Author: Diane Smyth

Year of St. Francis 2026-2027

Posted on by Diane Smyth

Pope Leo XIV has proclaimed a special Jubilee Year (10 January 2026 – 10 January 2027) coinciding with the 800th anniversary of the death of St Francis of Assisi.

This is a photo of a stained glass portrait of St. Francis.

While noting previous jubilee celebrations related to the works of St Francis – such as the eighth centenary commemorations of the first Nativity scene,  his composition of the “Canticle of the Creatures” and his receiving of the stigmata – the decree stated that “2026 will mark the culmination and fulfillment of all previous celebrations”, emphasising its significance.

Remarking that “Our time is not very different from that in which Francis lived and precisely in the light of this his teaching is perhaps even more valid  and understandable today” Pope Leo continues “When Christian charity languishes, ignorance  spreads like immorality, and those who exalt concord among peoples do so  more out of selfishness than out of a sincere Christian spirit; when the virtual  takes over the real, disagreements and social violence are part of everyday life  and peace becomes more insecure and distant every day, this Year of St. Francis  spurs all of us, each according to our possibilities, to imitate the poor man of Assisi, to form ourselves as far as possible on the model of Christ”…

Read the decree in full here

Pray with Pope Leo

Posted on by Diane Smyth

Pray with the Pope is a global initiative of the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network 

With the first prayer intention of the year, Pope Leo XIV invites us to rediscover the transforming power of God’s Word, the Word in which “we find the light that guides our steps.”

Learn more about the process here

Rezar con el Papa es una iniciativa mundial de la Red Mundial de Oración del Papa.

Con la primera intención de oración del año, el papa León XIV nos invita a redescubrir el poder transformador de la Palabra de Dios, la Palabra en la que «encontramos la luz que guía nuestros pasos».

Reza con el Papa

Seeds of Mercy Retreat, September 5-7, 2025

Posted on by Diane Smyth

For the past five years an important part of our Mercy Associate ministry has been a yearly weekend Retreat which is held in September. We rent a house in a community which can accommodate eight to ten people. We use our private vehicles and travel as a group.

From 2021 to 2025 we have held our retreats in the following communities in Newfoundland and Labrador:

2021 –Woody Point

2022 –Herring Neck

2023 –West Bottom

2024 –Cox’s Cove

2025 –Tilting, Fogo Island

This year, September 2025, 8 (eight) of our associates attended the retreat (one associate came from Deer Lake and one from St. John’s). We arrived at the community of Farewell at 10:30 a.m. to catch the ferry to Fogo Island. It was a beautiful day, and we very much enjoyed the ferry ride. Upon arrival we went to the famous Fogo Island Inn, where we had scheduled a tour. We enjoyed the tour and our tour guide was wonderful. Associate Geraldine Drover then gave us a tour of the community of Tilting, which was her hometown. After settling at the B&B we rented, we enjoyed a relaxing meal. We had prepared all our meals beforehand. Then we had a delightful evening of fellowship after an adventurous and full day.

We began Saturday by gathering for brunch; and then prepared ourselves for the Spiritual Program that was to follow. The Retreat was facilitated by our Mercy Associate, Sarah Mercer. The chosen theme was “Mercy”. Discussion focused on how we can show mercy to others in our lives and how we can be instruments of mercy to our family, our parish and our community at large. Our afternoon retreat ended with attending Mass in the community of Joe Batt’s Arm. The choir and parish priest appreciated our participation with the singing. We certainly felt the presence of the Holy Spirit in our group.

God works in strange ways! In mingling with some parishioners after Mass, we discovered that the choir leader had roots in the community of Coachman’s Cove – which is a small community near our home, Baie Verte. She was related to one of our associates and they had never met. What a blessing! What a beautiful union it was! We believe this was one of God’s miracles to us!

Once back at the B&B, we enjoyed another lovely meal together. The evening brought laughter and relaxation. It was quite a day! Sunday morning was a flurry of activity as we headed home. Geraldine Drover was off to St. John’s, Anna Hoven to Deer Lake and the rest of us to Baie Verte.

