2nd October Text Only Version

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A Year On...Reflection on the Year of Consecrated Life

As we draw near to the end of the Year for Consecrated Life we take time to gather a few thoughts and maybe share with another, if we have not done so already, to what are we still being invited? Remember God loved us first (Jn 4.10) so it is a gratuitous love. God incarnated this love in Jesus. It is out of this concept we, through our baptism, are called to love God and love one another. God has called us into being, knit us together in our mother’s womb (Ps 139), holds us in being, sustains us as we respond to the call to be God’s disciples – to follow Jesus closely through life as vowed Mercy women.

Jesus told the Apostles at the Last Supper "It was not you chose me, but I have chosen you" (Jn15.16). This reminds us that all Vocation is always God’s initiative, though it depends (as Pope Francis reminded us) on us to freely opt to belong to this economy of human-divine relationship and to live the life of agape, the way of discipleship "in the light of the Church’s pilgrimage". Have we savoured the loving gaze of God and recalled the meaning and essence of our vocation? It is the answer to a call, a call of love. The aims of the Year of Consecrated Life were to (1) to look to the past with gratitude (2) to live the present with passion and (3)to embrace the future with hope.

Have we taken time to give thanks to God for how our Mercy charism has grown from a tiny seed to our presence now in forty- four countries?

The expressions of the charism have changed over the years but the core has remained – to be the compassionate presence of God to all we meet on life’s journey and to all of life itself. We give thanks for the creativity the charism sparked, the difficulties it encountered and the concrete ways these difficulties were surmounted. We give thanks for the abundance of life that we have enjoyed. There have been new geographical and cultural contexts.

Pope Francis asked us are our ministries, our works and our presence consonant with what the Spirit asked of our foundress Catherine. Are they suitable to carry out today? In society and the Church are these same ministries still needed? Do we have the same passion for our people, are we close to them to the point of sharing in their joys and sorrows, thus truly understanding their needs and helping to respond to them? (this includes those with whom we live).

During the past year there have been many conversations, shared reflections, both written and oral, prayer services, holy hours, get- togethers with other religious and lay people, pilgrimages (local and national). It is fitting therefore that we pause and name for ourselves some of the fruits of the year, moments of rejoicing, of joy and the painful moments too. What if anything remains with us? Let us continue to give thanks for God’s love, for our vocations, our human response which has often been flawed but always faithful.

Last Lent and I’m sure on other occasions too we have had the opportunity to share our stories – whether we have lived in the congregation for two years or sixty years. Doing this shows where our true unity lies. Telling each other how we are living the mercy charism in today’s contexts reveals that age does not really separate us and what makes our hearts beat is very similar. "Story-telling fills us with courage and prepares us for change, for daring new ventures that ensure a creative fidelity to our charism" (Sr. Carmen Sammut UISG Council of delegates, Rome 2015).

In his message for the year of consecrated life Pope Francis quoted Saint John Paul who said "it is up to you to place your charism at the service of the Church and to work for the coming of Christ’s Kingdom in its fullness". He (Pope Francis) encouraged us to live the present with passion meaning becoming ‘experts in communion’. Several times he has referred to the prophetic nature of religious life – how we are called to offer a concrete model of community which by acknowledging the dignity of each person and sharing our respective gifts makes it possible to live as brothers and sisters.

This witness is as necessary today as it has ever been. We live in a world where different cultures experience difficulty in living alongside one another, where the powerless encounter oppression, where inequality abounds. Are we living in the loving relationship of the three divine persons (1 Jn 4:8), the model for all interpersonal relationships? How could we improve? We want to offer to the Church and to humanity, as consecrated women, a ministry of compassion and healing. "As consecrated persons we should be able to arouse in men and women of our world – regardless of where they are and whatever their existential circumstances – the desire of an encounter with the Lord and to show the way" (UISG Booklet 57) (International Union of Superiors General).

The third aim of the year was to embrace the future with hope – not fear. If one were only to go by the news as portrayed through the media it would be difficult, there are decreasing vocations in the West, economic problems, wars, global crises. But it is precisely amid these uncertainties which we share with so many of our contemporaries that we are called to practise the virtue of hope, the fruit of our faith in the Lord of history, who continues to tell us: Be not afraid … for I am with you (Jer 1:8). This hope, as Pope Francis reminded us is not based on statistics or accomplishments but on the One in whom we have put our trust (2 Tim 1:2) the one for whom nothing is impossible. Daily we set out anew not trusting in our own strength but like Catherine trusting in the Lord.

Towards the end of his Letter to Religious, Pope Francis offers us for our contemplation the image of Mary at the foot of the cross, in sorrow but one still believing, hoping. By faith she sees the birth of the new future and waits with hope for God’s tomorrow. Pope Francis asked do we expect God’s tomorrow. Or do we want only today? The tomorrow of God for Mary is the dawn of Easter morning. He goes on to say that the only lamp lit in the tomb of Jesus is the hope of his mother, who at that time held the hope of all mankind. The question he posed to us is, is this light still alight among us?

There are many challenges still facing us. The future is, at times, uncertain. It can be hard to assert a way of life that our modern culture sometimes sees as old fashioned or just plain odd. Hopefully during this past year there has been a moment of special blessing for us, to hear again the words of the Lord to Joshua following the death of Moses: Have I not told you: be strong and stand firm? Be fearless then, be confident, for go where you will, the Lord your God is with you (Joshua 1:9).

Let us continue to rejoice.

By Margaret Casey rsm

Congregational Leader

From the Congregational Offices Mission:Southern Sudan continues to Invite......

‘The Spirit of The Lord is upon me, He has anointed me to proclaim the Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives, recovery of sight to the blind, to set the downtrodden free and to proclaim the Lord’s year of favour’.

This is the mission of Jesus that continues to invite a response from each one of us as we read in this month’s mercy@live article by Ailish O’Brien from her community in Yambio, South Sudan.

Thank you very much Ailish for bringing alive this reality to the whole Congregation, a reality that evokes a response. Thank you for your article that has inspired, enthused and challenged me to seek life beyond my comfort zone. Indeed your article paints a picture of a joyful community living, serving and being enriched by the gifts of diversity present among students and the volunteer community. No doubt, the young church out there is alive and open! God’s blessings on you Ailish as you give and receive God’s mercy in every interaction with the people of South Sudan.

As Congregational Leadership Team (CLT) we desire to keep hope alive for South Sudan and once more call upon individuals who feel called and inspired by the mission of Jesus to volunteer for South Sudan. Do you feel called to physically represent Mercy in South Sudan?

