SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2015 Bimonthly publication for sisters, associates and companions of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas Undoing the Knots: Pope Francis Promoting Mercy and Justice also in this issue: From Seeing to Vision: A Gift from the Least Q & A with Co-Directors of All Africa Conference: Sister to Sister Table of Contents SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2015 page 4 page 9 page 12 FEATURES Pope Francis greets pilgrims in Manila, Philippines, during his January 2015 visit. 4 Undoing the Knots: Pope Francis Promoting Read more on page 4. Mercy and Justice during U.S. Visit Credit: Alan Holdren/Catholic News Agency By Will O’Brien 9 From Seeing to Vision: A Gift from the Least By Sister Margaret Mary Knittel (West Midwest) 12 Q&A with Co-Directors of All Africa Conference: Sister to Sister BIMONTHLY PUBLICATION FOR SISTERS, ASSOCIATES AND COMPANIONS OF THE INSTITUTE OF THE SISTERS By Sister Joanne Lappetito (South Central) OF MERCY OF THE AMERICAS Publisher Institute of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas 8380 Colesville Road, #300 COLUMNS Silver Spring, Maryland 20910-6264 tel 301.587.0423 [email protected] 8 Vocation & Incorporation | Editor Lauren Tyrrell Is There a “Francis Effect” for Vocations? [email protected] By Sister Cynthia Serjak (Institute New Membership Office) Design and Production RoundPeg Translation Many thanks to our translators! 16 Justice | Mercy Responds to “Laudato Si’” Advisory Board By Marianne Comfort (Institute Justice Team) Sisters Anne Curtis, Camille D’Arienzo, Ivette Diaz, Liz Dossa, Kathleen Erickson, John Farley, Diane Guerin, Patricia Kenny and Monica Phillips. Associate Kathleen Wade. Anne Boyle and Sue Carroll. Articles or portions thereof are protected by copyright DEPARTMENTS laws and therefore cannot be reproduced or reprinted without the permission of ¡Viva! Mercy and/or the author. Visit www.sistersofmercy.org for 2 Community Update highlighted articles from this publication. Compiled by Mercy Communicators ¡Viva! Mercy is printed on acid free, elemental chlorine-free paper containing 50 percent recycled content including 15 percent post consumer waste. 17 Spice of Mercy Life | The First Filipino Missionaries: Remembering the Early Days By Sister Socorro Largo (New York, Pennsylvania, Pacific West) From the Institute Leadership Team Dear Sisters, Associates, Companions and Mercy Volunteers, Each year, from September through December, our global Mercy Community celebrates significant days of remembrance and reflection as we renew our commitment to Mercy life. We begin with Mercy Day on September 24 and continue with Catherine’s birthday on September 29 and Catherine’s entrance to eternal life on November 11, culminating with the world- wide celebration of Foundation Day on December 12. Around our table, we often call these months our “Season of Mercy.” How mindful we are that the meaning of these days will be amplified even more as we celebrate the Jubilee Year of Mercy! We have the opportunity to consider each anniversary anew within the somewhat astonishing, yet most providential con- vergence of “our season” within ever larger Mercy contexts: our continuing Journey of Oneness; our beginning of the 25th year as the Institute of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas; and our beginning engagement for the 2017 Chapter. As we enter these months of rich context, convergence and possibility, so much calls us to reflect on the heart of Mercy. We hear Pope Francis relentlessly name the ever-growing scale of our world’s need for mercy. As Catherine’s daughters and sons, only we can THE INStitUTE LEADERSHIP TEAM expand the size of our collective Mercy hearts to respond! In this spirit, we offer for your (STANDING) SISTERS PAT MCDERMOTT, reflection the wisdom of Sister Mary Daniel Turner, SNDdeN*. Her insight into the unique MARY PAT GARVIN, EILEEN CAMPBELL; gift and call of our charism for these our times continues to illuminate our own. (SEATED) SISTERS ANNE CURTIS AND DEBORAH TROILLETT By Mercy, I mean the stature of your soul, the range and depths of your love, your capacity for relationships. I mean the volume of life you can take into your being, and still maintain your integrity and individuality. I mean the intensity and variety of outlook you can entertain in the unity of your being without feeling defenseless or insecure. I mean the strength of your spirit to encourage others to become freer in the development of their diversity and uniqueness. I mean the power to sustain more complex and enriching tensions. I mean the magnanimity of concern to provide conditions that enable others to increase their stature. Indeed, Mercy is a foundational graced energy. May this divine energy continue to grow in each of us flowing out to meet the cry of God’s creation in this our Season of Mercy and in the great jubilee year to come! *Mary Daniel Turner, SNDdeN, In Mercy, served as the spiritual guide for the Institute Leadership Conference from 2005-2009. The quoted mate- rial is from her reflection on “The Size of God,” by Bernard Loomer. SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2015 ¡Viva! Mercy 1 Community