Category: Congregation

Sale of Work

Posted on by Diane Smyth

After months of preparation and labour the talent and creativity of a large number of Mercy and Presentation Sisters and Associates went public.  At 2:00 p.m. the doors of the Lantern (the Presentation Centre for Spirituality) openned to a large waiting crowd.  The hall was flush with paintings and photography, greeting cards, jewellry, Christmas decorations, knitted, needle-worked and crocheted goods, baked goods, other hand-crafted items, and the ever popular "Nuns" Fudge.  Crowds explored the goods at each table and in a short time the baked-goods table was bare.  Other tables met the same fate – a good thing for the beneficiaries of this sale, the missions of both Congregations.  None of the Mall would have done such a brisk business as this event today!  Congratulations to the organizers of this event!  A huge success.  Thanks to all who shared their time, talent and resources.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Good Cup of Tea at St. Joseph’s Convent

Posted on by Diane Smyth

Nine women who live in the neighbourhood of the convent or who work with Sisters of Mercy in the nearby L.A. Miller Centreaccepted the invitation to learn more about Catherine McAuley and to have a Good Cup of Tea.  We began with a prayer followed by the viewing of Circle of Mercy: The Life and Charism of Catherine McAuley.  After a brief discussion and response to the video we moved to the dining room where we were served a good cup of tea (and coffee) with warm tea-buns and a variety of jams.  As the group was leaving the house a few of them informed us that they were looking forward to Part II.  It was a lovely evening enjoyed by all.

Celebration of 138 Years of Mercy 1871 – 2009

Posted on by Diane Smyth

The weekend of October 20, 2012 was filled with events to celebrate 138 years of presence of the Sisters of Mercy in the communities on the southerly part of the Burin Peninsula – St. Lawrence, Little St. Lawrence, Lawn and surrounding area.

Sisters from St. John’s and other parts of the province left very early in the morning when traffic was light and the moose had not yet ventured out from their night haunts. The sun shone its mightiest, the sky was cloudless, and the environment was ecologically correct. When we drove off the Trans-Canada and travelled down the Peninsula highway. The splendor of the gold, yellows, browns and reds of the autumn leaves was absolutely breathtaking.

We proceeded to the Golden Age Club in St. Lawrence upon our arrival. The rails on either side of the ramp going into the building were festooned with blue and gold balloons and a large WELCOME poster. A white-apronned lady was at the door ringing an old school bell to welcome us in! The greetings were in profusion as many of the ladies there had been our students.

There was a hearty lunch awaiting us; pea soup, turkey soup, fish chowder (Fr. Critch’s own concoction), all kinds of sandwiches, cookies and sweets, and real hot tea and coffee, very welcoming to us who had just made the 4-4 ½ hour drive. There were 20 Sisters of Mercy present.

After lunch we were free to visit the Miner’s Museum, the famous sculpture on the town hall grounds; the famous St. Lawrence soccer team was playing a game just a few hundred yards from the Golden Age Club. This was free time when we could visit the school, the church, the walking trails and other places familiar to those of us who lived in this community.

The next formal event was a Memorial Service in the Sisters’ Cemetery not far from the church. There are six Sisters buried there: Sisters M. Tarahan, Burfitt, Jordan, Turpin, McLaughlin and Kelly. After the brief but very moving service we proceeded to the Parish Hall for the evening meal and entertainment.

We were assigned specific tables of eight, at least one or two Sisters at each table, with parishioners from the areas joining us. There was a large photographic display on one wall of the dining area, very tastefully done and depicting Sisters of Mercy past and recent past as well as various aspects of the life of the parishioners and residents of the area. At the tables the place mats were original drawings by the elementary school children, each one brightly coloured with an environmental theme and “Thank You” for God’s creation. There were linen serviettes at each place, a beautiful yellow rose, as well as a seedling of a balsam fir. With the seedling was a card with the reflection of Archbishop Oscar Romero asking us to reflect that “we plant seeds that one day will grow. We water seeds already planted, knowing that they hold future promise….We are prophets of a future not our own.” This was appropriate in view of the fact that Kateri Tekatwitha is being canonized in Rome this same weekend and she is the patron saint of the environment.

