I n i t i a l F o r m a t i o n f o r

M e r c y A s s o c i a t i o n

C a l l e d t o M e r c y

MERCY

AS SOC IATE

Welcome to Mercy Association! The purpose of this book is to introduce you to the foundational teachings and key understandings of Mercy Associa-tion—its purpose and meaning, its history, its work. In these pages you will learn about the founding of the religious order of the Sisters of Mercy by Catherine McAuley in Ireland over 175 years ago. You will learn about how the order spread all over the world in its mission to spread the Gospel mes-sage of love and forgiveness, especially in service to poor women and children. The call to Mercy Association, not unlike the call to religious life itself, finds its source rooted in Scripture, most perfectly expressed in the life and teach-ings of Jesus. You will learn about Mercy values, and how those values express themselves in the work that Mercy sisters and associates undertake. By im-mersing yourself in these pages, in the Gospel call of Jesus, by learning about Catherine McAuley and her legacy of generous service, by devoting yourself to prayer and to an attitude of contemplative listening within your Mercy Association formation community, you will come to know if you are indeed called to Mercy Association. God bless you during this very special time!

Welcome! Contents

The Call to Mercy 1

Catherine McAuley and the Mercy Tradition 5

Prayer—The Soul of Mercy 9

Community—The Heart of Mercy 13

Ministry—The Work of Mercy 15

Mercy Critical Concerns 17

History of Mercy Association 19

Committing to Mercy 21

Mercy Association Basic Terms 23

Additional Resources 26

21

The Mercy of GodThe mercy of God is a fundamental theme run-

ning through the Hebrew scriptures. The foundation of God's relationship to God's own people is mercy. Perhaps this verse from the prophet Isaiah says it best:

Therefore, God waits to be gracious to you; Therefore God will rise up to show mercy to you.For God is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for God.

✜ Isaiah 30:18 (NRSV - Adapted)

The God of the Hebrew scriptures is not distant and aloof; rather, the God of the Hebrews is moved by human suffering —ul-timately, God's mercy triumphs over the sin and infidelity of God's people.

The Christian call to mer-cy is rooted in the life of Jesus. Like his heavenly Father, Jesus is moved by human suffering. Jesus is moved to more than tears—he is moved to compassionate ac-tion that relieves suffering. In the Gospel of Luke Jesus begins his ministry by recalling the words of the prophet Isaiah:

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor.He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free,and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.

✜ Luke 4:18-19 (NAB)

The words of Isaiah perfectly describe how Jesus un-derstood his call to loving service. Throughout the Gospels we see Jesus in action. We see how he minis-tered to others, especially those who were despised and rejected by society:

✜ he healed the sick; ✜ he touched lepers and cured them; ✜ he accepted women as disciples; ✜ he ate with sinners and forgave their sins.

The Gospel is replete with examples of Jesus’ loving ser-vice to those in need. Jesus was moved to compassionate action by the suffering he witnessed around him.

In one of his earliest encycli-cal letters entitled, Rich in Mercy, Pope John Paul II writes:

Especially through His lifestyle and through His actions, Jesus revealed that love is present in the world in which we live —an effective love, a love that ad-dresses itself to man and embrac-es everything that makes up his humanity. This love makes itself particularly noticed in contact

with suffering, injustice and poverty—in contact with the whole historical “human condition,” which in various ways manifests man’s limitation and frailty, both physical and moral. It is precisely the mode and sphere in which love manifests itself that in biblical language is called “mercy.”At the same time, by becoming for people a model of merciful love for others, Christ proclaims by His ac-tions even more than by His words that call to mer-cy which is one of the essential elements of the Gospel

The Call to Mercy

Blessed arethe merciful,

for they will be

shown mercy. ✜ Matthew 5:7

Following t�e Pat� o� Jesusethos. In this instance it is not just a case of fulfill-ing a commandment or an obligation of an ethical nature; it is also a case of satisfying a condition of major importance for God to reveal Himself in His mercy to man: “The merciful…shall obtain mercy.”

✜ John Paul II, Rich in Mercy (Dives in Misericordia)

The experience of God's mercy impels Christians to extend that same mercy to others. How do we ex-tend God's mercy to others? We extend mercy by en-tering into the very real and concrete sufferings of oth-ers, and doing what we can to alleviate that suffering. In The Works of Mercy: The Heart of Catholicism, James Keenan writes:

Mercy is above all the experience we have of God.… In response to that mercy, we become imitators of the God in whose image we are made. And so, in answer to Christ's call to follow him, we practice mercy. The centrality of the practice of mercy in the life of the church cannot be overlooked. It ranks among the ac-tivities that best describe the moral life: the confess-ing of one's sins, obeying the Ten Commandments, developing the virtues, and practicing the corporal and spiritual works of mercy.

✜ The Works of Mercy: The Heart of Catholicism, p. 9

It is not enough to simply receive the gift of God's mercy—we must extend that mercy to others.

Throughout her life, from her childhood to her death, Catherine McAuley experienced the mercy of God, and in turn she offered mercy to others.

The events of her own life helped her know God's loving care and providence. Remembering God's tender mercy for her in moments of pain, loss, and uncertainty, she committed herself and her resources to making God's love tangible and practical in the lives of Dublin's poor.… Catherine knew mercy to be a demanding virtue. To take into one's heart the misery of another, to humbly accept one's limitations

in the face of suffering and need, and to know that attentive love is sometimes all one has to offer de-mand courage, and, of course, God's boundless grace. Nevertheless, following in the footsteps of Jesus, Catherine called herself, her Sisters, and her associ-ates to follow the pathway of mercy.

✜ Praying with Catherine McAuley, pp. 36-37

Jesus calls each of us, his followers, to live our lives actively engaged in spreading compassionate mercy throughout the world.

Charism of MercyEssentially, a charism is a gift of God for the peo-

ple of God. Catholic religious orders/communities use the word “charism” to denote the special gift that the founder brought to the church in establishing the com-munity. A charism is a community's special emphasis as it lives out its gospel call to holiness. The charisms of contemplative orders such as Carmelites or Cistercians emphasize values such as prayer, solitude, and silence. Active orders such as Dominicans and Franciscans emphasize aspects of their ministerial lives. Domini-cans place a great emphasis on preaching, and Fran-ciscans emphasize poverty and simplicity. Each unique charism is a gift not only for the recipients of the gift—each charism is a gift for the church as a whole.

The charism of the Sisters of Mercy is mercy (mi-sericordia in Latin). In the original Rule and Constitu-tions of the Religious Sisters of Mercy, written by Cath-erine McAuley herself, the virtue of mercy is presented very clearly as the fundamental manner in which the followers of Jesus must conduct their lives:

Mercy, the principal path pointed out by Jesus Christ to those who are desirous of following him, has in all ages of the Church excited the faithful in a particular manner to instruct and comfort the sick and dying poor, as in them they regarded the person

3 4

The Call to Mercy The Call to Mercy

Burns, Helen Marie, RSM and Sheila Carney, RSM. Praying with Catherine McAuley, Companions for the Journey Series. Winona, MN: Saint Mary’s Press, 1996.

John Paul II. Encyclical Letter, The Mercy of God (Dives in Misericordia). Boston, MA: St. Paul Books and Media, 1980.