A read through the following extracts from Solidarity with South Sudan Annual Report 2014, Development 2015 gives you a clear picture of the unmet needs. These are the areas for which volunteers are needed;

South Sudan: Health Services in Need of Trained Personnel The country’s context has specific barriers to health service delivery; which need to be summoned before meaningful progress can be registered; a nascent health system, human resources challenges, poor integration and decentralization of services, poor coordination and weak accountability. Despite these, the government is committed to improving health service delivery, as evidenced by its cordial relationship with regional and international health actors such as AMREF HEALTH Africa and the Catholic Church.

The health service gap in South Sudan is dire! Preventable and treatable diseases are the leading causes of illnesses and deaths. Given these facts, do you feel called to respond to this cry for help? Could you be the one to partner with many other religious men and women and lay volunteers already in South Sudan, trying to eliminate conditions under which preventable diseases flourish, and strengthening and developing the capacity of the country’s health service infrastructure? If your passion is to see communities with the knowledge, skills and means to maintain their good health and break the cycle of poor health and poverty, South Sudan is the place to be! Eligibility criteria: Ability to train nurses (Nurse Tutors urgently needed).

“The Catholic Health Training Institute (CHTI) is a recognized institute for the training of diploma level nurses and midwives. At the end of 2014, 24 registered nurses and the first 18 midwives graduated from the CHTI. There is a critical need in South Sudan for better health services delivered by qualified personnel. The 91 current students – 63 nursing students and 28 midwifery students – come from 9 of the 10 states of South Sudan, from the disputed Abyei region and from the Nuba Mountains.

Of the 158 registered nurses in South Sudan, 49 were trained in the CHTI. From 27% fale in 2010, there are now 48 men and 43 women. A student remarks: “At a time when the situation has increased an awareness of our ethnic differences and a lack of trust in each other, arriving at the CHTI I was so surprised to see students from all over South Sudan, from all ethnic groups and clans hugging each other, welcoming everyone, being one community. I was filled with hope.” “We are not only being trained to be healers of our future patients but to heal and reconcile the ethnic diversities in South Sudan.” (Solidarity with South Sudan Annual Report 2014, Development 2015)

South Sudan: An Education System in Crisis Reports available with regard to the current state of education in South Sudan indicate that if the challenges facing education are not faced courageously, there is ample chance of a generation of children missing out on education. In response to this challenge, Solidarity with South Sudan has set up a Teacher Training College.

“Solidarity Teacher Training College is now recognized in South Sudan as a leading provider of primary teacher training. Following the closure of our Malakal campus in 2014, some of the students from Malakal have been assisted to continue their teacher training in Yambio. Of the ninety students, the nineteen Yambio graduates of 2014 came from across the country. Peaceful co-existence is learned, lived and practiced. Many children are benefitting from having trained teachers in their classes.

“I was helped by the community so I have the desire of helping the younger ones,”

“I wish to offer my service to the community,” Statements from our students.

Quality education is one of the keys to a better future for the people of South Sudan. There is a need for 26,000 primary teachers.” (Solidarity with South Sudan Annual Report 2014, Development 2015). South Sudan: Calls for volunteers is the Pastoral Ministry “The Pastoral Team works closely with the National South Sudanese Pastoral Co-ordinator in providing a series of annual workshops to develop the skills of the diocesan Pastoral Directors and their national and diocesan catechetical training teams.

In response to the recent conflict in the country, the Pastoral Team is providing trauma-healing, reconciliation and peace building workshops, training for local priests, religious and lay leaders, an on- going pastoral presence and ministry for the internally displaced persons in the UN compounds and surrounding areas affected by the conflict, especially in the Malakal Diocese.

Local pastoral work takes place in Rimenze through a health care clinic, herbal medicine, income generating activities and educational programs for girls, youth and women, and at the Makpundu refugee camp. At the request of the Bishops, Solidarity now provides a philosophy professor for the seminary in Juba to help in the formation of South Sudanese priests.” (Solidarity with South Sudan Annual Report 2014, Development 2015).

“Jesus Christ’s Kingdom comes through his works of Mercy that Christians must imitate with tenderness. In the twilight of life we will be judged on our love for closeness to and tenderness towards our brothers and sisters…” (Pope Francis – on the Feast of Christ the King, Nov 2014).

We encourage any sister willing to volunteer for South Sudan to get in touch with her Provincial Leadership Team and begin the conversation.

Read more here about Ailish O'Brien's rsm experience working in South Sudan.

By Scholasticah Nganda Congregational Leadership Team ______

Moving with the Times

So sang Bob Dylan in the 1970s, challenging society to face the reality of a world shifting in its values and ideas. More and more frequently these days it is also the mantra of the Mission & Development (M&D) office, serving as a reminder that where we are working and how we are working as Mercy must increasingly adapt to the changing landscape of our ministries.

In the same way that the sisters on the ground keep a careful eye on what is happening around them, asking themselves and others, questions such as - Is government playing its part in responding to that particular need ? Is the service we are providing as effective as it once was? How long can Mercy engagement be sustained? – so too must the M&D Coordinator be aware of the changing times and adjust and adapt accordingly.

While never about decision-making or strategy planning, M&D support has always tried to reflect the particular phase which the Mercy activity has reached – whether it is about consolidating the resources already in place and strengthening the systems or more about up-skilling the local staff in preparation for them to continue the work. As we know however, M&D is not on the ground but sitting in a Dublin office. One implication of this is that standing back, taking the “long view” is that much easier to do. Unlike many of the sisters, I am not invested personally in what is happening. I am not caught up in the story of the woman who will not survive without those ARV drugs or the family who wants desperately for their child to finish secondary school. My involvement is limited, to a large extent, to following the story on paper, imagining the daily struggles which threaten the "happy ending" of all those stories.

From where then does the motivation for M&D efforts come, if not from those success stories, those small but significant signs of change in the lives of those with whom Mercy lives and works ?

Previous articles (“Blowing the Mercy trumpet” and “Leaving the Mercy footprint”) have expressed some of the inspiration - dare I say, admiration - for the tireless commitment of so many sisters for so many years.

This is without doubt, one source of the energy I need to ask the questions, solicit the information which will keep the funding coming or document what is happening so that others might learn. But it is more than that. It is my utter and fundamental belief in the rights of the people we serve to have that life, that education, that chance.

This idealism is however tempered by the very tight grasp I have on reality, owed in no small part to my Scottish heritage, which keeps me focused on what is possible, what needs to happen so that something might remain. But as I said at the outset, my engagement with the man, woman or child in need, is far from first-hand. Far easier then for me to say that it is not about what I want but about what they need.

