Transcription of 2012 NEWS - Mercy Partners
1 1 | Mercy Partners news Edition 11 .. EDITION 11 2012 NEWSCONTENTS1 2 3 5 6 Dear Partners in MercyONE OF THE questions I frequently get asked is What is Mercy Partners ? The usual answer is something along the lines of It s a Church body set up to take responsibility for various ministries previously owned by the Sisters of Mercy . That seems to satisfy most people, but recently I have been asking myself whether it is an adequate answer. On reflection, it sounds like Mercy Partners is a watchdog entity, however benevolent. Certainly, there are times and situations when the Council of Mercy Partners needs to take courageous decisions to ensure it is fulfilling its responsibilities in both Church and civil law.
2 However, to think of Mercy Partners solely as a Council of seven members supported by a secretariat is to fall far short of the vision of the Congregations which founded Mercy was prompted into this reflection by reading the inspirational article which Garry Everett recently wrote on Partnership and which is on our website for all to see. He puts forward the idea that partnership is based, not on hierarchical structures, but on mutuality, trust and respect among the participants. Each group has a role to fill and the emphasis should be on working towards building up the whole, rather than on competing or adopting a silo mentality . There are echoes here of Paul s first letter to the Corinthians where he talks about how the various parts of the body contribute to the full functioning of the whole person (1 Cor:12).
3 Both Garry and St Paul challenge us to see that we are ALL Mercy Partners , not just the Council or the secretariat which serves it. This calls for a radical change in how we think about our particular ministry. It challenges us to see it as an integral part of a something much bigger than itself. It challenges us to see Mercy Partners as WE and US, rather than as THEM and US. It challenges us to view Mercy Partners not as a hierarchy but as a circle of members which are equal but different. Ultimately, we (ministries, Council and secretariat) all have a role to play in fulfilling the Mercy Partners vision of contributing to the emergence of a world where the healing, liberating and life-giving love of God is in the partnership of Mercy , , 17-19 October 2012 Leadership and Governance in a Catholic Ministry Robertson Gardens Comfort Inn, 281 Kessels Road, Nathan (Brisbane) Information and an application form will be circulated in August2 | Mercy Partners news Edition 11 Winter a time of hope are blessed with generally mild winters, and not the harsh cold, frosts and snow that we as-sociate with other parts of Australia and most of Europe.
4 But even here, winter is a season where we slow down, stay indoors more and seek out warmth. For many it is a time to take stock , to rest up, or plan for spring. Our gardens are resting, and we prepare the soil and plantings for the spring that we know will come. Winter is a time of resilience a time of dying off, pruning back, dig-ging in, making plans. The earth teaches us to be patient, cast off what is not needed and trust in what lies ahead. We look forward to the spring, to renewal, regrowth and replenishment. That is the hope that winter offers us. This year s Annual Gathering takes up this theme of hope and resilience, and this Newsletter provides some resources for prayer and refl ection. This edition also welcomes some new people to the Mercy Partners family, here in Brisbane and in the ministries.
5 We hope that working in these ministries will bring great joy to you!Many people from Mercy ministries in Australia and New Zealand participated in the Mercy Pilgrimage sponsored by the Brisbane Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy . It was a great success, and our special thanks go to Sr Mary Pescott and Sr Anne Hetherington for the effort they put into this special time for us. In the cold ground of winter are the seeds of spring waiting to burst into life .. so it is with us. I was recently privi-leged to attend the Catholic Religious Australia National Assembly in Adelaide. This is an annual assembly of Leaders of Religious Institutes who gather for sup-port, networking and spiritual renewal. At that assembly there was much discus-sion about the future of the Religious Congregations.
6 It was so clear that these Leaders believed that the seeds of resurrection are in the dying . I was inspired by the resilience of these men and women their joyful continuance of the call to ministry, and the great sense of hope and trust they hold for the future of their ministries and the Church. They were also so ready, in hope and faith, to accept the challenges of their calling. In many ways, Mercy Partners , a partner-ship of ministries, is called to embody this resurrection theology to carry forward with hope and trust ministries of the Church. WELCOME TO THE WINTER EDITION OF THE Mercy Partners NEWSLETTER! THE FIRST HALF OF 2012 IS BEHIND US AS WE HEAD TOWARD THE Mercy Partners AN-NUAL GATHERING IN TOWNSVILLE AS THIS EDITION GOES TO PRINT!
7 , Edition 11 Mercy Partners news | 3 During April I was privileged to participate in the Mercy Pilgrimage organised by the Sisters of Mercy of Brisbane. With about 34 other pilgrims, I had the opportunity to explore Dublin and immerse my-self in the Mercy tradition, in the house that Catherine McAuley her-self lived and worked, where she cared for the poor from the streets of Dublin as well as those young women who came to join her. It was indeed a privilege, and has been such a blessing. by Judith Gardiner the house at Baggot St, and in the house at Coolock where Catherine spent her time as a young woman, both challenged and inspired us.
8 We were led in our explora-tions by a great team of committed women including our own Sr Mary Pescott and Sr Anne Hetherington. To roam the countryside of Kildare and the hills of Glendalough with people of deep spirituality who helped us understand the ancient Christian tradi-tion in Ireland, bought us to a new spiritual understanding. To celebrate Eucharist with people who work in Mercy ministries in Australia and New Zealand in Catherine s own chapel, was truly uplifting. This was an experience of a lifetime on so many levels!We learned a great deal about Catherine and the Mercy tradition. I also took the opportunity to explore the heritage of the Presentation Sisters and the Irish Sisters of Charity. The Presentation Sisters of course hold a place close to the heart of the Mercy tradition it was this group of sisters in Dublin who helped Catherine in her training for religious life.
9 She joined them in the novitiate in Georges Hill. The foundress, Nano Nagle had shared the commitment to the poor of Ireland, beginning her ministry fi rstly in Cork and then later by send-ing sisters to Dublin. She had died before Catherine began her work, but no doubt Catherine found some inspiration in her story. Catherine was however a contemporary of Mary Aiken-head, the founder of the Irish Sisters of Charity, who was also called to work with the poor of Cork and Dublin. All three women answered the call of the early Bishops of Australia to send committed Sisters to help those in dire need in the early colonies. I m moved by all three women women who shared a love of the poor in their most desperate situations and a complete, selfl ess faith and trust in God.
10 COURTESY D BIANCHINI, J CALLEJA, J GARDINERTop: Judith Gardiner, Leesa Jeffcoat, Phillip Bauman, Trudy Clarke and Di-Anne Rowan. Above-left: Sr Catherine McAuley. Above-right: Mr John Reynolds and Sr Mary Pescott. Opposite: The Pilgrimage Group of 2012 in the Chapel built by Catherine McAuley at Mercy | Mercy Partners news Edition 11 APPOINTMENT OF MS CHRISTINE CARRMS CHRISTINE CARR has been appointed the Business Manager of St Patrick s College Townsville Ltd. St Patrick s College Townsville welcomed their new Business Manager last term. Christine Carr joins the College after spending eight years as Business Manager at Ryan Catholic College in Townsville. Christine is a CPA and has a background primarily in taxation, accounting and management.