Keenan, James F. The Works of Mercy: The Heart of Ca-tholicism. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Little-field, 2005.

McAuley, Catherine. “Rules and Constitutions of the Religious Sisters of Mercy.” In Catherine McAuley and the Tradition of Mercy, edited by Mary C. Sullivan. Notre Dame, IN: University of Notre Dame Press, 1995.

of our Divine Master, who has said, "Amen, I say to you, as long as you did it to one of these my least brethren, you did it to Me."

✜ from the Original Rule of the Sisters of Mercy

The Constitutions of the Sisters of Mercy, the cen-tral document governing the life and mission of the congregation, is very strong in its understanding of the primacy of service to people who are poor.

Recalling the words of Jesusthat he is one with his suffering members,we respond to the cry of the poor.Through direct serviceand through our influencewe seek to relieve misery,to address its causesand to support all personswho struggle for full dignity.

✜ Constitutions #3

Sisters of Mercy and Mercy Associates experience God’s mercy in our own lives and in turn offer it to others.

The Call to AssociationA Mercy Associate is a person who has experi-

enced God's mercy in her/his own particular life and unique circumstances and who discerns the call to live out a commitment to Mercy in a formal relationship with the Sisters of Mercy. Mercy Associates are called to a life of prayer and service to the poor, sick, and ig-norant. Associates live out their commitment within the wider Mercy community. Unlike sisters who take formal vows of poverty, chastity, obedience, and service for life, associates make a formal covenant and respond to their call to Mercy as they are able within the con-text of their daily lives.

Associates live out their call to Mercy in the fol-lowing ways:

✜ Associates lead lives of prayer, both individu-ally and communally with Sisters of Mercy and Mercy Associates.

✜ Associates accept the Mercy mission and foster it.

✜ Associates work for justice in collaboration with the Sisters of Mercy.

✜ Associates actively embrace the Critical Con-cerns of the Sisters of Mercy:

◆ to deepen and assimilate more consciously the practice of nonviolence as an integral aspect of the charism of mercy;

◆ to deepen our response to the unrecognized and unreconciled racism, past and present, within our community;

◆ to reverence Earth and work more effectively toward the sustainability of life and toward universal recognition of the fundamental right to water;

◆ to continue to embrace our particular concern for women;

◆ to stand in solidarity with immigrants.

✜ Associates identify themselves as partners in Mercy.

✜ Associates draw support from and lend support to the Sisters of Mercy.

✜ Associates seek opportunities for spiritual en-richment, both individually and communally with Sisters of Mercy and Mercy Associates.

✜ Associates commit to regular participation in Mercy and associate gatherings and activities.

✜ Associates work to extend the charism of Mer-cy into the future.

Association is more than a friendship with a sister or associate. Associates and Sisters of Mercy support one another in prayer and ministry as they grow in the Mercy charism. Some associates are employed by the Sisters of Mercy in sponsored institutions; some do volunteer work with the sisters; others bring Mercy to their families and work place or other volunteer set-tings. All are united in their desire to become more

compassionate women and men by witnessing God’s mercy to the world.

For Reflection ✢ How have you experienced the Mercy of God in

your life? ✢ Were there/are there people who inspire you by

their acts of compassion? ✢ Are there particular kinds of suffering that call to

your merciful heart?

SourcesConstitutions of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas. Silver

Spring, MD: Institute of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, 1992.

MERCYA S SOC IATE Sare women and men who hear

and respond to a call from God,an invitation to Gospel holiness

lived through sharing in the mission of Mercy.They desire to walk with and care for those

who are poor, sick, and uneducated.Associates, while maintaining individual

lifestyles, seek to embody the spirit of Mercy in partnership with the Community of the Sisters

of Mercy through a mutual covenant.As identified by Foundress, Catherine

McAuley, the mission of Mercy is central for Associates, who share in prayer, community,

ministry, and friendship.

Mercy Associate Identity Statement (2010)

65

Catherine McAuley1778—1841

The time and place into which Catherine McAuley was born were not unlike our own. The rich were very rich and the poor were very poor.

Extreme wealth and extreme poverty marked the social and economic reality of Ireland, straining the few welfare systems available. Modern progress eased life’s burdens for some, while civil war, politi-cal unrest, and disease weakened the support systems of many others, mainly women and children. Persons of means often viewed poor people with condescen-sion and distaste. Unrest and suffering abounded in the streets and homes of the disadvantaged, while the wealthy enjoyed fashionable food, clothing, and entertainment.

✜ Praying with Catherine McAuley, p. 14

Since the sixteenth century, the Penal Laws against Catholics had deprived the majority of the population of most basic civil and human rights. Although re-pealed by the time Catherine lived, Catholics still suf-fered residual prejudice from the onerous Penal Laws which had suppressed the Catholic Church and its practices and had made it very difficult for Catholics to practice their faith.

Catherine McAuley was born into a wealthy family in Dublin, Ireland, in 1778. Her father, who died when she was five, taught her compassion for poor people and a love for her Catholic faith. Her mother gave up her Catholic faith but instilled in Catherine good manners and self-discipline. Her mother died penniless when Catherine was a teenager. Catherine spent the next few years living among various relatives.

In 1803, Catherine went to live with a rich Protes-tant couple, William and Catherine Callaghan, on their estate outside Dublin. Catherine was a devoted friend

to the Callaghans for over twenty-one years, serving as a companion to Mrs. Callaghan who was often very ill. During her spare time, Catherine served the poor. The Callaghans were Quakers, and they encouraged and funded Catherine’s charitable activities. According to Mary Vincent Harnett, one of Catherine’s earliest companions in Mercy, Catherine was very diligent and loving in her service to the poor.

She collected the poor children of the neighbourhood in the lodge, which was placed at her disposal, and devoted a great portion of her time to their instruc-tion. Her solicitude for the interests of the poor soon drew around her many who hoped to derive from her advice, relief, and consolation. Everyone who had distress to be relieved, or affliction to be miti-gated, or troubles to be encountered came to seek con-solation at her hands, and she gave to the utmost of her ability; her zeal made her a kind of missionary in the small district around her.

✜ Catherine McAuley and the Tradition of Mercy, p. 144

When Mr. Callaghan died in 1822, he left his en-tire estate to Catherine.

In 1827, Catherine used the fortune she inherited to establish the House of Mercy on Baggot Street in Dublin. In a letter to her cherished friend and mentor, Dr. Daniel Murray, she writes:

I wish to mark strongly my zeal and good will for our new Institute in Baggot Street, where I hope the Glory of Almighty God will be promoted, and the mental and corporal distress of the poor in a great degree alleviated.

✜ Correspondence of Catherine McAuley, p. 39

The House of Mercy became the center from which Catherine and her associates gave shelter and education to poor women and children. It was from this house that the sisters went out to respond to hu-man needs in hospitals, homes, and prisons.

Cat�erine McAule� and t�e Mercy TraditionAs a very wealthy woman, Catherine could have

enjoyed the various social activities available to a wom-an of her station in life and contented herself with acts of charity. However, Catherine responded in faith to a deeper call from God. She took to heart the words of Jesus, “As you do to the least of these, you do unto me.”