And as the world around Mercy continues to shift, and as the world that is Mercy continues to change, I must pay more attention to what is and what is not, rather than what might be or even, what might have been. This is when I must make peace with what is possible and what will never happen. This is when listening to the answers becomes more important than asking the questions. For the times they are indeed changing.

Maria Douglas Mission & Development (M&D) Coordinator ______

Around the Congregation

Mercy Sisters Celebrate the Beatification of Benedict Daswa

The martyrdom of Benedict Daswa was reported in the Bigger Picture of theAugust edition of mercy@live. On the 13th September 2015, three Mercy Sisters, Connie Khuele, Juliana Yarkwan and Marvis Mazhunga, (South Africa Province) were privileged to attend the beatification celebrations of South Africa’s first saint.

‘What seemed to be a wish in the hearts of many South Africans and the rest of Africa became a reality, an historic moment and an unforgettable event. The long awaited day finally arrived on which the Church was going to declare Benedict Tsimangadzo Daswa as Blessed.

‘Very early on the morning of the 12th, we boarded the bus and set off from Regina Mundi Church in Soweto to travel to Thohoyandou in Limpopo Province, which is about 520km north of Johannesburg. We felt that it was a blessed trip, a real pilgrimage, as we had prayers every hour on the hour throughout the journey with hymns in between and that made the whole time very prayerful and peaceful. ‘When we arrived at around 4pm, a light rain was falling, but by the time we started the vigil service at around 7pm, it had cleared and we never had another drop of rain until the following day in the afternoon when we left after the beatification Mass. The sky was overcast the whole day, with rain threatening to pour anytime, but it remained dry for the whole celebration. That, we thought, was really amazing and significant.

‘The vigil began with a youth group from Pretoria dramatizing the life story of Benedict Daswa. This was really touching as they showed clearly how Benedict had chosen to die in the place of the innocent person who had been “sniffed out” as being a witch. The evening was very prayerful and reflective. Although many people had already gathered there, you could hear a penny drop. Praise and worship followed and the singing and dancing were beautiful. It was amazing as it sounded as if the crowds were singing with one voice. We realized how hungry the people are for God.

‘We went to sleep a bit in the bus but had to wake again at 3am and find our places on the field, as crowds of people had started arriving and we might not get a place to put our camp chairs. Some people arrived at midnight and slept out in the open in preparation for the proceedings which were to start at 9am the next day.

‘The following day was also a wonderful experience. The morning started with the divine office led by Bishop Emeritus Hugh Slattery MSC, followed by Mass which was celebrated by Cardinal Angelo Amato from Rome who was representing Pope Francis. As the sacred ritual of the beatification began, all of the 30,000 people present listened in absolute silence. Every single word of the letter from Pope Francis declaring Benedict as Blessed was heard by everybody, and immediately we heard the words “Benedict Tshimangadzo Daswa the Church has declared you Blessed”, we all burst into song. The whole village must have heard the singing, the trumpets, drums and the ululation that was coming from the grounds of the celebration. ‘After the declaration of Blessed Benedict Daswa, another important part of the ritual followed:this was the presentation of his relics. The whole crowd stood up to pay respect to the relics as they were taken in procession to the altar. Then the celebration of the holy Eucharist began.

‘It was a joy to see Ida, the mother of Benedict Daswa, who is 91 years old, in the uniform of the Daughters of St Anne, dancing away to the songs during the Mass. She had a special seat close to the altar.

‘We really felt blessed and honoured to be present and to be able to witness the beatification of the first South African saint. It was beautiful that it was happening on the soil of Africa and this was the child of Africa in South Africa. Oh! What an experience!’

By Connie Khuele RSM, Juliana Yarkwan RSM, Marvis Mazhunga RSM ______

Ennis Parish Camino The Year of Consecrated Life An Ennis Parish Camino

Pilgrims from all over the world have walked the Camino de Santiago or ‘the way of St. James’ to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Spain. To mark the Year of Consecrated Life and to honour and acknowledge the various religious congregations who have ministered in the parish over the years, the Parish of Ennis, Co. Clare had its own ‘Camino’ – walk, road, journey – on the first Sunday in June last. Our walk was from Corrovorrin in the east to Cahercalla in the west of the town – nothing like the distance from Oviedo to Santiago. Pausing along the way at points associated with each congregation and listening to a flavour of each one’s history, it took us all of three hours; the sense of heritage, if not the scenery, en route evoked a great realisation of evolving history, community, change, challenge, generosity, gratitude and a marvelling at the extraordinary ‘providence’ in the unfolding of God’s plan, its richness of giftedness and charism.

Assembling at Corrovorrin The starting point in Corrovorrin was at the grave of Sisters Baptist Tobin and Augustine Breen, two Ursuline Sisters who had died in 1831 and 1835 respectively. Local historian, Mr. Larry Brennan, gave an account of the Ursuline ministry of education in Ennis. In January 1829 four professed sisters led by Mother Angela Luby, a novice and two postulants, together with six boarding-school pupils, had taken up residence in Lifford House, Corrovorrin, with the intention of providing education for girls in the town. The house had been purchased by the priests of Killaloe Diocese in the name of Rev. Thomas McInerney, Parish Priest of Feakle, Co. Clare. By the end of March of that year there were 160 pupils; by 1837 there were fourteen professed sisters teaching over 200 pupils. However, financial difficulties were the subject of a court case at the Galway assizes in 1935 arising from which the sisters left for Thurles in 1839. In that same year, the Presentation Sisters in Galway responded to Bishop Patrick Kennedy’s appeal and four sisters, led by Mother Joseph Power, took over from the Ursuline’s to continue the work of education for Catholic girls in the spacious, four-storey Lifford House. They too were quickly faced with financial difficulties and returned to Galway in 1841, a move regretted by the people.

In more recent times The Little Sisters of the Assumption lived in Corrovorrin. Five members of that congregation came to Ennis in 1971 at the invitation of Bishop Michael Harty and the prompting of the late Sr. Eucharia Keane, a pioneering Mercy Sister who had left education to do social work and was instrumental in setting up what was to become Clare Social Services. Clare Social Service Council was set up in 1968 as an umbrella organisation to oversee the response to the many emerging social needs throughout the County. Bringing with them much relevant experience and a cheerful, compassionate as well as efficient and professional approach to social work, the Little Sisters made a very significant contribution towards putting Clare Social Services on a sound footing. Now known as Clarecare it is still a very strong service organisation in Co. Clare. The Little Sisters of the Assumption lived at Nos 1 & 2 Corrovorrin Crescent which the Sisters of Mercy purchased from them when they left Ennis in 1985. Mercy Sisters, involved in various ministries, continue to live at Corrovorrin Crescent. A gathering hymn, "Bind us together Lord", was sung and a prayer to St. Ursula recited by the hundreds of people taking part in this parish walk and we moved on to St. Joseph’s hospital.