Update COMPILED BY MERCY COMMUNICATORS NORTHEAST WEST MIDWEST A GALA CELEBRATING 150 years of service by the Sisters of SISTERS CAME Mercy in Maine drew more than 100 people to the Sable Oaks TOGETHER on June Marriott in Portland on June 26. The event was a wonderful 20 in celebration and occasion with stories shared from the different ministries and prayer to welcome old acquaintances renewed! The Diocesan Sisters of Mercy, who Marissa as a candi- share a common history with the Maine Sisters of Mercy, joined date. Marissa was in the celebration. The following day Institute President Sister received at Sacred Pat McDermott led a day of reflection with the theme, “In Every Heart Convent in Age, O God, You have been Our Refuge.” Cedar Rapids, Iowa, The 150th anniversary year culminated with an anniversary Marissa (left) is received by Sister Laura Reicks. where she knocked Mass celebrated by Bishop Robert P. Deeley on August 7 in on the chapel door, the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Portland. opened by West Midwest President Sister Laura Reicks and Sister There will also be special Masses celebrated at St. John’s Anne Murphy, incorporation minister. Marissa will spend her Church in Bangor, Maine, on September 19 and 20. candidate years in Burlingame, California. Sister Marilyn Ross recently completed 32 years of ministry at Holy Name Housing in Omaha, Nebraska. After an intern- ship at Mercy Housing, she became a grant writer for Holy Name and then its executive director in 1988. Since its incep- tion, Holy Name Housing Corporation has built or renovated, then sold, 450 homes; constructed 150 rent-to-own units, and built nearly 100 additional senior units. All residences are in the North Omaha area. Under her guidance, Holy Name Housing has grown from a small grassroots organization (From left) Sisters Mary Miller and Kathleen Smith; Paul Phelan, age 94, who to a premier developer of affordable housing in Nebraska. was taught by the Sisters of Mercy as a boy; and Sisters Jacqueline Marie Co-worker Lisa Burks said, “The impact that Sister Marilyn Kieslich and Mary Morey at the 150th anniversary gala in Portland, Maine. Ross has made on Omaha’s communities cannot be measured.” NEW YORK, PENNSYLVANIA, PACIFIC WEST (NyPPaW) NYPPAW SISTERS VOTED to select a four-member Community Leadership Team in 2016 and determined a process by which delegates will be chosen for the 2017 Institute Chapter. Mercyhurst Prep in Erie, Pennsylvania, has embarked on a $3 million capital campaign. Two new school presidents have also been announced: Ed Curtin at Mercyhurst Prep, succeeding Mary Ellen Dahlkemper; and Michael Victor at Mercyhurst University, succeeding Thomas Gamble. McAuley Ministries, the grant-making foundation of Pittsburgh Mercy Health System (Pennsylvania), has award- ed 14 outreach grants totaling $594,137 to 13 Pittsburgh- area nonprofit organizations. The NyPPaW Community also welcomed six women from the Rochester, New York, area and another six from Erie who made covenants as Mercy Associates. Finally, the prayer shawl ministry sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy in Buffalo, New York, has ended after delivering Sisters Catherine Pfleger, left, and Edwardine Weaver were among those partic- more than 2,000 shawls since 2001. ipating in the Women of Mercy, Women of Hope gathering in Erie on June 13. 2 ¡Viva! Mercy SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2015 CARIBBEAN, CENTRAL AMERICA, SOUTH AMERICA “WE RECOGNIZE THAT God calls us … to the practice of from Jamaica joined us for these days—a wonderful renewal of nonviolence … promoting a spirituality of nonviolence, personally, Latin-American and Caribbean friendships which also provided communally, socially, ecclesial and environmentally, especially the opportunity to meet newer members from Jamaica. with regard to the earth, women and children.” These words from our 2013 Assembly Acts inspired the planning for our CCASA Gathering, July 28-August 2 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The days included a workshop on nonviolent living con- ducted by Bolivian Trinitarian Sister Sofia Nicolasa Chipana Quispe, who is an Aymaran theologian. Sofia developed themes related to Buen Vivir, Buen Convivencia (“Living Well and Living Well Together”) with insights from indigenous cultures and a newly emerging cosmology. In this context the Anti-Racism Design Team presented the two-day workshop adapted to the international reality of the CCASA Community. Ten sisters Sister Denise Lyttle participates in the opening ritual at the CCASA gathering. MID-ATLANTIC SOUTH CENTRAL SISTER MARY SCULLION, co-founder and executive director Sister Ginger of Project HOME in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, co-chairs the Andrews, co-chair Hunger and Homelessness Committee for Pope Francis’ visit to of the Rituals Philadelphia in late September for the World Meeting of and Environment Families. The committee launched a Mercy and Justice initia- Committee (right), tive encouraging everyone to advocate for social justice and confers with Sister donate to the Francis Fund to help local people in need, espe- Jane Hotstream cially those who are poor or homeless.