Catherine McAuley did not structure a religious community until 1831 when she was in her 50s and then only because the Bishop told her that for her works among poor people to continue, she and her friends would have to become religious and take vows of poverty, chastity, and obedi-ence. Catherine’s companions later added an additional vow to “care for the poor, sick and ignorant.”

From 1831-1841 Cath-erine established foundations in England and throughout Ireland. Within fifteen years the congregation spread to Newfoundland, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Scotland, and South America. Catherine never wavered in her devotion to Jesus or to the poor whom she served so well.

Frances Warde1810—1884

Unlike most Catholics during this period in Irish history, Frances had a privileged early life. The initial joy experienced by Frances, the youngest child of John

and Mary Warde, was brutally interrupted by the sud-den death of her mother. Despite this significant loss, Frances at a very early age began to integrate her faith with the whole experience of her younger years. At the age of seventeen Frances moved to Dublin and soon became a leader in her social group. Her fascinating personality won her immediate favor among the youth

of well-to-do society. Through her friendship with Mary Ma-caulay, Frances met the woman whose influence was to change the whole course of her life. Catherine McAuley, (aunt of Mary Macauley), though al-most fifty years of age, had no more thought of founding a religious congregation than the youthful Frances. Together in 1827, both entered the doors of the House of Mercy on Baggot Street. Frances was to become one of Catherine’s dearest friends and closest confidantes. When Catherine commenced her novitiate at George’s Hill with the Presentation Sisters, it was Frances she chose to leave in charge, confident in her abil-

ity to maintain and guide Baggot Street. Until Cath-erine’s death in 1841, they were to share joys and suf-ferings with each other, more than with any others. In 1837 Frances became the founder and first superior of the Sisters of Mercy in County Carlow. Frances’ foun-dations from Carlow embraced Naas, Wexford, and Westport. Her hope and confidence seemed limitless. These gifts inspired Frances and her early sisters to re-main in many famine and typhoid infected areas.

“ You never knew her. I knew her better than I have known anybody in my life. She was a

woman of God, and God made her a woman of vision. She

showed me what it meant to be a Sister of Mercy, to see the

world and its people in terms of God’s love; to love every one who needed love to care for every one who needed care.

Now her vision is driving me on. It is a glorious thing to be a

Sister of Mercy.” Letter from Frances Warde to

Sr. Mary Gonzaga O’Brien (1879)

7 8

Catherine McAuley and the Mercy Tradition Catherine McAuley and the Mercy Tradition

Mercy SpreadsIn 1843, Frances led a group of six young Mercy

sisters from a convent in Carlow, Ireland, to Pittsburgh, where they set up schools, a shelter for women, an or-phanage and the first hospital in Western Pennsylva-nia. Before her death in Manchester, New Hampshire in 1884, Frances established convents and institutions in Chicago, Providence, Hartford, Philadelphia, and Omaha. In turn, these foundations led to other com-munities in Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Maine, Pennsylvania, and Vermont. More sisters followed Frances from Ire-land and women in local areas joined the sisters. Soon Mercy communities abounded across the continent. Before the end of the nineteenth century, Argentina, Jamaica, and Guyana welcomed Sisters of Mercy.

The sisters worked tirelessly wherever they went, educating children and adults, healing sick persons in hospitals, homes, and even on the battlefield, maintain-ing the tradition of serving the needs of the commu-nity.

Mercy TodayFrom a humble beginning in Ireland, the commu-

nity of Mercy spread throughout the world and is to-day continuing to spread the Gospel.

It is this witness of Gospel values that draws lay women and men into the Mercy community as associ-ates who desire to join with others in a unique way to share in the charism of Catherine McAuley.

Just as Catherine responded to emerging needs in the cities, towns, and rural areas of Ireland, Sisters of Mercy and Mercy associates are sensitive to the many faces of poverty:

✜ inadequate education and health care services; ✜ substandard housing; ✜ legal and social services needs; ✜ systemic restrictions that bar persons from re-

ceiving the help they need.Sisters of Mercy and Mercy Associates can be

found in Catholic schools and institutions of higher

Direction Statement of the Fourth Institute Chapter (2005)

At their Chapter in 1991, when the Sisters of Mercy came together as the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, the Sisters articulated their foundational Direction Statement. Several additions since then produced the 2005 Direction Statement:Animated by the Gospel and Catherine McAuley’s passion for the poor, we, the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, are impelled to commit our lives and resources to act in solidarity with

✢ The economically poor of the world, especially women and children; ✢ Women seeking fullness of life and equality in church and society; and ✢ One another as we embrace our multicultural and international reality.

This commitment will impel us to ✢ Develop and act f rom a multicultural and international perspective; ✢ Speak with a corporate voice; ✢ Work for systemic change; ✢ Practice nonviolence; ✢ Act in harmony and interdependence with all creation; and ✢ Call ourselves to continual conversion in our lifestyle and ministries.

learning, health care and social services—the range of ministries is almost endless. The common thread in the ministerial presence of Mercy is a desire to act in soli-darity with persons who are poor, women seeking the fullness of life and equality, children, and multicultural and international realities.

Wherever Mercy sisters, associates, and their co-ministers may be, the heritage of service continues.

For Reflection ✢ Are there aspects of Catherine’s life that you recog-

nize in your own life? What strikes you most about Catherine?

✢ What appeals to you about Frances Warde? ✢ Do you know any Sisters of Mercy today? If so,

what attracts you as you think about becoming an Associate?

SourcesHealy, Kathleen. Frances Warde: American Founder of the

Sisters of Mercy. New York: Seabury Press, 1973.Sullivan, Mary C., RSM. Catherine McAuley and the

Tradition of Mercy. Four Courts Press, Dublin, and the University of Notre Dame Press, 1995; paperback edition, 2000.

———. The Correspondence of Catherine McAuley, 1818-1841. Dublin, Ireland: Four Courts Press and The Catholic University of America Press, 2004.

Mercy Prayer for GuidanceCome, O life-giving Spirit, transform us. Stir up in us the flame of love which is your gift.

Give us wisdom to see as you see. Give us understanding to hear as you hear. Give us

courage and strength to walk the way of justice and integrity. Kindle in us wonder and awe, that we may have grateful spirits.

You who dwell within us, praying unceasingly, fill us with love and devotion.

Holy Wisdom, guide us in the choices we must make. Give us discerning hearts that we may

choose what is good, in accord with your desire. Loving God of mercy, finish in us the

work you have begun. Amen.

109

PrayerThe life of a Mercy Associate, like the life of a Sis-

ter of Mercy, is a life rooted and grounded in prayer. Women and men who are called to Mercy usually al-ready have a life-long experience of prayer and often are seeking ways to deepen their relationship to God in Mercy. Commitment to individual and communal prayer is an important dimension of association.

The Example of JesusThe prayer life of a Mercy Associate, like all other

aspects of associate life is modeled on the life of Je-sus. Jesus was a person of prayer. He prayed in the morning (Mark 1:35). Sometimes he prayed all night long (Luke 6:12). He withdrew to the mountains and to the desert to be alone in prayer. Jesus told the par-able of the persistent widow to em-phasize the importance of praying always and never losing heart (Luke 18:1-8). When his disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray, he gave them the simple and lovely words of the Lord's Prayer:

Father, hallowed be your name.Your kingdom come.Give us each day our daily bread.And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us.And do not bring us to the time of trial.