We each received a bookmark with Catherine’s picture and the Suscipe on one side, and photos of the old convent and church on the other. These photos were also on the front of the 4-page booklet which listed the menu and events of the evening.

Leo Etchegary, on behalf of the Parish Council welcomed us all and asked Father Critch, Parish Priest, to say the Grace before the meal. Heather Clarke, accompanied by Fr. Critch on the guitar, sang beautifully “I am the Vine”. The buffet dinner consisted of garden salad, baked salmon, harvest pork tenderloin, Moroccan chicken, seafood pasta, baby potatoes, buttered carrots, and a multitude of desserts, tea and coffee. We could not want for more!

Following the meal the Sisters were officially welcomed, first by Thelma Roul, of the St. Thomas Aquinas Parish Council, Mayor Wade Rowsell of St. Lawrence, and Mayor William Lockyer of Lawn. Father Critch introduced Sr. Elizabeth Davis, Congregational Leader, who then gave a beautiful address. Mary Tarrant-Hodge, co-chair of the organizing Committee gave an expression of thanks to all the Sisters of Mercy who had ministered here and who had been such an influence in her own life.

We were entertained heartily and musically by choirs from St. Lawrence and Lawn. One group of women, guitar players from Lawn, first expressed their gratitude to Sr. Rosemary Ryan who had taught them to play the guitar in Grade Six. Not only did they continue after she had left Lawn but they also taught others to play so that the legacy lives on. We heard lovely renditions of Music and Friends, Down on the Mira, Go Lassie, Go, Salt Water Joys, and many more sung with so much enthusiasm and passion. The evening ended with more mingling, chatting, getting-reacquainted, and conversations.

Sunday morning at the Oceanview Hotel we were treated to a complimentary pick-up breakfast with all types of breads, jams, bagels, muffins, hot and cold cereals. Then we proceeded to St. Thomas Aquinas Church for the Liturgy. Sisters Marcella and Gladys, and Brenda Mooney had attended the first Midnight Mass at the newly built church in 1966 or 1967. We are not too sure of the exact date but we did remember how cold it was because the heating system had not been installed yet.

Today the Church presents a panorama of famous paintings on the back wall where there had once been stained glass windows. These paintings represent different aspects of the life of Jesus beginning with the Annunciation and ending with the Ascension. It is a spectacular sight. On the wall below is a large painting of Christ reaching out his hand to pull Peter out of the water. It is dedicated to the people who lost their lives at sea particularly those on the SS Truxton and Pollux in 1942. There was another painting parallel to this one, but it was covered and it was only later that we found out what it was about.

The combined choirs of St. Lawrence and Lawn provided the beautiful music. As well, the children’s choir of St. Lawrence sang at the Offertory and the one of Lawn sang “The Prayer of St. Francis” at the Communion. At the Offertory little children brought up two vases of red roses to the altar, and some more seedlings for planting.

The homily was given by Sr. Elizabeth, Congregational Leader.  Noting the famous paintings at the back of the church, she spoke of the artist Seiger Koder whose paintings are usually about Scripture events but do not directly show Jesus, or God intervening. Instead we catch glimpses of the Divine in his paintings in a bowl of water, or in a well. Koder uses these, Elizabeth said, to show that we ourselves are to image Christ in our lives. This was so evident in the support and love that the people of St. Lawrence have given to the Sisters.