Pilgrims at the ‘Workhouse’ gate Here, Mary Killeen rsm, herself a former lifelong staff-member, told the story of the Sisters of Mercy and the Ennis Workhouse. Later known as the County Home, the Workhouse was opened in 1841, one of 160 such institutions constructed and run in accordance with the Irish Poor Law Act 1838. All were very dismal places, accommodating large numbers in cramped and appalling conditions; by the 1880s the Board of Guardians was finding it difficult to staff the Workhouse and to counter the management irregularities that had crept in.

When the Board was presented with the resignation of the Matron at a meeting in 1884 they turned to the Sisters of Mercy and appealed to them to take up nursing and management posts; five sisters, led by Sr. Regis Corcoran, took up residence in April 1885, in a section of the Workhouse specially prepared for them. The following year another sister joined them; three sisters were nurses and were paid ‘£30 per annum without rations’. There were 478 residents and the running-cost allowance was £0-1-11 per person, per week. A chapel where the sisters came together to recite the Divine Office and say the rosary was added to the complex; the residents were curious and many of them also turned up for prayers. The annals tell us that a man remarked one evening: ‘I never in all my life heard such prattling as the nuns had in the chapel. I couldn’t make out a word they were saying’. They were reciting the Office in Latin!

Over the years the number of staff, both lay and religious, increased and much effort was made to improve conditions for the residents, culminating in the phased demolition of the old and the building, in the nineteen sixties, of a modern, well-appointed geriatric hospital by the Health Board and Clare County Council. This project was spearheaded by matron, Sr. Aquinas O’Dwyer. The County Home was renamed St. Joseph’s Hospital. A spacious church was added in 1972 to serve hospital residents and the local parish community. Improvements continued and St. Joseph’s now has physiotherapy, occupational therapy, rehabilitation services and an Alzheimer’s Unit. The last Sister of Mercy retired from St. Joseph’s in December 2009 leaving a facility that could not have been imagined by the pioneers of 1885 and happy that the Mercy contribution over a span of 124 years had been a truly Gospel ministry to very special people and in the knowledge that the work goes on. The Mercy Prayer for the Sick was distributed and recited by all and to the soft strains of "Lay Your Hands Gently upon Me" the pilgrims resumed their walking.

Listening to Br. Seán McNamara The next ‘station’ was the Irish Christian Brothers’ Monastery and schools on New Road where Brother Seán McNamara traced the history of the Brothers in Ennis. Their founder, Brother Edmund Ignatius Rice, was invited by Bishop O’Shaughnessy in 1826 to send brothers to Ennis. In January 1827 Brothers Jerome O’Connor and Ignatius Barry arrived and set up their first school in an old corn store, later moving to Chapel Lane and by 1833 to a new building on the site where the old section of the current primary school still stands. Due to financial and other difficulties the Brothers withdrew from Ennis in 1840 only to return again in 1854 at the request of Dean John Kenny P.P. In August 1868 the foundation stone of the present Monastery was laid and the brothers moved from what Dean Kenny described as ‘a miserable thatched cottage’ to take up residence on New Road in December 1869. Records show that pupils of the CBS were entered for the Intermediate Board examinations in 1882. In 1937 a secondary school was completed. The Brothers have given unbroken service to Catholic education in the Parish of Ennis since 1854; today the schools are part of the Edmund Rice Schools Trust. A hymn, "To Do Your Will is my Desire", a prayer of thanksgiving for Brother Ignatius Rice, and we were on the move again.

This time we walked along by the river Fergus, over the Club Bridge and by the ruins of the old Franciscan Abbey, now a flourishing tourist attraction in the care of the OPW, round the corner to Francis Street and the Franciscan Friary where we were welcomed by Fr. Jim Hassan OFM. A native of Derry, Fr. Jim had only very recently arrived in Ennis.

The Franciscans are thought to have come to Ennis in 1240 – the date is not known for sure – and were given hospitality by Donnachadh Cairbeach O’Brien who had moved the royal seat of the O’Brien’s from Limerick to Ennis. At that time Friars settled wherever they were made welcome, gathered some followers and a new group moved on. To quote Fr. Patrick Conlan OFM ‘they did not bother much about paperwork or canonical permission but allowed themselves to be guided by the Spirit’. Another O’Brien, named Turlough, built the old Franciscan Abbey on the banks of the Fergus; it would be the burial place for generations of O’Brien’s as well as the foundation of the town of Ennis. Through turbulent times the Abbey served as a venue for the assize courts, as apartments for the Privy Council of Elizabeth I and as a jail. Following the Cromwellian desecration the Abbey fell into ruin; it became the property of the Church of Ireland Parish of Drumcliffe who graciously gifted it back to the Franciscan Order after it had been eventually taken in charge by the Board of Works in 1969.

The story of the Franciscans in Ennis is fascinating; it is one of suppression and revival, persecution and survival, living in the Abbey, hiding-out in the countryside or fleeing to the Continent, until Catholic Emancipation in 1829 made it safe to re-establish openly. Above all, the Franciscan story is one of men of incredible courage and tenacity; of great and unique characters who braved all adversity, sustained by the common thread of faith in their God and commitment to the people. The present Friary, formerly Willow Bank House, was acquired on behalf of the Friars in 1853 and they transferred there in 1854 – the same year the Sisters of Mercy came to Ennis and the Christian Brothers returned. The present Friary church opened in 1856. The Friars continue to have an active pastoral and cultural role in the local community and are much loved and appreciated in return.

From the Franciscan Friary, singing "Christ be Beside Me", the pilgrims wended their way the short distance along Francis Street to the Poor Clare Sisters’ Monastery, dedicated to Our Lady Queen of the Universe. Here they were warmly welcomed by Sr. Gabrielle in the Sisters’ beautiful Chapel where there was standing room only by the time everyone had squeezed in. The Poor Clare’s are contemplative nuns founded by St. Clare and St. Frances of Assisi in 1212. The Rule of St. Clare was approved by Pope Innocent IV on the day before St. Clare’s death in 1253. They first came to Ireland in 1629 and suffered many setbacks in the ensuing centuries. In March 1957 the late Bishop Joseph Rodgers laid the foundation stone for the Poor Clare Monastery in Ennis to which the Sisters arrived from Cork on 7 October 1958. They now number eleven and come from various parts of Ireland but have put down strong Clare and Ennis roots. The sisters see themselves as a voice before the Father for all the people of God. They spend their time in union with God through the Liturgy of the Hours and Contemplation, with the Eucharist as the centre of their day. They share with each other in community a family spirit of joy, mutual encouragement and support. In Ennis the Poor Clare Sisters are treasured as an integral part of the parish and local community in the same spirit of mutual support. The Monastery is a symbol of life dedicated to God in a particular ministry of prayer, a beacon of hope and love for all.