✜ Luke 11:2-4 (NRSV)

The pattern of prayer that Jesus gave to his disciples emphasizes the worship of God, the Holy One. In prayer we praise God, and we ask God to make God's reign of holiness, justice, and peace present among us.

What Is Prayer?In Christian life and practice, prayer is an act of

faith and of hope. In prayer, we express our faith in a loving and gracious God. Any time we consciously and intentionally place ourselves in the presence of God, we are praying. Prayer is communion with God, the Holy One, the One who creates, redeems, and sancti-fies us. Prayer can take many forms, for example, con-versation with God (which includes listening), peti-tions for ourselves or others, expressions of gratitude, quiet contemplation of some aspect of the God-life.

Seeking forgiveness or healing are also important aspects of prayer. In the Hebrew tradition, prayer is thought of as three-dimensional: direct communion with God, study of the scriptures, and service. We believe that God is both within and beyond us, always present to us; prayer is our effort to be present to God in all aspects of our lives. And God responds in our knowings, be they intellectual or emotional, of-fering us opportunities for personal and spiritual growth.

For me, prayer is an upward leap of the heart, an untroubled glance towards heaven, a cry of gratitude and love which I utter from the depths of sorrow as well as from the heights of joy. It has a supernatural grandeur which expands the soul

and unites it with God. I say an Our Father or a Hail Mary when I feel so spiritually barren that I cannot summon up a single worth while thought. These two prayers fill me with rapture and feed and satisfy my soul.

✜ St. Thérèse of Lisieux, The Story of a Soul, p. 140

Through prayerwe adore God

as the Merciful One;we seek to discoverGod’s movement

in us andin our world;we learn how

to forgive and

we intercedefor ourselves

and for others.• Constitutions, #10

T�e Soul o� MercyWhy Pray?

For Mercy Associates and Sisters of Mercy, time spent cultivating a relationship with God is essential to our vocation. While we know that God loves us and knows all of our needs, we believe that God also wants to be in relationship with us, wants our love and at-tention. It is in prayer that we open ourselves to the graces and call of the Holy One. As we place ourselves at God’s disposal, we receive the strength and courage to pursue virtue, to become more holy, more like the Holy One. Opening ourselves to the Holy One allows us to recognize God’s mercy in our lives and God’s call to channel that mercy into compassionate action on behalf of others. Every day women and men find com-fort, joy, and greater compassion as they seek to know and receive the mercy of God.

How Shall We Pray?At a very basic level, prayer is turning one’s heart

and mind to God. It is a choice to recognize God’s presence at a given moment and to respond to God’s invitation. It may be a cry for help, a word of thanks, an aspiration repeated from time to time, or “saying" a favorite prayer. Or it may be a quiet reflection on the scriptures or other readings, or contemplative silence, centering prayer. Or it could be a joint effort in com-munity to pray together silently, in prayer services, or in Eucharist. Prayer may also take the form of recogniz-ing the face of Jesus in those we are serving or attend-ing to the power of the Spirit in a meeting. God is with us during every moment of our lives—it is our task to awaken to God's presence within us and around us.

In his letter to the Romans St. Paul reminds us that God is the source of our prayer and God will always help us to pray even when we have no idea how to pray:

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

✜ Romans 8:26-27 (NRSV)

Much more important than the type of prayer we choose to pray is the attitude of gracious presence that we bring to our prayer. The following are hallmarks of authentic prayer:

✜ humility ✜ openness ✜ gratitude ✜ praise ✜ awareness ✜ intentionality ✜ presence

Ultimately, it is the attitude with which we pray, not the type of prayers that we pray, that is the most impor-tant quality of our prayer.

Commitment to PrayerRecognizing that prayer is essential to our call to

mercy, we must commit ourselves to cultivating the practice of prayer. This requires discipline, as does ev-ery effort to transform ourselves into ever more loving, holy persons. Prayer, like all virtues, needs to become a habit, a way of living our lives that is so much a part of us it comes automatically. Setting aside regular times for personal prayer, practicing frequent short silent prayers, choosing to join associates, sisters or others in times of prayer, participating in Eucharist—all help cultivate our relationship with God. As prayer becomes ever more constant in our lives, we may well recognize that we are becoming ever more loving, merciful, and compassionate toward others.

11 12

Prayer—The Soul of Mercy Prayer—The Soul of Mercy

Mercy Prayer BookThe Morning and Evening Prayer of the Sisters of

Mercy was developed as the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas came together to form a new Institute in 1991. Intended as a resource “to enhance our individual and communal prayer,” it offers the opportunity to pray the cycles and seasons of the church using texts from the Mercy tradition (Morning and Evening Prayer, p. vi). The simple format is “that of the cathedral office, an ancient form of church prayer that predates the monastic office” and was intended for use by the laity (Morning and Evening Prayer, p. viii).

Individuals and communities of sisters and/or as-sociates use this prayer book to enhance their personal and communal prayer. A selection of Mercy readings at the end of the book provides rich resources for reflection and study of the Mercy charism. Though now in short supply, Morning and Evening Prayer can sometimes be found in Sisters of Mercy of-fices. The daily prayers can also be found online at www.mercy-prayers.org.

Sabbath RestAs the Scriptures tell us, “God

rested on the seventh day” (Gene-sis 2:2). We, too, are called to rest, both physically and spiritually, in order to be healthy and attend to the spiritual life. The demands of our work, family, and friends can be enormous; they are the “stuff ” of our lives. Our ministries and our hu-man relationships are the avenues through which we live out God’s call to mercy. God also calls us to rest, to retreat, to quiet times when our souls can be refreshed in God’s presence. “Come to me and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). Different from the relaxation we find in reading, hobbies, or watching TV, the rest that the Holy One offers is spiritual refreshment, the opportunity to set everything else aside and just be

unbounded confidence in the Blessed Virgin. We are to fly to her in all our difficulties and spiritual needs…” (Retreat Instructions, p. 86).

You may have a particular devotion to the Blessed Sacrament, to Jesus as the Sa-cred Heart, to the cross, the rosary, the holy angels, or to a particu-lar saint, perhaps even Cath-erine herself.

All devotions are intended to provide as-sistance along the way in our spiritual jour-ney to becoming more holy, more in love with God. We understand ourselves to be among the communion of saints, the “great cloud of wit-nesses” who together seek to embrace the Holy One.

For Reflection ✢ What commitment do you make to prayer?

Frequent? Daily? Retreat? Are there particular re-sources you find helpful in your prayer (e.g., Scrip-ture, books, particular authors, CDs, etc.)?

✢ Do you have opportunities for communal prayer? Are there aspects to communal prayer that you find particularly helpful?

✢ Do you have special devotions that you find helpful in prayer?

Sources & ResourcesMorning and Evening Prayer of the Sisters of Mercy. In-

stitute of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, 1998.