It was a fantastic weekend of “God is Good”! We are already anxiously awaiting and planning next year’s retreat!  Amen!

Ellie Gavin, Group Facilitator

Seeds of Mercy, Associates

Baie Verte, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

 

January Associates Newsletter is Now Online

Posted on by Diane Smyth

“Kitty’s Chronicle” is a monthly newsletter distributed to all Mercy Associates. Each month the latest  issue is posted online in the Associates section of our website. The newsletter contains news and views, requests for prayers and material for reflection.

Download the January issue

Prayers for the Sick, Resources from the Wisdom Circles, Items of Interest, Important Dates, Presentation Sisters 250th Anniversary celebrations, an archival moment and a delicious recipe for Cauliflower/Broccoli/Turkey casserole, are among the many topics covered in our latest issue.

Visit the Associates section of our website to find out about Becoming an Associate and the Associate Program.

Remembering Our Newfoundland Mercy Story 38:
Sister Mary Baptist Tarahan

Posted on by Diane Smyth

Anastasia Catherine Mary Tarahan was born in St. John’s on May 5, 1832, daughter of Mary and Thomas Tarahan. She was the first Newfoundlander and the first of the three Tarahan sisters to enter the Sisters of Mercy in Newfoundland. She had been denied admission by Bishop Fleming because of being “native born” but his successor, Bishop Mullock did not share his views regarding local vocations and willingly accepted Anastasia for the Sisters of Mercy. So, it was with great delight that the fledgling Mercy community of four sisters welcomed her on December 8, 1854.

Anastasia was received into the novitiate on July 2,1855 and given the name Sister Mary John Baptist. Sister M. Francis Creedon presided over the reception ceremony although she was very ill at the time. Her death two weeks later on July 15 left the four remaining young sisters – M. Vincent Nugent, M. Francis Xavier Bernard, M. Elizabeth Redmond and M. Baptist Tarahan – in a very precarious situation. A letter from the four was quickly sent to the superior at Baggot Street, informing her of Sister M. Francis’ death and pleading for help. In this letter the grief and desolation of the little community is almost palpable and their request for assistance is very clear: “to prevent a convent which promises to give such glory to God from failing, for want of a few nuns capable of governing it.” The letter can be found in the Archives of the Sisters of Mercy in Dublin, but as far as is known, it was never acknowledged and no sisters were sent from Ireland to help the situation.

The very day of Sister M. Baptist’s entrance on December 8, 1854, Immaculate Conception Orphanage was opened at Mercy Convent to take care of young girls whose parents had died during the frequent epidemics that afflicted St. John’s in the 1800s. Sister M. Baptist was undoubtedly involved in this ministry as well as in the school and in visitation of the sick in their homes.

Sister M. Baptist was professed on August 15, 1857. She spent the whole of her religious life at Mercy Convent and was assistant to Sister M. Francis Xavier Bernard at Mercy Convent for much of that time. She and Sister M. F. X. Bernard accompanied the founding community to Brigus in September of 1861.

Sister M. Baptist died on March 25,1867 just ten short years after her profession as a Sister of Mercy. She was 35 years of age. She is buried in Belvedere cemetery.

Anastasia Catherine Mary Tarahan nació en St. John’s el 5 de mayo de 1832, hija de Mary y Thomas Tarahan. Fue la primera habitante de Terranova y la primera de las tres hermanas Tarahan en ingresar en la Congregación de las Hermanas de la Misericordia en Terranova. El obispo Fleming le había denegado la admisión por ser «nativa», pero su sucesor, el obispo Mullock, no compartía su opinión sobre las vocaciones locales y aceptó de buen grado a Anastasia en las Hermanas de la Misericordia. Así, la incipiente comunidad de cuatro hermanas la acogió con gran alegría el 8 de diciembre de 1854.