In the Chapel of the Poor Clare Monastery Singing "Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God" we arrived at the Templegate Hotel Plaza, site of the original Mercy Convent. Here Canice Hanrahan rsm briefly told the story of Catherine McAuley and the founding of the Sisters of Mercy in Baggot St., Dublin in 1831. To make the link with the Ennis chapter of Mercy history she drew attention to the tall, plain cross beside the Cathedral Sts. John and Paul, Ennis which commemorates the Parish Mission of November 1853. At the end of the mission a meeting of parishioners, chaired by Bishop Vaughan, resolved to invite the Sisters of Mercy to open a house in Ennis ‘for the promotion of Catholic education in this and the adjoining parishes’. Dean John Kenny P.P., was dispatched to Limerick to make the request of Mother Elizabeth Moore. Led by Mother Vincent McMahon, four sisters arrived in Ennis the following May and took up residence at Row House which had been rented by Dean Kenny in Arthur’s Row, off O’Connell Square. The Dean’s sister, Catherine Kenny, was a benefactress and lived in the convent for ten years until her death and is buried in the convent cemetery. Immediately on arrival the Sisters started teaching with an enrolment of 400 girls. In response to the same committee, the Christian Brothers had already returned to Ennis earlier that year and started teaching boys.

The early years were ones of expansion as the original group was joined by many young women. By 1860 a second-level boarding and day school was added. Land was acquired from Edward Gore, convent and schools were extended, an orphanage, a knitting enterprise, a bakery, a centre for the making of Altar Breads for the Diocese of Killaloe and a commercial laundry were opened. In 1941 the second-level school moved to College Road making way for further expansion of the primary facility. This in turn moved to the magnificent, state-of-the-art Holy Family Schools on Station Road in 1965. The secondary school, Coláiste Muire, was transferred to the CEIST Trust in 2007 and more recently the Holy Family Schools to the Killaloe Diocese. The old convent was sold in the early 1990s and a new, more compact building provided on Bóthar na Trócaire.

Requests to the Ennis community for new foundations were positively responded to. Between 1872 and 1878 forty five sisters left for missions overseas in the USA, New Zealand and Australia. Nearer home the sisters answered calls to Ennistymon, to the workhouses in Ennis, Roscrea and Corofin and to open a school in Killaloe. In the twentieth century a secondary school was opened in Spanish Point, two elementary schools in California, a community established in Shannon and two centres of further education in Kenya, East Africa. Sr. Clare O’Neill served for seven years in Iceland. Dean Kenny, Bishop Vaughan and all those who attended that Parish Mission meeting in 1853 could not have imagined the fruits it would bear. Sisters of Mercy endeavour to follow the example of Catherine McAuley in living their lives in the service of others in union with Christ, in prayer and in imitation of His own compassionate service of those in need of love and healing. Copies of Catherine’s Suscipe were distributed and recited by all and singing "Seek ye First the Kingdom of God", made our way through the typically narrow streets of the town through Chapel Lane, site of the first church in Ennis; Lysaght’s Lane where the Franciscans once took shelter and Garraun na Cille, now a car park but once a public cemetery. We sang "Faith is flowing like a River" and prayed for all those interred in that unlikely spot.

Erected by the Ennis Sculpture Initiative in appreciation of the Sisters of Mercy St. Clare’s Close off the Turnpike, was our next stop. Here the role of the Brothers of Charity and the Sisters of Mercy were remembered for their pioneering assistance towards meeting the special educational needs of young people from throughout the county. A school, named St. Clare’s, was set up on a voluntary basis by Ennis and District Soroptimist’s and Dr. Joe Solan, Medical Officer, in the old Turnpike Dispensary. The first pupils came from Our Lady’s Psychiatric Hospital and from the special Unit in St. Joseph’s Hospital, known as St. Senan’s, run by Sr. Carmel Scanlan rsm, for young people with disabilities. The school was recognised by the Department of Education and opened in 1967 by the late Dr. Patrick Hillery, then Minister for Education. The first teacher and principal was Mrs Eileen Jones with Sr. Eileen Killoury rsm, as deputy principal. It was not possible to sustain the level of voluntary work involved in transporting pupils daily from around the county so the Brothers of Charity responded to the obvious need and opened two residential facilities in Ennis where young people could live Monday to Friday each week while attending school. This improved the quality of life for pupils and families alike. The Brothers later extended their ministry to sheltered workshops; St. Clare’s moved in 1986 to new purpose-built premises on the Gort Road. Margaret McNamara recalled happy and fruitful days in St. Clare’s School on this old site and thanked the local community who helped in making it such a success. The Dispensary was demolished and replaced by a small cluster of houses named St. Clare’s Close. The final lines of Margaret’s poignant prayer were: ‘Blessed are those who give without hope of return, they will give people an experience of God’.

The longest leg of our pilgrimage was from St. Clare’s Close to the green area off Woodhaven, Kilrush Road, where we honoured The Sisters of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart. The congregation was founded in Australia in 1866 by St. Mary McKillop and Fr. Julian Tenison Woods. Mary was a Scotswoman who became Australia’s first canonised saint in October 2010. Mary McKillop visited Ireland in 1874 seeking the support of Irish girls for her mission of education in Australia and New Zealand. In October 1875 fifteen young women gathered in the Carmelite chapel in Ranelagh, Dublin, where, in the presence of their parents and families, they took part in a ceremony of dedication after which they left for the long voyage to Australia, never to return. Over the ensuing years over 700 women, of whom 84 were Clare women, followed in the footsteps of those pioneers, to help nourish the flame of faith in that far distant land. In 1996 the Irish-born Sisters of St. Joseph were given the option of returning to their homeland, bringing with them their missionary experience. Forty one sisters now live and minister in Ireland, three of them in the parish of Ennis: Srs. Anne Boland, Margaret Hanrahan and Betty Curtin; the recent unexpected death of the late Sr. Eileen O’Sullivan was a great shock to parishioners. The Sisters of St. Joseph have made a significant contribution to the pastoral and catechetical life of the people of the parish, particularly for those from other countries who have enriched our community and church.