Burns, Helen Marie, RSM and Sheila Carney, RSM. Praying with Catherine McAuley, Companions for the Journey Series. Winona, MN: Saint Mary’s Press, 1996.

present to God. In that place of spiritual refreshment, God provides nourishment, consolation, challenge, and courage for continuing the journey of life.

Retreat DaysDeveloping a rhythm of stepping away from the

usual activities of life can be an important component of our spiritual life. Retreat times can provide rest for body, mind and spirit, as well as opportunities for open-ing ourselves to God’s communication to us.

From time to time Association offers a retreat day or weekend for associates and sisters in one or more local areas. An effort is made to move these to vari-ous local areas and to provide financial assistance for travel so they can be available to everyone. Flowing

from themes being developed in Association, these are wonderful opportunities to pray together and to nurture your soul in Sab-bath rest.

Annual retreats of five to sev-en days, either preached or direct-ed, are available in retreat centers in various areas of the country. Such centers also offer weekend opportunities for retreat on vari-ous themes or topics appropriate to the church year. Directed re-treats, in which one would usu-ally meet with a retreat director once a day, can focus on whatever is in the heart and soul of an indi-

vidual, for example, a decision you are trying to discern, a desire to grow in your prayer life, or an openness to whatever God is inviting you to next.

DevotionsMany people find devotions to be a source of in-

spiration for their prayer and daily lives. Catherine McAuley placed her order under the protection of Our Lady of Mercy (whose feast we celebration on Septem-ber 24th, Mercy Day). She reflected: “…we are to have

Prayer is a plant the seed of which is sown in every

Christian, but its growth entirely depends on the care

we take to nourish it. If neglected, it will die; if nourished by constant

practice it will blossom and produce fruit in abundance.

• Catherine McAuley,Retreat Instructions, p. 90

Chittister, Joan. The Breath of the Soul: Reflections on Prayer. New London, CT: Twenty-third Pub-lications, 2009.

Clough, Joy. Intercessions of Mercy: Prayers by Members of the Sisters of Mercy of

the Americas. Skokie: IL: ACTA Publications, 2009.

Deignan, Kathleen, ed. Thomas Merton: A Book of

Hours. Notre Dame, IN: Sorin Books, 2007.

McAuley, Catherine. Familiar Instructions of Rev. Mother McAuley, Foundress of the Insti-

tute of the Religious Sis-ters of Mercy, Dublin, Ire-

land. New and revised ed. St. Louis, MO: Vincentian

Press, 1927.

———. Retreat Instructions of Mother Mary Catherine McAuley. Comp. Mary Teresa Purcell, RSM. Ed. [Mary Bertrand Degnan, RSM]. Westminster, MD: Newman Press, 1952.

Muller, Wayne. Learning to Pray: How We Find Heaven on Earth. New York: Bantam Books, 2003.

———. Sabbath: Finding Rest, Renewal, and Delight in Our Busy Lives. New York: Bantam Books, 2000.

Rupp, Joyce. The Cup of Our Life: A Guide to Spiri-tual Growth. New ed. Notre Dame, IN: Sorin Books, 2012.

Spoto, Donald. In Silence: Why We Pray. New York: Vi-king Compass, 2004.

Thérèse of Lisieux. The Autobiography of St. Thérèse of Lisieux: The Story of a Soul. New York: Image Books, 2001.

Gracious and loving God,I am grateful for your call to

Mercy. As I go about my busy life, help me always to remember

you are with me. Give me the insight and strength to be your

merciful presence to each person and situation I meet today.

Amen!

Prayer for Busy Associates

1413

We have one solid c

omfor

t ami

dst t

his l

ittle

tripp

ing ab

out: ou

r hearts can always be in the same place, centered in God, for whom alone we go forward or stay back.

CHRISTIA

N

COMMUNITY FAMILY

ASSOCIAT

E

COMMUNITYMERCY

COMMUNITY

•

Above all, Mercy communities are communities of faith—faith in the tender and loving mercy of Jesus and in the powerful and transformative power of the Holy Spirit to work through our own humble actions to bring about the reign of God.

Christian CommunityChristian community includes not only those

among our immediate Mercy communities; rather, Christian community comprises all Christians, all companions on the journey who live their lives cen-tered in Christ and his work on earth. The writer of the Letter to the Hebrews offers the deep symbol of the "cloud of witnesses" to remind us that we are ever supported by all the follow-ers of Jesus, living and dead, who run the good race:

Therefore, since we are sur-rounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disre-garding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.

✜ (Hebrews 12: 1-2)

Authentic Christian community may also be re-ferred to as the communion of saints. The communion of saints includes not only those whose lives have been recognized by the official church as exceeding in holi-ness; rather, it extends far beyond these select few and includes those ordinary and not so ordinary folk who

Community“give living witness that the Spirit has not abandoned the church and thus grace continues more powerful than evil in every age” (Friends of God and Prophets, p. 228). Our chief task as Christians is to run together the good race with Jesus, living lives of holiness and peace, seeking justice, protecting the poor and the weak, cher-ishing the earth in all its vulnerable splendor, so that we, too, may participate in the great cloud of witnesses, the communion of saints.

Catherine gathered around herself a community of believers who shared in her mission to provide educa-

tion, housing, and loving care for the poor women of Dublin. Like Catherine

and the community of believers she assembled about her, asso-

ciates are called to be a com-munity of believers who live the charism of Mercy in our everyday lives and in the work we do to bring about the reign of God here on earth.

Associate Community

The community of believ-ers in Mercy Association are

those persons who have conscious-ly committed to furthering the Mercy

charism, its tradition, and core values, both communally and in our own unique everyday lives. As-sociates themselves form community as they come to-gether in local areas for regular prayer and discussion, as well as ministry projects. Relationships also develop in the wider associate retreats and conferences so that a sense of associate community spreads throughout the Community.

T�e Heart o� MercyMercy Community

Associates also join in community with the Sis-ters of Mercy to support our individual and communal efforts in Mercy. Since community life is essential to religious life, the sisters have numerous opportunities throughout the year for building community—and of-ten invite associates to join them. It is important to take advantage of these opportunities, at least now and then as your schedule allows, so that you can build relationships with sisters as well as other associates. Our partnerships in Mercy life and ministry are vital to the future of Catherine’s charism. As the sisters say, “Community strengthens us for mission when we lis-ten openly to one another, seek the common good and promote mutual trust” (Constitutions, #19). For those working in Mercy-sponsored ministries, community may include your co-workers. It is up to each of us to work on building community in our daily settings.

Family CommunityFor many associates, our spouses and children, per-

haps parents or other relatives and friends are truly our “base community” in life. It is in the family that many are first introduced to their faith and it is in the fam-ily that we most immediately live out our lives. Our compassionate service finds its expression daily in liv-ing with others who need us; and it is in those close re-lationships that we are challenged to ever more loving ways of living. Some of us may live alone or be distant from immediate family; nevertheless, we can probably identify those who are close to us, those who are truly our “family” on a day-to-day basis, those whose lives shape ours and we theirs. We are challenged to be our most merciful selves to those who are our closest “fam-ily.”