At the end of the Mass a big red rose from the vases at the altar was given to each of the Sisters. Then Sr. Lucia, Charlotte, and Elizabeth accompanied by the other Sisters were asked to go to the back of the church. Here the covered painting was unveiled! It shows Christ, surrounded by poor and lame and disadvantaged and it was dedicated to the Sisters of Mercy! A small picture of Catherine is below the inscription along with the Suscipe! It was a wonderful tribute to our 138 years of Mercy in St. Lawrence and area. As a response all the Sisters present sang the Suscipe of Catherine McAuley.

We mingled with the people at the end of the Liturgy, had more photos taken, then we were ushered back to the Parish Hall for a lunch before we left for our various homes. We departed with joyful hearts, deep and sincere gratitude, and knowledge that the legacy of the Sisters of Mercy on that part of the Burin Peninsula is very much alive.

Messages to gbozec@sistersofmercynf.org

Global Mercy Alive in the 21st Century

Posted on by Diane Smyth

The topic of the event was Global Mercy in the 21st Century.  For two days, September 21 and 22, over 80 men and women, Mercy Sisters, Associates, colleagues and friends met at the Corpus Chrsti Parish Hall to pray, listen, reflect and share.  For the first day Sr. Mary Reynolds madeCatherine McAuley known as “nourishment for our time.”  She revealed to us her heart, the heart of a mother, the heart of an advocate, the heart of a woman of the Gospel- a heart of love, justice, of mercy and compassion.  She highlighted the global presence of Mercy especially through the Mercy International Association.  Sr. Elizabeth Davis situated Mercy in Newfoundland and Peru in this larger context as she described who we are.

On the second day of our gathering Mary Purcell laid out the richness of Mercy International in description of MIA’s global initiatives and helped us further develop a vision of how we might further these initiatives from our position on the planet.

These two days stretched our thinking but most of all expanded our hearts and minds.  They helped us increase our consciousness of Mercy in the world in which we live and work and challenged us to open to what the works of Mercy call us to be and to do in this day and age.  They were two rich and enriching days.  We thank Mary Reynolds and Mary Purcell for their presence and for their presentations.

submitted by Diane Smyth

Profession of Vows

Posted on by Diane Smyth

The heavens are telling the glory of God

And all creation is singing for joy

Come dance in the forest, come play in the field

And sing, sing to the glory of the Lord.

The words of this song ringing out with great gusto captured the spirit of joyful praise and gratitude of all who celebrated with Sister Marie Etheridge her Perpetual Profession of Vows as a Sister of Mercy.

 

On September 21, 2012 Mercy Sisters and Associates, Marie’s family members, co-workers and many friends gathered at Corpus Christi Church, Kilbride for the Eucharistic Celebration of her Final Profession. Archbishop Martin Currie presided at the Liturgy. Bishop Peter Hundt, Archbishop Alphonsus Penney and Father David Joy assisted.

 

There were many memorable moments in the Liturgy. Echoes of Catherine McAuley’s words were threaded throughout the Eucharistic Prayer, making her presence palpable among us. Sister Elizabeth Davis spoke of Marie’s profession as “the making of a covenant of love and faithfulness and mercy between a woman and her God.” Elizabeth included Marie among those young women whom Catherine McAuley praised when she said about them, “They renew my spirit greatly – fine creatures fit to adorn society, coming forward joyfully to consecrate themselves to the service of the poor for Christ’s sake. This is some of the fire He cast on the earth – kindling.” Elizabeth alluded to the motto on Marie’s ring, “Here I am, Lord” quoting from the day’s Psalm 40, “You do not ask for holocaust and victim, instead here am I.”

 

Marie had chosen a sunny yellow jacket as part of her Profession dress and it reflected well her disposition as she stood and professed her Vows, “joyfully” committing herself to the service of God’s people. Following Marie’s Act of Profession we all awaited the moment for the blessing and reception of her Profession ring. And what a poignant moment that was! Our oldest Sister of Mercy and dear friend of

Marie, Sister Mary Thomasine McHugh, sitting in her wheelchair and smiling sweetly, proudly held up Marie’s ring for the Archbishop’s blessing. Sister Elizabeth Davis then presented the ring to Marie as the symbol of God’s fidelity to her and of Marie’s commitment in her covenant relationship with God.

