It is hard to believe that we reached the final Segment of the Mercy Global Presence, focusing on “integration.”
From 25th May, 2021 to 27th May, 2021, three regional gatherings were held on the first two themes of this Segment: “Contemplative Seeing” and “A Compassionate Heart.” One hundred and eighty participants made up of Sisters of Mercy, Associates, and partners in Mercy from twelve countries (Australia, Canada, the United States, Ireland, the United Kingdom, the Philippines, Aotearoa New Zealand, Peru, Argentina, Cambodia, Guam, and South Africa) shared their reflections on these two themes. There was a real sense that the regional gatherings had grown into a space of global contemplation. When MGP was planned we did not envisage having regional gatherings. Yet, despite a sense of fragility and vulnerability globally, the pandemic brought us the gift of Zoom and a deepening of sense of our internationality. It is amazing how the Spirit works. We were also blessed to have the technological skills of Anne Walsh and Adele Howard rsm who ensured everyone who wanted to participate could access the gatherings.
The posters on “Contemplative Seeing” and “A Compassionate Heart” provided the context for our reflections. Participants shared the images and quotations that inspired them. Deep gratitude was expressed to Anne Walsh and Clare Locke for creating these beautiful posters. As we listened and shared from our local experience there was a greater appreciation of the diversity among us.
Even though there are two more themes to complete (“Mercying” and “Creating Circles and a Culture of Mercy”), this was the last of the regional gatherings. But it cannot be the last. We have seen that it is possible to connect across countries, congregations and institutes, languages, and cultures. We must find ways to continue to connect. We cannot go back.
MGP was an invitation to explore new images, new language and new theology amid the intercultural realities within and among our Mercy Congregations and Institutes. While MGP will now come to an end we will continue our journey to integrate the cry of earth and cry of the poor and grapple with new ways of being Mercy in our world. We are all invited to continue our participation, through reflection and discussion, in the continued use of the resources.
The ‘Mercying’ posters (Segment 4, Theme 3) will be available through Mercy eNews on 23rd June. The posters on the final theme ‘Creating Circles & Culture of Mercy’ will be available in July along with the flip book of Segment 4.
Berneice Loch, CEO MIA has confirmed that the MGP & MRP microsites, currently available in the Initiatives section of the Mercyworld.org website, will remain available on the website.
In May of this year, Pope Francis launched a seven-year Laudato Si’ action plan to implement environmental sustainability in different sectors of the Church from religious orders to Catholic schools and hospitals. In his video message on the May 24th he said we “need a new ecological approach that can transform our way of dwelling in the world, our styles of life, our relationship with the resources of the Earth and, in general, our way of looking at humanity and of living life.”
The Laudato si’ Action Platform has seven goals: the response to the cry of the earth, the response to the cry of the poor, ecological economics, adoption of simple lifestyles, ecological education, ecological spirituality, and community involvement.
The resources on the website for MGP & MIRP are excellent resources and are in tune with the goals of the Laudato si’ Action Platform. We must not keep them to ourselves. We need to share them with our family members, ministry colleagues, schools and parishes.
The resources are available on the Mercy Global Presence microsite on the MIA website at mercyworld.org.
The Posters on the completed Segments are available in A4 and A3 format for download and displayed in an interactive format. The ‘Global’ posters can be downloaded from here, the ‘Mercy’ posters from here, the ‘Presence’ posters from here.
As MGP comes to an end we welcome your feedback on the process. Please send your feedback either to your Province Co-Ordinators or myself at scurranperu@hotmail.com.
I wish to thank Anna Burke from CLT, the Provincial Link Persons and the Co-Ordinators for all their work in promoting MGP.
Sheila Curran rsm
Congregational Co-Ordinator for Mercy Global Presence