Anastasia fue admitida en el noviciado el 2 de julio de 1855 y recibió el nombre de hermana Mary John Baptist. La hermana M. Francis Creedon presidió la ceremonia de recepción, aunque en ese momento estaba muy enferma. Su muerte dos semanas después, el 15 de julio, dejó a las cuatro jóvenes hermanas restantes —M. Vincent Nugent, M. Francis Xavier Bernard, M. Elizabeth Redmond y M. Baptist Tarahan— en una situación muy precaria. Las cuatro enviaron rápidamente una carta a la superiora de Baggot Street, informándole de la muerte de la hermana M. Francis y suplicándole ayuda. En esta carta, el dolor y la desolación de la pequeña comunidad son casi palpables y su petición de ayuda es muy clara: «evitar que un convento que promete dar tanta gloria a Dios fracase por falta de unas pocas monjas capaces de gobernarlo». La carta se encuentra en los archivos de las Hermanas de la Misericordia en Dublín, pero, por lo que se sabe, nunca se respondió a ella y no se envió a ninguna hermana desde Irlanda para ayudar en la situación.

El mismo día de la entrada de la hermana M. Baptist, el 8 de diciembre de 1854, se inauguró el Orfanato de la Inmaculada Concepción en el Convento de la Misericordia para cuidar de las niñas cuyos padres habían fallecido durante las frecuentes epidemias que asolaron St. John’s en el siglo XIX. Sin duda, la hermana M. Baptist participó en este ministerio, así como en la escuela y en las visitas a los enfermos en sus hogares.

La hermana M. Baptist profesó sus votos el 15 de agosto de 1857. Pasó toda su vida religiosa en el Convento de la Misericordia y fue asistente de la hermana M. Francis Xavier Bernard en el Convento de la Misericordia durante gran parte de ese tiempo. Ella y la hermana M. F. X. Bernard acompañaron a la comunidad fundadora a Brigus en septiembre de 1861.

La hermana M. Baptist falleció el 25 de marzo de 1867, solo diez años después de su profesión como hermana de la Misericordia.

Pope Leo: Peace is a Shared Responsibility

Posted on by Diane Smyth
In his Christmas Urbi et Orbi address, Pope Leo XIV renews his plea for peace dialogue, and responsibility, turning to those regions where violence and instability continue to claim innocent lives, reminding the world that it is both God’s gift and humanity’s shared responsibility.

Prayers for peace

The Pope prayed for “justice, peace, and stability for Lebanon, Palestine, Israel, and Syria,” and urged that the promise of peace rooted in righteousness be renewed. He appealed in a particular way for Ukraine, asking that “the clamor of weapons cease,” and that all those involved, with the support of the international community, find the courage to engage in “sincere, direct, and respectful dialogue.”

Remembering conflicts that risk being forgotten, Pope Leo XIV expressed closeness to the victims of war and violence in Sudan, South Sudan, Mali, Burkina Faso, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as to all those who suffer as a result of injustice, political instability, religious persecution, and terrorism.

The Pope also prayed for Haiti, calling for an end to violence and progress along the path of peace and reconciliation. He also invoked peace for Myanmar, asking that the country be guided towards reconciliation and hope, especially for its younger generations. Turning to Latin America, he encouraged those with political responsibilities to give space to dialogue for the common good, rather than to ideological and partisan divisions.

The Pope also prayed for the restoration of the “ancient friendship” between Thailand and Cambodia, and entrusted to God the peoples of South Asia and Oceania, who have been severely affected by recent natural disasters, calling for renewed commitment to assisting those who suffer….

  • Read the complete address here
  • Post your prayer for peace in our sacred space here

En su discurso Urbi et Orbi de Navidad, el papa León XIV renueva su llamamiento al diálogo por la paz y a la responsabilidad, dirigiéndose a aquellas regiones donde la violencia y la inestabilidad siguen cobrándose vidas inocentes, y recordando al mundo que la paz es tanto un don de Dios como una responsabilidad compartida por la humanidad.

Oraciones por la paz

El Papa rezó por «la justicia, la paz y la estabilidad para Líbano, Palestina, Israel y Siria», e instó a que se renovara la promesa de paz basada en la justicia. Hizo un llamamiento especial por Ucrania, pidiendo que «cese el estruendo de las armas» y que todas las partes implicadas, con el apoyo de la comunidad internacional, encuentren el valor para entablar un «diálogo sincero, directo y respetuoso».

