Month: July 2022

On September 26, 2008 Sister Elizabeth Davis was one of four recipients who were awarded an honorary fellowship in the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.

In its designation, the College noted that the award “honours distinguished physicians, surgeons and others for outstanding performance in a particular vocation or a specific area of professional activity. The 2008 recipients are exceptional individuals whose contributions through their commitment to human rights, leadership and collaboration at all levels of society are exemplary”. Sister Elizabeth received the award in recognition of her leadership in health services and health education.

Sister Elizabeth has been a public representative on the Royal College Council since 2004. Since 2006 she has served as chairperson of the Governance Task Force of the Council and was named the Council’s lecturer for the year 2006. The Award was presented at the 2008 Convocation of the Royal College held in Ottawa.

Recently, Sister Elizabeth was named the 2008 Alumna of the Year of Memorial University of Newfoundland, receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award. The award “recognizes an individual’s contribution to and distinction in their chosen professional fields. It honours individuals who inspire others by displaying exceptional human values”. Sister Elizabeth was chosen as the 2008 recipient of this Award for her remarkable energy, her insight, enthusiasm and compassion, having made a giant contribution to the health care education and services in the province. The Alumna presented Sister Elizabeth with a beautiful armillary sphere which the University had adopted as a symbol of exploration, discovery and leadership for recipients of its Lifetime Achievement Award.

In her acceptance of the Award, Sister Elizabeth noted that in the “Hebrew and Christian Scriptures, there is an image of Woman Wisdom who ‘passes into souls and makes them friends of God and prophets.’ I accept this honour knowing that I am being honoured, not for my own personal gifts, but for the many ‘friends of God and prophets’ with whom I have been privileged to walk.”

The Award was presented on October 23 at the Memorial University’s annual Alumni Tribute Awards ceremony.

The Formation Commission of Latin America and the Caribbean sponsored a four-day retreat outside Lima, Peru, on February 16-19, 2012.

Led by Sister Mary Pat Garvin (Americas), 12 sisters from CCASA Community (Americas), Newfoundland and Ireland explored ways to strengthen their ministry in vocation promotion and the many phases of the formative journey.

Beginning with Catherine McAuley’s Suscipe as a means of enkindling and sustaining their own gift of self to God and others, they moved to “Centered in Mercy” and the process of formation. Their topics included the use of autobiography in discernment, indicators of human maturity across cultures, accompaniment in initial formation and developmental growth plans that build on the strengths of women discerning a life in Mercy. “I recognized once again,” observed Sister Mary Anto (CCASA/Peru), “that it is my own growth and development that helps me help others.” Sister Liz Brennan (Newfoundland) said, “Our days together reaffirmed my commitment to this ministry and opened new ways of understanding the formative process.”

Today, 1 November, marks 56 years (1961) since the Sisters of Mercy arrived in Monsefu, Peru to provide education for local children. We invited the Sisters to share with us from those beginnings and their present story…

Story of the Beginning of the Mission in Peru

In 1959, Pope John XX111 asked the Superior Generals of Religious Congregations and Bishops of the world to send missionaries to Latin America.  The church of Newfoundland, Canada was one of the first to respond to the call.

Bishop Patrick Skinner missioned Father Charles O’Neill Conroy from the Archdiocese of St John´s, Newfoundland, to the parish of Monsefu in the Diocese of Chiclayo, some 500 kilometers on the North coast of Peru.   He arrived in Monsefu for the first time on February 19, 1961.  The pueblo awaited with shouts of “Long live the Canadian Fathers” and “Long live Catholic Monsefu”.

It did not take Father Conroy long to see that there was a great need for a school which would provide education for the children of the poor families.  He immediately contacted The Sisters of Mercy in Newfoundland and in May 1961, Sisters Imelda Smith, Superior General, and Sister Dorothy Carroll arrived in Monsefu for a firsthand experience.  After much discernment it was decided that the Sisters would dedicate their full time to the desperate need for education in Monsefu.  On November 1, 1961 Sisters Mary Dorothy Carroll, Immacula O´Leary, Maura Mason, Marion Collins, Concepta Best and Gabriella Walsh arrived in Lima.  They made the first visit to Monsefu on November 7 and were royally welcomed with music, bands, and fireworks.  An article written on occasion of the Golden Jubilee in 2011 began with “On that day Light arrived to Monsefu¨…

While the convent was in construction the Sisters had many moves: an apartment in the Hacienda Pomalca, Dominican Sisters in Lambayeque, apartment in Chiclayo. During this time they were mastering the Spanish language and visiting Monsefu where they finally moved to live in Dr Miguel Custodio’s house on March 11, 1962. A few weeks later in April they began daily Primary classes in a small chapel next to church with night classes for young men and women who had to work by day.

They moved into Our Lady of Mercy Convent, on February 25, 1963 which was blessed during Mass celebrated in chapel by the Bishop of Chiclayo. As true Sisters of Mercy they quickly moved out to the periphery of many small villages offering catechetical programs. Two sisters devoted themselves full time with the same  programs in other public primary schools in Monsefu. A dream came true in April, 1964 when Our Lady of Mercy School was opened next to the convent.

An unfortunate car accident occurred on March 1, 1966 taking the lives of Father Conroy, Sister Dorothy and Sister Aquin who had joined the Sisters eleven months before.