 

The spirit of jubilation carried over from the Eucharistic Banquet to the Reception Hall where great rejoicing was the order of the evening.

 

Indeed Marie’s Profession was an occasion when we could sing and sing again to the glory of the Lord.

Submitted by Sister Maureen O’Keefe

Newfoundland and Labrador initiatives on Human Trafficking

Posted on by Diane Smyth

The Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy of Newfoundland, together with other religious congregations, NGO and police force members are part of the Newfoundland and Labrador Human Trafficking Committee.  The aim of the committee is to end Human Trafficking through public awareness, services to trafficked persons, advocacy, and resources and training support to law enforcement.

Their objectives are to:

1) Ensure a coordinated effort to provide a first and second response to victims of Human Trafficking.

2) Raise awareness of Human Trafficking in the community and create a network of contacts so that victims of Human Trafficking can be identified and supported.

The activities of the committee involve:-

  • Developing first and second response teams.
  • Developing of an Operational Handbook for the first and second response teams.
  • Recruitment and identification of training opportunities for team and Committee members and the community.
  • Developing an information package on the NL Human Trafficking Committee.
  • Maintaining a list-serve of interested community contacts and organizations.


In  March 2012, the Institute Of The Blessed Virgin Mary Canadian Province (Loreto Sisters) sponsored a conference of all organizations/individuals interested in the issue of Human Trafficking. The title of the conference was Human Trafficking: Breaking the Chains  and it took place in Toronto, Ontario.  Over two hundred people attended the conference, coming from diverse backgrounds:  high school students, women and men religious, representatives of non-governmental agencies, aboriginal persons, group home workers, etc. Elizabeth Davis rsm facilitated the conference.

Some of the major conclusions were as follows:-

1. Human trafficking is modern day slavery.  Marginalized women and children are being purchased by educated men.

2. Persons being trafficked are real people – women, girls and boys whose voices must be heard as we work to bring this horror to an end.  The most vulnerable women and children are identified and targeted.  Our society is accountable for reducing the vulnerabilities of persons which allow human trafficking to continue.

3.Human trafficking is based on control, exploitation and profit and is rooted in racism, sexism and classism.

4.This is a matter both domestic and international.  While many might have thought it is primarily international in nature and related to human smuggling, in fact most human trafficking in Canada is domestic – Canadian women and children being trafficked to Canadian men.

5.This modern slavery has not been brought to an end because of ignorance of the issue by so many Canadians and complicity by so many others.  The sex trade is highly organized and integrated and brings in much money for those who control it.  The response, therefore, must also be highly organized and integrated if we are to be successful in bringing this form of slavery to an end.

6.New legislation is needed but is slow in coming and still fails to target the persons buying the sex services thus keeping the sex trade in business.

7.Actions to end this crime include increasing awareness and education, strengthening of gender equality, decreasing vulnerabilities of women and children, working to change and strengthen legislation, working to influence hotels, airlines and businesses which sometimes inadvertently support human trafficking either through ignorance or complicity; strengthening education for health professionals, strengthening programs for aftercare and rehabilitation and affordable housing for survivors, and changing society by changing images which support prostitution and the sex trade.

8.Many resources are available to assist in increasing awareness and education.

9. The success of efforts to end human trafficking lies in creating partnerships, in collaboration among organizations.

Sister Elizabeth concluded the proceedings by encouraging each person to leave  committed to at least one new action which he or she would undertake to add to the efforts of all those determined to end the slavery of human trafficking.