Catherine McAuley’s greatest wish for her com-munity was that we live in union and charity:

It is therefore by being united to Jesus Christ that we will be united with each other. This spirit of union is the greatest blessing Almighty God can bestow on a community, since God looks upon the convent (home) where perfect charity reigns as a de-lightful garden, a paradise where He loves to dwell. Endeavor to contribute as far as in you lies to make that in which you reside such in His sight.”

✜ Retreat Instructions, p. 61

Reflection Questions ✢ Where do I find my primary community? Do I

strive to be my best self with these people? ✢ Have I begun to develop relationships with other

associates and sisters? What could assist me in this? ✢ As I strive to build community wherever I am, do I

work toward union and charity in each group?

SourcesJohnson, Elizabeth A. Friends of God and Prophets: A

Feminist Theological Reading of the Communion of Saints. New York: Continuum, 1998.

McAuley, Catherine. Retreat Instructions of Mother Mary Catherine McAuley. Comp. Mary Teresa Purcell, RSM. Ed. [Mary Bertrand Degnan, RSM]. Westminster, MD: Newman Press, 1952.

1615

Catholic Social Teaching

Beginning with Pope Leo’s ground-breaking encyc-lical in 1891, Rerum Novarum (“The Condition of Labor”), the Church has had a rich his-tory of teaching about justice. Associates are challenged to

know these teachings and to carry out our social re-sponsibilities. The U.S. Catholic bishops have written on the following themes:

Life and Dignity of the Human PersonThe Catholic Church proclaims that human life is sacred and that the dignity of the human person is the foundation of a moral vision for society. This belief is the foundation of all the principles of Catholic social teaching.

The associate call to ministry flows from the Gos-pel, Catholic social teaching, and Catherine McAuley’s deep compassion for and service to poor people. The Sisters of Mercy take a fourth vow “to serve the poor, sick and ignorant” and articulate their mission in this way: “Through direct service and through our influ-ence we seek to relieve misery, to address its causes and to support all persons who struggle for full dignity. To this end we serve God’s people through education, health care and other ministries that fur-ther social, political, econom-ic and spiritual well-being” (Constitutions, # 3-4). Associ-ates partner with the sisters in this mission.

Compassionate Care: Direct Service to

God’s PeopleThe Gospels are overflow-

ing with descriptions of Jesus’ ministry to a wide variety of people. His story about the Good Samaritan is an icon of our call to care for one another. Catherine herself calls us to give of ourselves generously: “We can never say ‘it is enough'" (Familiar Instructions, p. 2).

Recognizing that associates have a wide range of lifestyles and responsibilities, we live our call to min-istry wherever we are able. We give our compassionate service to our families and friends, in our workplace, in our volunteer ministries—wherever we encounter peo-ple in need. The Works of Mercy flow from the Gospel and articulate clearly the many needs of our human

community. For some, “Through the special ministry of prayer and patient suffering, we witness to union with the crucified Christ, encouraging those engaged in other works of mercy and interceding for the whole church” (Constitutions, # 4).

Serving with other sisters and associates can be a special joy, whether in a Mercy-sponsored ministry or elsewhere. There may be regular projects in your area,

e.g., assisting immigrants to relocate, teaching English, or helping in a soup kitchen. At times there are unusual op-portunities for service with Mercy ministries, e.g., volun-teering in Jamaica or Guyana or Baggot Street, or providing medical services in Peru or Haiti.

Ministry

✜ Mary Jacque Benner, RSM

T�e Work o� MercyCall to Family, Community, and ParticipationThe person is not only sacred but also social.…We believe people have a right and a duty to participate in society, seeking together the common good and well-being of all, especially the poor and vulnerable.

Rights and ResponsibilitiesEvery person has a fundamental right to life and a right to those things required for human decency. Corresponding to these rights are duties and responsibilities –to one another, to our families, and to the larger society.

Option for the Poor and VulnerableA basic moral test is how our most vulnerable members are faring. In a society marred by deepening divisions between rich and poor, our tradition…instructs us to put the needs of the poor and vulnerable first.

The Dignity of Work and the Rights of WorkersThe economy must serve people, not the other way around. The basic rights of workers must be respected—the right to productive work, to decent and fair wages, to the organi-zation and joining of unions, to private property, and to economic initiative.

SolidarityWe are one human family whatever our national, racial, ethnic, economic, and ideological differences. We are our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers, wherever they may be….At the core of the virtue of solidarity is the pursuit of justice and peace.

Care for God’s Creation: "We show our respect for the Creator by our stewardship of creation. Care for the earth is not just an Earth Day slo-gan, it is a requirement of our faith.…This environmental challenge has fundamental moral and ethical dimensions that cannot be ignored”

✜ U. S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, "Themes from Catholic Social Teaching" (2005)

We are all encouraged to study Catholic social teach-ings and to reflect on the particular ways in which we are being called to live them out.

Systemic Change: Seeking Justice for All

Our ministry has two dimensions, both charity and justice. Charity is about direct service, helping people in their present needs. Justice is about action for sys-temic change, removing the root causes of the wide-spread problems that affect many people. Of course, justice can also refer to fairness for individuals in par-ticular situations, but here we are concerned for the long-term issues that keep people from realizing their human, civic, or religious rights.

There are a number of national, regional, local or diocesan groups who have the expertise and responsi-bility to research the issues according to Church justice principles. They all have websites and welcome new participants, depending on your interests. The Sisters of Mercy maintain an Institute Justice Office (see the Institute website, www.sistersofmercy.org) and each Community provides justice services in one way or an-other. Associates are included on justice information and advocacy e-mail lists which offer opportunities to join in widespread Mercy actions for justice.

Reflection Questions: ✢ Where do you see yourself living out your Mercy

ministry? Is there more you could be doing?

✢ What inspires you in the themes of Catholic social teaching?

✢ Have you ever participated in an action for social justice? Was that action successful?

✢ How do you feel when the larger Mercy commu-nity participates in a successful action?

1817

When the Sisters of Mercy in the Americas came together as one Institute in 1991, they articulated their Direction Statement and refined it at each succeeding Chapter (see p. 7 for the 2005 Direction Statement). In the Fourth Institute Chapter in 2005, the Sisters identified their Critical Concerns, an effort to inten-sify the community’s response to the needs of great-est importance to them, calling all of us to conversion. Associates enter into these concerns and work with the sisters to carry them out. The Critical Concerns are represented artistically in the center of this page

NonviolenceThe dove and olive branch are a familiar reminder of our commitment to peace. We are called to deepen and assimilate more consciously the practice of non-violence as an integral aspect of the charism of mercy.

RacismInterlocking hands indicate the effort to achieve racial awareness and harmony. We are called to deepen our response to the unrecognized and un-reconciled racism past and present within our community.

EarthThe globe symbolizes our commitment to preserving the environment. We are called to reverence Earth and work more effectively toward the sustainability of life and to-ward universal recognition of the fundamental right to water.

WomenA dancing figure evokes a joyful spirit of women and the feminine. We are called to continue to embrace our particu-lar concern for women.

ImmigrantsA path and travelling feet depict the migrant journey. We are called to stand in solidarity with immigrants.

IdentityThe thumbprint in the design is intended to

remind us of who we are. It is impor-tant that we know who we are and

what we stand for as Mercy Sis-ters and Associates committed

to these Critical Concerns.

