diversity and sense of well being to sustain us
“We will be known forever by the tracks we leave.” (Dakota)
This is a very proud day for all of us who know you Teresa, we are proud of what you have achieved but most of all we are proud of you and I would like to end with this little tribute from Debra Frazier’s On the Day You were Born in appreciation of you, your parents and family, Mercy family(NZ and Ireland) and your many friends and colleagues. These words of Debra echo Isaiah 43: ‘I have called you by your name, you are mine…you are precious in my eyes and I love you’. Let us take a quiet moment at this time of celebrating birthing and new life – our own birth, the birth of loved ones, the birth of our congregation, of the circle of Mercy, in nature and life all around us – to contemplate in praise and thanks these inspiring words.
In the context of today I’m addressing this tribute to Teresa and it is equally for each one of us:
On the day you were born the Earth turned, the Moon pulled, the Sun flared, and, then with a push, you slipped out of the dark quiet where suddenly you could hear….a circle of people singing with voices familiar and clear. ‘Welcome to the spinning world’, the people sang, as they washed your new, tiny hands. ‘Welcome to the green Earth’, the people sang, as they wrapped your wet, slippery body. And as they held you close they whispered into your open, curving ear, ‘WE ARE SO GLAD YOU’VE COME!’ On the Day you Were Born by Debra Frazier)
Teresa we are so, so glad you’ve come among us…..congratulations!
Sr. Nellie McLaughlin
Music for all Seasons: Sr. Teresa Martin’s CD
A publicity statement announced the launch of Sr. Teresa Martin’s CD some three months in advance. Behind this notice lay months of hard work and preparation by Teresa and those involved in helping her. Thus it was that on September 4th, 2010 ‘COHTU agus Iomlanu’, the CD created by Sr. Teresa was launched.
How does one recreate the magic of that magical afternoon in Iontas? The setting for the launch was exactly right. Tiered seating lent itself well for a full view of the proceedings. Autumn flowers decked the stage and the aptly chosen background PowerPoint set a striking scene.
Sr. Teresa told the assembled audience that her love of music and of nature was inherited from her parents and that music has stood by her in all seasons. She explained the title of the CD. COTHU means ‘to nurture, to nourish life’. IOMLANU is a word meaning ‘leading to wholeness and full integration.’ The CD is composed of twelve short mantras, all rooted in Catherine McAuley’s words in Mercy and Scripture.
Sr. Teresa Martin introduces the CD
Sr. Nellie McLaughlin, Provincial Leader, enthralled all of us by her inspirational talk. She reminded us that all life is a melody of God’s Love. We must be attuned to the pulse of life around us. Referring to Sr. Teresa’s creative gift as demonstrated in her CD, Sr. Nellie quoted an old North American Indian saying:
“We will be known forever by the tracks we leave.”
The Irish Dancers
In the concert which followed we were entertained to melodious singing by the group which features on the CD, to energetic and perfectly choreographed Irish dancing by a group of young people. They danced to the music of the jig, “Home to Dublin” which features on the CD. Violin renditions and solo singing by the Muckian family, Silverbridge, Co Down and solos by two members of the Choral Group Sharon Cole and Fergal White, delighted everyone present. Brilliant piano playing by Sr. Teresa’s nephew, Brian Greene, accompanied the programme. Brian’s playing was a concert in itself!
The Muckian Family
All the proceedings were ably guided by Sr. Philomena Horner. The lines from Abba seemed to sum up all our sentiments” Thank you for the music….the joy it’s bringing”.
Sr. Teresa with the Singing Group
Sr. Teresa’s CD is available on request. ctxmartin@aol.com
Sr. Teresa Martin singing her own composition
Mary Patricia Lynn rsm
Northern Province