Full details of the conference are linked here (pdf)

Messages to: Margie Taylor

170 Years- Mercy in Newfoundland

Posted on by Diane Smyth

Founded 170 years ago

This year we celebrate 170 years of history and ministry of the Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy of Newfoundland.  We have a rich history of dedicated commitment in health care, education, social services and pastoral ministry on the island of Newfoundland, in Labrador, in Peru, in Ontario, Washington, Florida, Ireland and Africa. All of this ‘action’ is rooted in the ‘contemplative’ aspect of the Sisters’ lives, and especially in the lives of the elder Sisters, where they find their source of grace and energy.

The story of the Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy of Newfoundland began when Bishop Michael Anthony Fleming traveled to Dublin, Ireland where he approached Catherine McAuley to request a community of Sisters of Mercy for his island mission. To facilitate his plan, the bishop agreed to send to the convent on Baggot Street a young lady to be trained as a Sister of Mercy so that she could return to Newfoundland and found a Convent of Mercy in St. John’s. The bishop’s choice for this important role was Marianne Creedon, a young Irish lady who had lived in St. John’s since 1833 and who was familiar with the needs of the mission. Catherine McAuley received Marianne Creedon into the novitiate at Baggot Street, and on August 19, 1841, Marianne, now Sister Mary Francis, was professed as a Sister of Mercy. Nine months later, on May 2, 1842, Sister Francis Creedon, accompanied by Sisters Ursula Frayne and Rose Lynch left St. Catherine’s Convent, Baggot Street, and crossed the Atlantic Ocean to form the first community of the Sisters of Mercy in the New World. They arrived in St. John’s, Newfoundland on June 3, 1842. This date marks the establishment of the Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy of Newfoundland.

During the first eleven months of the new mission, the Sisters of Mercy visited the sick and the poor in their homes. On December 12, 1842, the Sisters moved from their temporary home, the bishop’s residence, to their new convent on Military Road. This was the first Mercy Convent in the New World. On May 1, 1843, Our Lady of Mercy School, Military Road, was formally opened.

90 Years of Care and Compassion

Posted on by Diane Smyth

On May 21, 1922 a twenty- three bed hospital was opened in what had formerly been a residence for working girls on the corner of Lemarchant Road and St. Clare Avenue.

The hospital was part of the vision of the Archbishop of St. John’s, E.P. Roche, who invited the Sisters of Mercy to take leadership in the administration of the hospital and in the nursing care of the people who came to them for medical attention.

History

May 21, 2012 is the anniversary of the opening of St. Clare’s Mercy Hospital in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. Over those ninety years the hospital has grown from a twenty-three bed building where men, women and children were cared for to a sprawling seven-storey complex that provides the best of modern medicine, total care of body, mind and spirit, and the highest calibre of care and compassion for 207 adults.

Celebrations

In order to celebrate its ninetieth year a number of events had been planned. A celebration of the Eucharist on May 14 by Archbishop Martin Currie was the opening event. In her reflection during the liturgy Sister Elizabeth Davis, Congregational Leader of the Sisters of Mercy spoke of St. Clare’s being a ‘place of healing’, a ‘holy place’ and a ‘place where God’s mercy endures forever’. She reminded us of the words of Archbishop Roche at the opening of the new hospital in 1939 when he said “Verily, my dear Sisters, the acorn has developed into a mighty oak; the tiny grain of mustard seed has grown, as we hoped it would, into a mighty tree.” Cake and refreshments were provided to all staff and visitors on May 22 in the hospital cafeteria with entertainment by the Celtic Fiddlers.

Staff were treated to a visit from "The Spirit of St. Clare’s" on May 28. Sister Dolorosa Brennan dressed in the traditional habit (white for hospital) of the Sisters of Mercy. She greeted staff, patients and family members and gave them a pin that was struck to commemorate the anniversary. Later in the Fall there will be a special public lecture to commemorate St. Clare’s 90 years.

Vision and Mission

The Sisters of Mercy have been dedicated to the care of persons who are sick, with a special care for those who are dying. Many Sisters and those who collaborated with them over the years have provided thousands of years of care and compassion. Many men and woman are graduates of the St. Clare’s School of Nursing. They along with the current staff and volunteers have imbibed the spirit of the founders of St. Clare’s down through the years and continue to heal those who seek care. They continue to live out the values of care, compassion, excellence, integrity, and mercy.