Sisters of Mercy, their ministries and Associ-ates focus on both indi-vidual actions as well as coordinated response to

these concerns in an effort to effect systemic change.

The work of the Institute and Community justice offices is fo-

cused on these Critical Concerns.

Chapter DeclarationIn 2010-2011 sisters and associates participated in

a year-long process to respond to the question: God of Mercy, Wisdom and Mystery, where do we need to be led now to come to both a deeper response to our Critical Con-cerns and a radical embrace of our identity?

The Fifth Institute Chapter in 2011, in which there was a significant number of Associates present, responded with the Chapter Declaration:

Mercy Critical ConcernsHaving listened deeply to the God who speaks in each of us and in this Chapter, we are led:

✜ To deepen and make evident our Gospel-based spirituality through passion for service and vi-brant community life;

✜ To unmask and address the underlying causes of our Critical Concerns and the interconnections among them;

✜ To liberate and redistribute our human and finan-cial resources across the Institute and develop cre-ative solutions to unmet needs acting in solidarity with impoverished people;

✜ To act in ways which contribute to a sustainable future for our Institute, the Church and Earth.

Yearning for integrity of word and deed, we commit, with urgency, to these acts.

The final writing of this Declaration was accom-plished by a group of both Spanish-speaking and English-speaking persons who integrated linguistic concepts from both languages. The introduction is par-ticularly striking and presses both sisters and associates to deepen our commitment to the Critical Concerns:

“We are scandalized by the increase in the impover-ishment of peoples, the pervasive denial of basic hu-man rights, the degradation of Earth and increased violence and racism in all their forms. We mourn the continued oppression of women in Church and society, unjust immigration laws and the lack of solidarity among peoples and nations. Even as we acknowledge our complicity, we contemplate the gift of God’s Mercy….”

There is much material here for daily reflection, for continual deepening of our commitment to Mercy.

Reflection Questions ✢ Is there one Critical Concern that particularly calls

to you? Are you involved in any ministry related to this Concern?

✢ Are there any that cause you to struggle toward commitment? Why? You will want to discuss this with other associates and/or sisters.

✢ Can you embrace the introduction to the Chapter Declaration? Strong language can lead to stronger commitment!

�ike good stewards of the manifold grace

of God, serve one another with whatever gift

each of you has received.

• 1 Peter 4:10

2019

Mercy Association in the United StatesThe evolution of the lay associate movement in the United States f inds roots in the Church renewal inspired by the Second Vatican Council (1962-65). In particular, the Dogmatic Constitution of the Church (Lumen Gentium) emphasized the “universal call to holiness” which encouraged the laity to assume their role in the church along with clergy and religious. Religious were encouraged to support the laity and collaborate with them in their journey toward holiness.

However, the concept of lay/religious association is not a new phenomenon. More specif ically, the Mercy order along with many other religious orders was founded by lay persons. Also, like many other orders, collaboration with the laity was a familiar mode of operation for the early Sisters of Mercy. It is clear that Catherine McAuley never hesitated to collaborate with the laity in her mis-sion of Mercy.

The more recent phenomenon of association after Vatican II emerged f irst in some regional com-munities in 1969-70 and spread throughout the U.S. through the 1970s and 80s.

The Sisters of Mercy of the Union accepted a def inition of association at their tenth General Chap-ter, 1974. They def ined it as “that Christian person who willingly enters into agreement to share and contribute to the life of the Mercy community in its corporate mission which is to carry out the Gospel message.”

✜ from Report on Associate Survey to the Institute of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas (May 1993)

Indeed, association is not a new phenomenon in the church. Throughout church history, many religious or-ders were founded by lay persons, and the communities they founded continued to collaborate extensively with lay persons. The association movement in the church is still in its early stages, as many laity identify with the precious charisms held by religious communities over the years. As the numbers of women and men religious shrink, it appears that the Spirit is finding new ways to preserve and expand their charisms through the laity.

Associate programs—by whatever name they have been called through time: Oblates, a Benedictine term as old as the sixth century; Confraters, in medieval monasteries; the lay preacher tertiaries

of thirteenth century France; Franciscan, Do-minican and Carmelite Third Orders of the later Middle Ages; or groups like the Jesuit volunteers, the Mercy Corps, and Maryknoll Lay Missioners of today—are simply meant to give new life, new space, new stretch to the charisms of the spirit and the religious congregations whose task it is to proc-tor their treasures for the rest of the world.

✜ from “Let the Call Be Heard”

When the Institute of the Sisters of Mercy was founded in 1991, association was included in the Sis-ters of Mercy Directory: “Regional communities may invite women and men who are committed to another state of life to share in various aspects of our Mercy life

Historyand ministry. Such associations are organized accord-ing to guidelines and policies developed by the regional communities.” As a result of this policy, association has taken different forms in various Mercy communities, including prayer partners and friends of the sisters, ministry co-workers, and regional groups whose indi-vidual members enter into covenant relationships with the Sisters of Mercy. The number of persons becoming Mercy Associates has gradually increased and today stands over 3,100 throughout the U.S.

Gradually, associates themselves have volunteered or been hired by the sisters to lead the association in regional communities, now Communities. By 1985 there was a loose organization of associate leaders that met annually. In 1998 the leaders formed the Mercy Association Leadership Network (MALN) and have made good strides in developing a common definition of association and some common practices throughout the Institute.

Reflection Questions ✢ Were you aware that most religious communities

were founded by lay persons? And that lay partners have often been associated with religious commu-nities throughout the ages? Can you think of some lay partner groups other than Mercy Associates?

✢ Association is being seen as a relatively new move-ment in the Church. What is that likely to look like if the religious communities grow smaller and asso-ciate communities grow larger within the Church?

✢ What is your current experience of Mercy religious and lay partnerships?

o� Mercy AssociationSources

Chittister, Joan, hhOSB. "Let the Call Be Heard" was first given at the North American Conference of Associates and Religious (NACAR) in Mil-waukee, WI in 2002.

Jeffries, RSM, Rosemary, et al. Report on Associate Sur-vey for the Institute of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, 1993.

May it trulybe saidthere isin us

but one heartand one soul

in God. Catherine McAuleyFamiliar Instructions

2221

During this time of discernment, pre-associates are asked to look deeply into your souls to ascertain whether or not you wish to commit to Mercy. Am I being called by God to live out the Mercy charism of Catherine McAuley to serve the poor, sick and unedu-cated? Am I ready to enter into a covenant relationship with God, Mercy Associates, and Sisters of Mercy? Through study, conversation, and prayer around the topics in this booklet, you will experience the Spirit leading and challenging you to the right decision.

What is a Covenant Relationship?

A covenant is a promise. The biblical covenants represent not just a contractual agree-ment, but also a passion-ate relationship between God and humanity. A covenant is based on God’s call and mercy and always invites the person or people to an intention-al lifestyle now that they are in a special relationship with God.

Different from a contrac-tual agreement in which both parties make a deal for the benefit of each one, a covenant is a solemn and mutual agreement in which the obligation is voluntarily assumed for the common good of both individuals. Our covenant promise is made in order to define a very loving rela-tionship involving the Triune God. Our Mercy cov-enant is more like a moral bond between you and God, the Sisters of Mercy and the Mercy Associates.