Recordando los conflictos que corren el riesgo de caer en el olvido, el papa León XIV expresó su cercanía a las víctimas de la guerra y la violencia en Sudán, Sudán del Sur, Malí, Burkina Faso y la República Democrática del Congo, así como a todos aquellos que sufren como consecuencia de la injusticia, la inestabilidad política, la persecución religiosa y el terrorismo.

El Papa también rezó por Haití, pidiendo el fin de la violencia y el avance por el camino de la paz y la reconciliación. También invocó la paz para Myanmar, pidiendo que el país sea guiado hacia la reconciliación y la esperanza, especialmente para sus generaciones más jóvenes. En cuanto a América Latina, animó a los responsables políticos a dar espacio al diálogo por el bien común, en lugar de a las divisiones ideológicas y partidistas.

El Papa también rezó por el restablecimiento de la «antigua amistad» entre Tailandia y Camboya, y encomendó a Dios a los pueblos del sur de Asia y Oceanía, que se han visto gravemente afectados por las recientes catástrofes naturales, pidiendo un compromiso renovado para ayudar a quienes sufren…

  • Lea el discurso completo aquí
  • Publique su oración por la paz en nuestro espacio sagrado aquí

Advent Week 4: Candle of Love

Posted on by Diane Smyth

Reflection: God’s love is not abstract — it is personal and embodied. The Incarnation reveals a God who chooses to be with us, to share our joys and pains. Love takes form and stays.

  • Download the prayer service here
  • View other Reflections here
  • Post a prayer in our sacred space here

Reflexión: El amor de Dios no es abstracto: es personal y encarnado. La Encarnación revela a un Dios que elige estar con nosotros, compartir nuestras alegrías y dolores. El amor toma forma y permanece.

  • Descargue el servicio de oración aquí
  • Vea otras reflexiones aquí
  • Publique una oración en nuestro espacio sagrado aquí

Christmas Greetings to All

Posted on by Diane Smyth

Christmas Greetings and good wishes to all from the Leadership Team, Sisters and Associates of the Sisters of Mercy Newfoundland

Feliz Navidad y nuestros mejores deseos para todos de parte del equipo directivo, las hermanas y los asociados de las Hermanas de la Misericordia de Terranova.

Advent Week 3: The Candle of Joy

Posted on by Diane Smyth

Reflection: Joy springs from hope — the quiet confidence that God’s promises endure. Even in trials, we can rejoice because our hearts are held in His love. True joy is not fleeting; it is rooted in trust.

  • Download the prayer service here
  • View other Reflections here
  • Post a prayer in our sacred space here

Reflexión: La alegría surge de la esperanza — la confianza silenciosa de que las promesas de Dios perduran. Incluso en las pruebas, podemos alegrarnos porque nuestros corazones están sostenidos en Su amor. La verdadera alegría no es efímera;
Está basado en la confianza.

  • Descargue el servicio de oración aquí
  • Vea otras reflexiones aquí
  • Publique una oración en nuestro espacio sagrado aquí

Foundation Day – December 12

Posted on by Diane Smyth

On 12 December, Sisters of Mercy, Associates, Colleagues and friends celebrate the Foundation Day of the Order of the Sisters of Mercy in 1831 when Catherine McAuley, Anna Maria Doyle, and Elizabeth Harley made their profession in the new Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy.

Join us in celebrating 194 years of committed service to the poor, the sick and the uneducated using our reflection, exploring our story, or visiting our Mercy ministries online.

El 12 de diciembre, las Hermanas de la Misericordia, los asociados, los colegas y los amigos celebran el día de la fundación de la Orden de las Hermanas de la Misericordia en 1831, cuando Catherine McAuley, Anna Maria Doyle y Elizabeth Harley hicieron su profesión en la nueva Congregación de las Hermanas de la Misericordia.

Únase a nosotros para celebrar 194 años de servicio comprometido con los pobres, los enfermos y los que no tienen acceso a la educación, reflexionando, explorando nuestra historia o visitando nuestros ministerios de la Misericordia en línea.