Author: Diane Smyth

Elizabeth Davis, RSM to Participate in the Synod

Posted on by Diane Smyth

Sister Elizabeth Davis has been selected to participate in the General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops to be held in Rome in October. Delegates representing bishops, priests, religious and laypeople from around the world will be present at the October session.

Sister Elizabeth was nominated through the Union of Superiors Generals (UISG).  When the call for nominees from North America came forth the different congregational leaders in Canada were invited to submit a name.  The ten chosen – five women and five men –represent religious orders from countries around the world.   Elizabeth is in section A and will be a voting member of the Synod.

The Synod in Rome follows diocesan, national, and continental phases of the Synod that began in October 2021. The Synod has as its theme “For a synodal church: communion, participation, and mission.”

More about the October 2023 Session can be found on our website here

La Hermana Elizabeth Davis ha sido seleccionada para participar en la Asamblea General del Sínodo de los Obispos que se celebrará en Roma en octubre. En la sesión de octubre estarán presentes delegados que representan a obispos, sacerdotes, religiosos y laicos de todo el mundo.

La Hermana Elizabeth fue nominada a través de la Unión de Superioras Generales (UISG). Cuando se hizo la convocatoria de candidaturas de América del Norte, se invitó a los distintos líderes congregacionales de Canadá a presentar un nombre. Los diez elegidos -cinco mujeres y cinco hombres- representan a órdenes religiosas de países de todo el mundo. Elizabeth pertenece a la sección A y será miembro con derecho a voto del Sínodo.

El Sínodo de Roma sigue a las fases diocesana, nacional y continental del Sínodo que comenzó en octubre de 2021. El Sínodo tiene como lema “Por una Iglesia sinodal: comunión, participación y misión”.

Puede encontrar más información sobre la Sesión de octubre 2023 en nuestro sitio web aquí

 

Pope Francis’ July Prayer Intention “For a Eucharistic Life”. Intención de oración de julio del Papa Francisco “Por una vida eucarística”

Posted on by Diane Smyth

Let us pray that Catholics place at the centre of their lives the Eucharistic Celebration, which transforms human relationships profoundly and opens up an encounter with God and their brothers and sisters.

Pope Francis is dedicating his July prayer intention “for a Eucharistic life”.

Post your prayer for peace in our sacred space here

Recemos para que los católicos pongan en el centro de su vida la Celebración Eucarística, que transforma profundamente las relaciones humanas y abre el encuentro con Dios y con los hermanos.

El Papa Francisco dedica su intención de oración de julio “por una vida eucarística”.

Publica aquí tu oración por la paz en nuestro espacio aquí

Canada Day/Memorial Day

Posted on by Diane Smyth

July 1 is a national holiday celebrating the beginnings of Canada on July 1, 1867.

On that day three separate colonies – the united Canadas (Upper and Lower),Nova Scotia and New Brunswick – became a single dominion, the Dominion of Canada.

In Newfoundland and Labrador this day is known as Memorial Day, a day to remember the staggering losses of the Newfoundland Regiment at Beaumont-Hamel, France on July 1, 1916. Over 800 Newfoundlanders and Labradorians went into battle that morning, a deadly battle which left more than 700 men killed, wounded or missing. Each year our province commemorates the heroism of our young men who died on this day.

Post your prayer in our sacred space here

El 1 de julio es una fiesta nacional que celebra los inicios de Canadá el 1 de julio de 1867.

Ese día, tres colonias separadas -el Alto y el Bajo Canadá unidos, Nueva Escocia y Nuevo Brunswick- se convirtieron en un único dominio, el Dominio de Canadá.

En Terranova y Labrador este día se conoce como el Día de los Caídos, un día para recordar las asombrosas pérdidas del Regimiento de Terranova en Beaumont-Hamel, Francia, el 1 de julio de 1916. Más de 800 terranoveses y labradores entraron en combate aquella mañana, una batalla mortal que dejó más de 700 hombres muertos, heridos o desaparecidos. Cada año nuestra provincia conmemora el heroísmo de nuestros jóvenes que murieron ese día.

Publica tu oración en nuestro espacio sagrado aquí

Plastic Free July: Let’s All Do Our Part

Posted on by Diane Smyth

 

Plastic free July is a global movement inviting people around the world to be part of the solution to the critical problem of plastic pollution.

In March 2022 the UN Environment Assembly agreed to establish a global treaty to end  plastic pollution and to insure a cleaner and more sustainable future for Earth and all Earth’s inhabitants.

It is hard to avoid knowledge of the impact of plastic waste and its adverse effects on the health of land, oceans, wildlife and ourselves. All of us are being encouraged this month —and hopefully for good — to become part of the solution to beating plastic pollution, rather than a contributor to the problem.

Last month, on World Environment Day, the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres released a video to encourage action to beat plastic polltion.

 

For further information about how we can contribute to this global endeavour, visit the
Plastic free July website.