Here too we honoured the La Sainte Union Sisters who were founded in Northern France in the 1840s and from there spread to England, Ireland – their first house was in Banagher, Co. Offaly – to the Americas and more recently to Tanzania, Cameroon and Haiti. In 2002 two sisters brought their own unique ministries to Ennis and live in Tobartaoscain: Dympna Bonfil is a gifted artist and works as an art therapist with the Mental Health Services, while Rita Gilroy is a volunteer with the Clare Intercultural Network and also facilitates group therapy. Their presence brought a new and welcome dimension to the ministry of religious in the parish.

Next we paused at the gateway to Cahercalla Community Hospital where Fr. Peadar O’Loughlin traced the history of the Missionary Society of St. Columban, or the ‘Columban’s’ as the Society is popularly known. Fr. Peadar is himself one of three Columban’s now living and ministering in retirement in his native Ennis. Co. Clare has a particular link with the founding days of the Columban’s. The Society was first known as the Maynooth Mission to China and came about through the inspiration of Fr. Edward Galvin of the Diocese of Cork who had an interest in evangelisation in China; while serving temporarily in Brooklyn, New York, he met a Canadian priest working in China and got permission to return there with him in 1912. Four years later, even more fired with zeal for a mission to China, he came back to Ireland and found a like-minded companion in Fr. John Blowick of the staff of Maynooth Seminary. Together they set up the society, naming it after St. Columban, the 1,400th anniversary of whose death is celebrated this year. Formal approval from Rome was given in 1918 and a house, along with one thousand acres of forested land on the banks of the Shannon at Cahercon, Kildysart, Co. Clare, was purchased for £14,000.00 by the fledgling Society, with the blessing of Bishop Fogarty of Killaloe. The property had been part of the Vandeleur Estate and became the first Columban Seminary when eleven students and nine diocesan priests moved in. In 1922, an auspicious year in Irish history, six priests were ordained in Cahercon and all embarked on the mission to China. By 1926 the Cahercon Seminary was too small and moved to Shrule, Co. Galway. The building and properties were handed over to the newly formed Missionary Sisters of St. Columban. Since the founding of the Society Fr. Blowick had spoken repeatedly of the urgent need for women collaborators in the mission to China; his appeal found an echo in the heart of Lady Frances Moloney an English-born widow who shared his vision for a mission to China. She was amongst the first group of postulants to take up residence in Cahercon, and became Mother Mary Patrick who spent ten years in China before being recalled to lead the young congregation. She remained in Cahercon until her death in 1959 by which time the Columban Sisters had moved their headquarters to Magheramore, Co. Wicklow. The new congregation was formally recognised by the Holy See in 1947.

Feeling a bit foot-sore and tired, but with the end in sight, we sang Spirit of the Living God and prayed to St. Columban for help and protection for the missionaries of to-day as we made our way up the tree-lined avenue to the welcome seats and the old familiar smell of burning incense in the chapel at Cahercalla Community Hospital, originally established and run by the St. John of God Sisters. Here Sr. Carmel Keogh, the only remaining John of God Sister in the parish, had the last word! In 1950 the St. John of God Sisters were invited by Bishop Fogarty to open a nursing home in Ennis. O’Gorman House was acquired from the St. Flannan’s Trust through the then president of St. Flannan’s College, Canon Maxwell. The house was converted and opened as St. John of God Nursing Home in 1953. An extension was added in 1960 and the Chapel officially blessed and opened in 1968. A new convent was completed in 1979. A six-bed hospice was added in 1990 and since then hospice services have been expanded.

By the mid 1980s the John of God Sisters realised they would not be in a position to indefinitely continue to offer the level of service required in Cahercalla and they began a lengthy process of discernment and negotiation as to its future, in order to retain it as an ongoing healthcare facility for the area. The eventual outcome was that the hospital was acquired by the people of Co. Clare as a Community Hospital and placed in their trusteeship. A smooth transition to new ownership was achieved in 1996. Patients were undisturbed and staff contracts were honoured; a number of John of God Sisters continued to work there until 2007. A wonderful legacy of quality healthcare was passed on. In our final prayer we asked that ‘our caring and compassion bring the face of Christ to the people of the world’. The singing of the Tantum Ergo, the Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, the incense… the wonderful cup of tea and our pilgrimage had ended.

We had walked the walk, met friendly, supportive people, listened to fascinating pieces of history at our various ‘stations’. Sincere thanks to Fr. Tom Hogan, P.P. and to the organising committee who made it all possible and to those who took part. At each station a small, wooden cross was presented by Fr. Tom to the person who had spoken on behalf of a congregation; each cross had its own unique image colourfully painted on it by local artist Harry Guinnane.

Cross representing family presented to the Sisters of Mercy Reflecting on this Parish ‘Camino’ I am reminded of Pope Francis’ Letter to all Consecrated People as he announced this Year of Consecrated Life. He set out three aims for the year: to look to the past with gratitude; to live the present with passion; to embrace the future with hope. In our walking and praying we had indeed looked to the past with gratitude. We had recognised in the origins of each congregation the hand of God who had called the founders to follow Christ more closely and to respond creatively to the needs of the Church. For every founder the Gospel was the absolute rule. To live the present with passion I must take to heart the words of St. John Paul II when he said: ‘The same generosity and self-sacrifice which guided your founders must now inspire you’. The difficulties and challenges that face us as people of consecrated life to-day are many: aging, declining numbers, the global economic crisis, globalisation, threat to the environment, the shocking displacement of peoples, isolation, social irrelevance… In the midst of all the uncertainties I am called to practise the virtue of Hope, fruit of my faith in the God who tells us: ‘Be not afraid…for I am with you’. (Jer. 1:8) Let us ‘radiate the joy of living the Gospel and following Christ to the full’! (Pope Francis: Letter to all Consecrated People) Canice Hanrahan rsm. South Central Province ______