Another dream came true with the opening of High School Carlos O’Neill Conroy in April, 1967. The following year The Christian Brothers joined the Sisters in this school. Both schools were passed over to the State in 1974 and Sisters present then began a new pastoral ministry.

In March 17, 1988 Sisters Lily Ferro, Carmelita Power, Mildred Brennan and Alice Mackey vacated the larger convent in Monsefu and moved to a smaller and simpler house in Puerto Eten, a couple of kilometers away. There and in Cuidad Eten and Reque they continued their ministry. Further expansion occurred in 1993 to the mountainous region of Peru. On May 3, 1993 Sisters Lily, Verna Aucoin, and Rosa Cumpa established a second Mercy community in Ichocan in the sprawling Diocese of Cajamarca in the Andes.

Present Story in Peru…2017

Today there are eight Mercy Sisters – four Peruvians: Sisters Lily Ferrero Butters, Rosa Silva Cumpa, Alita Sanchez Sanchez, Rosali Vargas Mendoza and four Canadians: Sisters Marion Collins, Alice Mackey , Mildred Brennan, Veronica Aucoin. After ministering in Ichocan, Cajamarca for 22 years as Administrators of the Parish and working in religious education area and after prayerful discernment, Sisters Lily, Marion, Rosa, Veronica and Alita moved to the coast in February, 2015 to the town of Huarmey, Chimbote. There they work in the area of religious education but continue serving in the area of parish work in three shanty towns on the edge of the city of Huarmey.

On Friday, 19 October, Ms. Andrea Furlong, Interim Chief Executive of the Council of Canadians, presented the Congregation with a certificate as a Blue Community, the 20th group in Canada to commit to the honoring and protection of water, and one of only 47 groups yet to do so worldwide.

The presentation took place at McAuley Convent, St John’s, where a number of Sisters had gathered for this event. A brief ritual which included a blessing of water was prepared and led by Sr. Mona.

A ‘Blue Community’ adopts a water commons framework by taking three actions:

1.       Recognizing water and sanitation as human rights.

2.       Banning or phasing out the sale of bottled water in municipal facilities and at municipal events.

3.       Promoting publicly financed, owned, and operated water and wastewater services.

Commitment Statement in EnglishCommitment Statement in Spanish

180 years ago today, 3 June, three Sisters of Mercy from the Baggot Street Community —Francis Creedon, Ursula Frayne and Rose Lynch— arrived in St John’s to commence the Works of Mercy there.

This date marks both the establishment of the Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy of Newfoundland and of the first community of the Sisters of Mercy in the New World. Read more about those first Mercy Sisters (and the 57 young Irish women who went from Ireland to join the Newfoundland Congregation between 1842 and 1907) in the book “Standing on Their Shoulders” (PDF) by Charlotte Fitzpatrick rsm.

Among the ministries the Mercies in Newfoundland are engaged in today is The Gathering Place, established in 1994 as a joint project with the Presentation Sisters. This Centre is frequented by people who are displaced – those struggling with hunger, abuse, mental illness, physical disabilities and addiction, and is for many their only safe place to go. The programs and services are offered through a volunteer-driven operation by more than 2000 people committed to ‘building community, promoting equality and providing nurture and nourishment for those seeking respite from isolation and loneliness’.

On September 29, 2010 Feast of the Archangels Michael, Raphael and Gabriel and birthday of Venerable Catherine McAuley, Padre Victor was buried in the garden of his parish church in Reque, Peru.

Three days earlier, after weeks of serious illness and hospitalization, Padre Victor made his final life’s journey surrounded by loving prayer, song and attentiveness, hope and patient waiting of his people. Victor was much loved. He dedicated his life to being the padre to his parishioners and their families. He loved his life, his faith and his church and his God. He lived the joy of the gospel and stood strong in the face of injustice- he was fierce advocate for his people and cared not only for their souls but also for their dignity and rights. Padre Victor was a strong man yet sickness was stronger and defeated him, in body, but not in spirit nor in the legacy that he leaves to those who knew him. Padre Victor will not be forgotten.

Padres Emigido and Lucho have shared so much of life with Victor from their young days. The three were lovingly known as the three amigos. In speaking of Victor throughout the days before the funeral they stressed over and over his gift of love of life, his “Alegria” which he passed on to all, his total dedication to the people especially the “más pobres”, his untiring service not only to his parish, but nationally, to the whole diocese. There was lots of great singing led by Reque Parish choir, lots of clapping in the midst of the reflection, etc.

The funeral was an especially blessed moment. There were crowds in the thousands in the plaza where the funeral took place. The altar was set in the door of the church facing the plaza. The Bishop officiated with fifty-two priests attending. Among the priests were Eugene Roy from Ontario and Jose Alverez Calderon, a great liberation Theologian based in Lima. There was extensive lay participation in the Mass. After Mass, the body of Padre Victor was brought in procession around the plaza with a special ceremony in front of the Municipal building. His body was then taken to the garden in front of the church where Victor is now buried. There is a small plaque marking his burial place, but a bigger monument is being planned for. Words used to describe Victor were “the saint of Reque,” “our joyful, happy saint in heaven,” and “the alma (spirit) of catechesis familiar. ”Victor was known and loved by many Sisters of Mercy of Newfoundland and by some of the priests who worked with him in Peru. He is sorely missed.

Tu nos has muerto; viveras en nuestros corozones y te recordaremos