Messages to: Diane Smyth rsm – Manager Pastoral Care and Ethics, Eastern Health

New Mercy Life in Peru, New Hope

Posted on by Diane Smyth

In February and March, 2012 the Sisters of Mercy of Newfoundland marked three major events in the life of the Congregation, the Mercy Sisters in Peru and in the life of three wonderful women, their communities, families and friends.

On February 5 Alita Sanchez Sanchez, from Monsefu renewed her vows as a Sister of Mercy, her third year in preparation for permanent commitment.

On March 1 Maria Elizabeth Galan Fiestas from San Jose on the coast of Peru was received as a postulant in the chapel at the house in Ichocan, Peru.  Nine Sisters of Mercy of Newfoundland were present with Maria for her reception as a Postulant, a period of discernment leading to the time of Novitiate.

On March 3, we celebrated the first profession of Rosali Esperaza Vargas Mendoza whose home community is LaGrama in the Andes. These three women are journeying through the various stages of the formation program of new members to full incorporation as Sisters of Mercy. They bring new life and great hope to the Sisters of Mercy, to the church and to the people of Peru. The reception of a postulant and the renewal of vows usually take place in a simple ceremony. The First Profession of Vows is celebrated more publicly and with special ceremony.

Rosali celebrated her First Profession in her home pueblo of LaGrama in company with Sisters, her family and friends. Thirty-five friends travelled to Ichocan, some travelled for two nights by bus from the coast, Lima and northern Peru.  Among these were twenty-three sisters of Mercy and our new postulant, Maria, all who minister in various regions of Peru. Others were friends and colleagues of Rosali from Lima, Puerto Eten, Reque and Monsefu where Rosali has ministered.  Padre Lucho Santamaria, a longtime friend of our sisters from the coast presided and gave a wonderful homily; he was joined by Padre Walter Cruz, pastor of neighboring San Marcos. All these travelers enjoyed the hospitality and accommodations and then a special meal at our Ichocan sisters` community before going to LaGrama for the Eucharist.

 

The people of the pueblo and all the guests filled the Church in LaGrama with a spirit of joy and great participation.  A delicious meal of cardero (lamb) was prepared by the LaGrama catechists and served with the help of parishioners from Ichocan to over a hundred guests in the lovely adjoining Parish Centre. A classmate of Rosali’s was MC at the lively dance that followed with all forms of dancing. Rosali expressed her joy in making her first profession in these words, “With great joy, I give thanks to God for fixing God`s gaze on me. I celebrate the mercy and fidelity of God expressed together with our pueblo. With profound love, I say ‘Yes’ to this call that allows me to share with joy the Reign of God. Thank you to my family, community, friends and my pueblo for accompanying me on this very special celebration”.

We all rejoice deeply in the treasure of hope and blessing celebrated in the generous commitment of Alita, Maria and Rosali. We ask God’s continued grace in their lives, and in the life of the Sisters of Mercy and of the Church in Peru.

Celebration in Peru

Posted on by Diane Smyth

 The Sisters of Mercy of Newfoundland and all Sisters of Mercy in Peru rejoice this day!

On March 1, 2012 Maria Elizabeth Galan Fiestas was welcomed into the Postulancy Program, a serious first step in her discernment process and in her incorporation as a Sister of Mercy.  The ceremony took place in the newly renovated chapel at the sisters’ residence in Ichocan, Peru. There were nine Sisters of Mercy of Newfoundland present with Maria for this special moment in the life of our Congregation.  Sister Elizabeth Marrie, member of the Leadership Team, travelled from St. John’s to be present for this event.  Maria will begin the Novitiate phase of her religious formation now in Lima with other women from the Mercy world in Peru.