Mercy supports new Spirituality Momentum

A New SpIRE has Emerged Spirituality is the pulse of our lives and needs to be nourished. Two important figures enabling this in Ireland today are Dr Michael O'Sullivan SJ and Dr Bernadette Flanagan PVBM. They are the founding members of SpIRE an Institute for Research and Education, in the field of spirituality. This initiative was launched in Milltown Park, Dublin, this summer and includes much Mercy involvement. Sarah Mac Donald is a reporter from The Tablet and her review of the evening can be seen by clicking here. Central to spirituality studies is an MA programme in Applied Christian Spirituality. Some of past students are seen in the photographs below: The MA programme in Applied Christian Spirituality has been suspended because of the closure of All Hallows College, where it had been offered. Now, plans for its return are in place, in the site of Milltown Park, in 2016. It will be under the auspices of Waterford University. As part of Mercy support for the new venture, Scholasticah Nganda rsm and Marie Louise White rsm, representing our Congregational Leadership Team were present at the opening of SpIRE. The guest speaker was Dr James Finlay, author of The Palace of Nowhere. He spoke of his time as a novice under the care of Thomas Merton. At first, Jim was so much in awe of the great man that he was tongue-tied. However, Merton invited him to share on his practical experience in the monastery where Jim's job was to care for the pigs. Merton showed so much interest in the individual piglets that Jim came to be at his ease, learning a great deal from a master of contemplative life. During the talk, Jim shared two memorable images. He asked us to imagine that one morning we awaken to find we have been left a mansion. The only difficulty is that no key comes with the legacy. Instead, we find ourselves living in an outhouse beside the mansion. When visitors come to call, we can only show them the house from outside. The second image was of actually living in the mansion but thinking and living as though we are living in an outhouse. Both of these potent images caused many questions to arise in relation to our relationship with God. Do we access this wondrous relationship to which we are entitled? Are we aware of the gifts we receive in every moment of our lives? Questions like these are some of the food that is shared in abundance through the MA programme and all of the events organised through SpIRE. The following day was a feast of spirituality shared by Jim Finlay and dedicated to the honour the centenary of Thomas Merton's birth. The overall question being explored was how it is possible to live a more contemplative way of life. Jim presented the act of contemplation as that of paying close attention and observing closely. When this is sustained, it begins to spread and, over time, brings about transformation. The first key to becoming more contemplative is to "find your practice and practise it." Any meditative practice "when habitually entered into takes you to the deeper place...which leads to encounter with the God who sustains me." The second is to "find your teaching and follow it," while the third is to "find your community and enter it." To hear Jim Finlay's consoling and sonorous voice, the four CD's from this inspiring day can be purchased from Eist. By Suzanne Ryder rsm Western Province

A Visit to Solas Bhride in St. Brigid’s Homeland of Kildare

On Monday 7th September 2015, twenty four sisters from different parts of the Southern Province set off to Kildare on a pilgrimage to the Solas Bhride Centre and Hermitages. The outing was organised by the Interconnectedness group. This new state of the art Spirituality centre was recently opened by the Brigidine Sisters as a centre for Celtic Spirituality but, of course, with a special emphasis on the Spirit of St Brigid of Kildare, who we all know as Patroness of Ireland. We arrived at 12 noon, and were warmly welcomed in the foyer of the building by the three sisters who minister there: Mary, Phil, and Rita. The building itself is in the shape of St. Brigid's cross, and the foyer is at the centre, with the four arms of the cross leading off of it. We were led to the Hospitality Room (Cafe), where we were served a delicious lunch of soup, sandwiches, tea and biscuits. This gave practical expression to the way the Sisters try to live. They give expression to the Spirit of Brigid, whose hospitality was inspirational— "What's mine is theirs", was her saying.

After lunch we went to Brigid's Room, which was circular in shape, the ceiling of which was decorated in the shape of St Brigid's Cross. The Centre-piece on the floor was a light symbolising the fire of Brigid, and surrounded by rushes and oak leaves. We were led in prayer and were blessed with water from the Healing Well.

From there we went to the Prayer-room, lit with three lovely lamps and soft furnishings. The ‘non-denominational’ emphasis, in this room, gives expression to the fact that the centre welcomes people of all faith traditions and none. There we saw a copy of the Icon of St Brigid by our Sr Aloysius McVeigh RIP. The real icon is on display in the Parish Church, which we got an opportunity to visit later in the day. The final room in the centre we saw is known as the Kildare Room, and this is also a large circular room.

The design of the whole centre is based on ecological concerns. So for example, solar panels heat water, while the heating comes from a geothermal system with Ice Sticks being an integral part of it!

Out in the garden we were shown a life-size bronze statue of St Brigid, blessing the land and the people. This was a gift from an admirer of St Brigid in Chicago and it is truly magnificent.

The three hermitages—Faith, Hope and Love —provide an opportunity for pilgrims to stay and experience solitude and quiet in a nurturing atmosphere. These lovely buildings appeared comfortable yet simply decorated furnished. Our next stop was St Brigid's well—another wonderful and peaceful place, with a little bridge at its entrance. We crossed this bridge mindfully, listening to "Ceol na cruinne”, and we were greeted by another bronze statue of St. Brigid, this time holding a flame and a crozier.

Here the sisters facilitated a lovely meaningful ritual around five successive stones. We gathered around each one in a circle, and were led in prayer, with a different theme each time.

The final stone was dedicated to Our Lady, where we sang "A Mhuire Mhathair", since St Brigid is also known as "Muire na nGael".

Here also is planted an oak tree in honour of Thomas Berry whose dedication to a new vision—a new story for our times—has been an inspiration to the interconnectedness group since its beginnings.

The Sisters vision is to unfold the legacy of St. Brigid of Kildare, and bring to life the increasing relevance of such a vision for our world. At the heart of this legacy and the mission of the sisters is to create an environment where right relationships with self, others, the earth/cosmos and God are nurtured.

Mary McAuliffe, Collette O’Connell & Genevieve O’Keeffe Kinsale, Co. Cork, Southern Province. ______

The Bigger Picture

First Impressions of South Sudan

As I write, I have been living in South Sudan for a total of twenty eight days! Looking back, I can hardly believe how different the life being lived now is, from that which I left behind on July 24th last. Due to the short period of time covered by this reflection, it is an account of first impressions only, so please forgive the lack of in- depth analysis or consideration of the political and human situation in this country. I am only beginning to experience first-hand and to understand the implications of living in a land suffering the turmoil of civil war.

Landing on the runway of Juba airport on July 25th was a significant moment for me. It meant the long process of volunteering, applying, interviewing, medical procedures, vaccinations, moving away from the congregational communications office, shopping, packing, bidding farewell to friends and colleagues and the dreadful wrench of leaving family behind, had finally come to an end and the mission had begun. I was exhausted!

However, the welcome and hospitality extended by the staff of ‘Solidarity with South Sudan’ Headquarters in Juba worked wonders, and after two days in the city I boarded the 20-seater plane bound for Yambio. I don’t think I’ll ever forget the pandemonium and chaos at Juba airport in the ‘domestic flights’ section on Monday 27th July. The departures area consists of one concrete floored room absolutely packed with people and luggage, all intending to fly domestically that morning. I could only see one man at a makeshift check-in desk and one scales to weigh the bags. It is still a mystery how I managed to get on the correct plane and that my bags landed in Yambio at the same time as me!