Julio sin plástico es un movimiento mundial que invita a personas de todo el mundo a formar parte de la solución al grave problema de la contaminación por plásticos.

Plastic Free July texto verde bajo las hojas.

En marzo de 2022, la Asamblea de las Naciones Unidas para el Medio Ambiente acordó establecer un tratado mundial para acabar con la contaminación por plásticos y asegurar un futuro más limpio y sostenible para la Tierra y todos sus habitantes.

Es difícil no conocer el impacto de los residuos plásticos y sus efectos adversos en la salud de la tierra, los océanos, la fauna y nosotros mismos. Este mes se nos anima a todos -y esperemos que para siempre- a formar parte de la solución para vencer la contaminación por plásticos, en lugar de contribuir al problema.

Para más información sobre cómo podemos contribuir a este esfuerzo mundial, visite la web
julio sin plástico.

Kiwanis Music Festival

Posted on by Diane Smyth

The Kiwanis Music Festival is an annual event that began with a two-day event in 1952 with 193 entries and two adjudicators; in 2010 it spans 12 days, with well over 6,000 participants and nine adjudicators. It is the largest festival in eastern Canada.

Musical rehearsals before the concert during the Christmas period. Life of musicians and classic holy music.

Musicians young and old have come to appreciate the “Festival” and enjoy this competitive opportunity to showcase their musical talent and their love and commitment to voice, instrumental and choral music. Every performer or group has the opportunity hear and learn from the instant evaluation of their performance by the expert and professional adjudicators. The adjudicators speak to them in order to teach and encourage. Marks are given, even though sometimes an adjudicator admits difficulty in giving marks to one group over the other.

Sisters of Mercy and their students in St. John’s and area schools have been part of the Kiwanis Music Festival since its foundation. Thousands of the sisters’ students – solists, duos and trios and combinations of the same, choirs, choral speech groups, instrumentalists, orchestras and bands from St. John’s, Bell Island, Goulds, Bay Bulls, Brigus, Conception Harbour and from as far as Marystown have entered the festival and have excelled.

Much is owed to the music teachers of our Congregation and of the Presentation Congregation for their commitment to music and culture and for nurturing the innate talent of the youth of our province. They are the true and consistent pioneers of our musical heritage. Some of them have rightly been inducted as members of the Hall of Fame of the Music Festival Association. There are no sisters taking groups to the Festival these days but their many students are doing that now. The baton has been passed and is calling forth the best of music in the next generations!

Ministry to Individuals, Groups, Families

Posted on by Diane Smyth

The Family Life Bureau, established in the Archdiocese of St. John’s in 1976, offers counseling in a whole range of areas including individual, marriage, and family counseling. Clients of the staff of the Bureau are either self-referred, referred from the courts, from physicians, various community agencies, and from priests throughout the Archdiocese.

Discovering and using your strengths to deal with personal and family life issues . . . Support to see you through . . .

Pastoral counseling is healing the mind, spirit, and relationships through the wisdom of behavioural sciences and spiritual values.

The goal of the Family Life Bureau is to foster positive changes in the lives of persons. Every person has within him/her the energy for growth. Troubled people seek out help when external circumstances lead to distressing separation from others, internal conflicts that cause pain and inner division, and when the life force within them is blocked from healing and growth.

Sister Loretta Walsh, rsm, Executive Director of the Family Life Bureau, is a facilitator and counselor. She and two other certified counselors provide individual, couple, group and family counseling. They also organize and facilitate workshops and marriage preparation seminars. The workshops deal with issues related to family life, parenting, interpersonal relationships, separation and divorce, personal growth, youth, dealing with drugs, assertiveness and self-esteem.

One interesting program brings married couples together for a candlelight dessert and facilitated conversation about their relationship. This marriage enrichment component is facilitated collaboration with the West End Baptist Church and some Anglican parishes in St. John’s.

 

Mercy Ministry in Ontario

Posted on by Diane Smyth

SoulWinds is a small piece of land – about three acres –  located on the Little Kennisis River in the Algonquin Highlands of Haliburton County in  Ontario’s near north in Canada.

SoulWinds is the home of Brenda Peddigrew, RSM, Ph.D. and Joan Weir, N.D., who tend the land in all its seasons and offer consultations, teaching and guidance in their respective fields and in many ways to be in nature’s presence.

Joint courses are offered on the SoulWinds property, though other accomodations are used for personal guided retreats with Brenda, and other consultations.

Visit their website to learn more about this Mercy ministry

Ministry in Africa

Posted on by Diane Smyth

In 2007 two Sisters of Mercy from Newfoundland took a bold and courageous step to join Sisters of Mercy from Ireland in their ministries in Africa.

One sister cared for people in Kenya, men, women and children, suffering from HIV and AIDS. She served as a unit coordinator in an AIDS center for the poor. During 2007 a second Sister ministered among others suffering from HIV/AIDS in Zambia. These two Newfoundland sisters were the first to have taken on the adventure and challenge of ministering on the African continent.