What an extraordinary experience to arrive somewhere and not really know where one is, or anyone else there! Yet, the people I have met in the last twenty eight days have opened their hearts to me and have treated me as a long-time friend. I have felt immediately comfortable in their presence and the process of adjusting to a new world has been accelerated as a result.

Having said that, it was quite a shock to find myself standing before a class of twenty three trainee teachers on my second morning in Yambio! I was the new English tutor and it was up to me to hide my apprehension, as the students had full confidence in this most recent arrival from Ireland. Now that the timetable has been finalised, I am assigned to teach English to three different classes and music to two classes. So I’m more than fully occupied and the class preparation and correction of assignments is in full swing.

The Solidarity Teacher Training College at Yambio is an extremely efficient learning institution with a welcoming and respectful atmosphere towards all who come seeking training. Its mission is to contribute to the development of South Sudan through education. With a charism of being in solidarity with the people, the fact that a student has no funds to contribute towards tutoring and upkeep is no barrier to acceptance. At present there are about 110 students enrolled from all states of South Sudan, and the Nuba Mountains. Pre-service students in their 20s sit beside untrained, previously serving teachers in their 50s who are getting their first chance at training, albeit at the latter end of their teaching careers. Members of each tribal group study together, eat together, pray together, relax together and work together in solidarity with one another and in peace. In South Sudan, this is a great witness for a new country struggling to forge its identity and its future.

Mirroring the composition of the college students, the community I now live in has nine members – six sisters, one lay female volunteer and two brothers. The sisters are from Ireland, the US and New Zealand, the volunteer is Australian and the two brothers are from Ghana and Nigeria. In solidarity with the people of South Sudan, the community lives, works and prays together in peace and respectfulness, despite the differences in nationality, congregation, charism, gender, age and language. This community is, of itself, a witness to peace and harmony for the wider community. Since I arrived, we have also hosted twelve visitors, so there is plenty of variety and fun. There are also two cats, one kitten and an amazing array of four, six and eight legged creatures, not to mention the flying species!!! On a slightly worrying note, the sound of gunshot was heard every night during my first week here in Yambio. As a result, local people gathered their meagre belongings, and women and children moved to the interior for safety, while the men stayed behind to defend their homes and businesses. For a few days, it seemed that Yambio might become the scene of intense tribal fighting. A curfew was announced and all students and staff of the college were in lockdown for a number of days, never leaving the compound. It was disconcerting to say the least, to know that such danger was around and there was absolutely nowhere to go. Travel was impossible and internal flights to the area had been cancelled. Thankfully, peace has been restored and life has returned to a level of normality.

Our local church community, on the outskirts of Yambio, meets for Sunday Mass under a grove of mango trees. Each member of the assembled congregation arrives carrying a chair, and sits on it for the two hour celebration of Mass, and then carries it home. I found it strange, the first time, to watch the stream of people walking towards the leafy ‘church’, each man, woman and child carrying a chair to sit on. The singing is just gorgeous and the readings and Gospel are proclaimed in English, as well as the local language, to facilitate those who are not local to the area. It really is a celebration to look forward to at the beginning of the week. I have also attended Sunday Mass at the main church in town and the choir there is magnificent.

I have just set up a music club in the college and this morning, seventeen students came along to learn how to play the tin whistle! It was great and I have thirty tin whistles here so each student had one to practise on. Our goal is to be able to play the South Sudan National Anthem for the college graduation ceremony in November. I think we’ll manage that.

This area of South Sudan has an equatorial climate and the environment is lush and green, with a profusion of banana, pawpaw and orange trees. As it is the rainy season now, there is no shortage of rain, and people are planting crops, even as they harvest the fruit of their labours from an earlier planting.

The latest Peace Agreement has recently been signed by the President of South Sudan and a complete ceasefire has been called for. However, reports suggest that this ceasefire has already been violated.

You might remember a prayer for South Sudan.

Ailish O'Brien rsm

Website of the Month

Mercy Beyond Borders

Mercy Beyond Borders works to improve the lives of women and girls in extreme poverty. The work began in South Sudan and continues to help and transform the lives of women and girls in South Sudan and Haiti. Read all about current projects http://mercybeyondborders.org/

Just a Thought

"No one has ever become poor by giving". Anne Frank

Events and Activities

Mercy International Reflection Process Our Mercy Leaders and the Mercy International Association (MIA) Board took a decision to invite Sisters of Mercy and our Partners- in- Mercy in the Jubilee Year of Mercy to participate in a worldwide reflection process. This is so we can discern together globally a shared response to the human and other than human cry for Mercy in our world today. http://www.mercyworld.org/mercy_global_action/project- home.cfm?pid=E220247F-BB4D-5777-D7B326F931C981F9 ______Celine Byrne's concert in AID of APT

To Celebrate APT's (Act to Prevent Trafficking) 10th Anniversary, Celine Byrne and friends will perform at the Pavillion Theatre in Dublin on 7th October, 2015. Buy tickets http://www.paviliontheatre.ie/events/view/celine-byrne-and-friends ______

Focus on Mercy E-news

Deirdre Mullan rsm and Consultant to UNICEF discusses the plight of displaced people and how we can work towards creating a solution. Read the article in full below. http://www.mercyworld.org/news_centre/view_article.cfm?id=1325

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Autumn Schedule for Mercy Centre, Coolock.

The Programme of Events running from 16th September -18th December at the Mercy Centre, Coolock is here. http://www.sistersofmercy.ie/members/news/article_display.cfm?ar ticle_id=3363

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Love by Joan McNamara rsm

Walking in the quiet wood

I heard horse chestnuts fall,

Gathered and peeled them for my friend.

The warm brown – fleshlifted

From its prickly case –

Glowed like a child’s face excited by an unsought gift.

“Conkers from Scotland!” a cry of glee.

Then, “But you haven’t brought many”, he said.

Meekly I hung my head.

“They were slow to fall from the tree.”

“You should have thrown up a stick.”

“And what would folk have said

Of an old nun throwing sticks into a tree?”

“Take off your veil”, said my practical friend.

“And what would you think to see

A white-haired lady throwing sticks into a tree?” This time there was a pause.

“I think I’d think she loved a boy like me.

Is it sausages for tea?”

Obituaries

Sr. Patricia Quinlan

Convent of Mercy,

Winter’s Hill,

Kinsale,

Co Cork.

7th of September 2015

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Sr. Monica Gallagher

Silver Hill Manor,

Enniskillen,

Co. Fermanagh.

13th September 2015

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Sr. Magdalene Mahony

Convent of Mercy, Edward Street,

Lurgan,

Co. Armagh

Friday 25th September.

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May they Rest In Peace