As we enter into a covenant relationship, there are responsibilities on the part of each to cultivate the rela-tionship for the good of God’s people.

Responsibility of Sisters of Mercy to Associates

The Sisters of Mercy provide moral, spiritual, and personal support to associates. They share the spirit of Mercy by inviting associates to participate in prayer experiences, apostolic service, and some dimensions of community life. They extend hospitality and accompany

associates on their faith journey. The sisters give associates access to the many programs

and services the community pro-vides. When appropriate, they welcome associates to serve

on community commit-tees and to be involved in many community activities. The Sisters of Mercy have no finan-cial responsibility to or for individual associates but they share the costs of the Association.

Responsibility of Associates to Sisters

of MercyAssociates agree to participate in

appropriate community, prayer and ministry activities of the Sisters of Mercy and in Mercy Associ-ate activities as circumstances allow, including regular local associate groups. The associates have no financial responsibility for the Sisters of Mercy or their minis-tries. As partners, the Sisters of Mercy and Mercy As-sociates share the cost of the Association according to

Committing

�esponsive in faith to God’s mercy Catherine McAuley heeded the call of �esu

s to rea

ch ou

t in c

oura

ge an

d lov

e to t

he nee

dy of her time.

to Mercyeach person’s ability. A pledge for the calendar year may be made annually and donations are tax deductible. As-sociates pay their own expenses for retreats or meetings that have a fee; some financial aid may be available for travel.

Responsibility of Associate to Associate

Associates respond to our call by giving witness in lives lived through prayer, ministry, community, and in mutual relationship with Sisters of Mercy, Mercy Asso-ciates, Mercy Volunteers, and Companions. Associates have a responsibility to care about and be concerned for one another as well as for the Sisters of Mercy. In local areas associates meet regularly for prayer, discus-sion, and building community. While there is no legal responsibility or list of required activities, associates are expected to know and support one another in their re-sponse to Mercy and to share in leadership and finan-cial support of the Association.

DiscernmentDiscernment is not so much a rational decision-

making process, but rather listening to what God is doing in my life, where God is leading. The length of a person’s journey in this discernment process as a pre-associate takes as long as needed.

Reflection Questions ✢ Knowing what Association is and its benefits and

responsibilities, do I see this as a good fit for me at this time in my life? Do I still have some hesita-tions?

✢ Have I experienced God’s call and my conviction that Mercy is the principal path for me?

✢ Do I wish to further the values and mission of the Sisters of Mercy by allowing my life to be shaped by the Mercy charism and legacy, actively contrib-uting to its growth and direction, and sharing gen-erously my gifts with the Mercy community?

✢ Am I prepared to live out my commitment to prayer, community, and ministry in Mercy?

Associate Covenant

Having experienced God’s call to Mercy and compassionate service and inspired by Catherine McAuley, I commit myself as an Associate with the Sisters of Mercy. I understand that in making this commitment I am entering into a relationship with the Sisters of Mercy that is rooted in a deep mutual respect for one another and for Mercy life. I wish to further the values and mission of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas by allowing my life to be shaped by the Mercy charism and legacy, actively contributing to its growth and direction, and sharing generously my gifts with the Mercy community.

2423

FORMATIONCall - an inner sense of being drawn to a person, an activity, a way of living which remains constant over a period of time.

Charism - the particular gift the founder/found-ress of a religious community brings to the Church. It is this charism which both sisters and associates choose to embody in their lives.

Charity - the direct service helping people survive their present crisis.

Church - The Church is both the means and the goal of God’s plan, prefigured in creation, prepared for in the Old Covenant, founded by the words and actions of Jesus Christ, fulfilled by his redeeming cross and his Resurrection. The church has been manifested as the mystery of salvation by the out-pouring of the Holy Spirit. She will be perfected in the glory of heaven and the assembly of all the redeemed of the earth.

Covenant - a commitment, rooted in a faith choice, to live one’s life in a committed way.

This covenant is between the individual, other Mercy Associates and the Sisters of Mercy.

Discernment - the process of being open to where and how God is leading an individual. This evolves throughout one’s entire life but comes to clear con-sciousness when praying over the call to associa-tion.

Mission - The mission of the Sisters of Mercy and Mercy Associates centers around loving and gener-ous service to poor and marginalized persons, espe-cially women and children.

We carry out our mission of mercyguided by prayerful consideration of the needs of our time, Catherine McAuley's preferential love for the poor and her special concern for women, the pastoral priorities of the universal and local church and our talents, resources and limitations.

✜ Constitutions, #7

Ministry - Ministry is anything we do in loving service for others in the name of Jesus.

Recalling the words of Jesusthat he is one with his suffering members,we respond to the cry of the poor.Through direct serviceand through our influencewe seek to relieve misery,to address its causesand to support all personswho struggle for full dignity.

✜ Constitutions, #3

Promise - a declaration, written or verbal, made by one person to another person or group of persons, which binds the person who makes it to fulfill the obligations specified in the promise.

Titles

Vowed Members - women who have consecrated their lives to God by publicly professing vows of chastity, poverty, obedience and the service of the poor, sick and ignorant. Women who have taken final vows make that commitment for life.

Associate - a lay person who has made a formal covenant as a Mercy Associate.

Mercy Association Basic Terms and ResourcesCo-minister - a person who is employed or who volunteers in a Mercy-sponsored, co-sponsored, or collaborative ministry.

Companions in Mercy - persons committed to a life of service, prayer in the spirit of the Gospel, and the charism of Mercy. Companions take a single, private vow of Mercy expressing the inten-tional orientation of their lives toward the mercy of God. Companions acknowledge responsibility to be faithful to the mission of mercy.

Pre-Associate - a person who is discerning a call to Mercy Association.

Mercy OrganizationsMercy Volunteer Corps (MVC) - a full-time lay volunteer program offering placement in the conti-nental U.S. and Guyana, South America for a one- year commitment. Mercy Volunteers serve in edu-cation, health care, and social services. Volunteers commit to service, a simple lifestyle in community, and personal and communal spiritual growth.

Mercy Associate Leadership Network (MALN) organization of associate leaders from the six Insti-tute Communities; includes a liaison for the Insti-tute Leadership Team.

Mercy Governance StructuresInternational

Mercy International Association (MIA) - Found-ed in 1992, the Mercy International Association is composed of the leaders of Mercy Congregations, Institutes and Federations throughout the world. The MIA was established to serve the Sisters of Mercy, their associates and colleagues in ministry.

Members of the Association share the passion of their foundress, Catherine McAuley, to bring mer-cy to people who are poor, sick and uneducated.

Institute of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas

The Institute of the Sisters of Mercy of the Ameri-cas is one of eight Mercy institutes or federations around the world. Others are in Australia, Great Britain, Ireland, New Zealand, Newfoundland, the Philippines, and South Africa. The Institute of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas was formed in 1991. The Institute comprises six Communities with more than 3,500 sisters who serve in North, South and Central America, the Caribbean, Guam and the Philippines. More than 3,100 Mercy As-sociates, several Companions in Mercy, over 960 Mercy Volunteer Corps alumni and thousands of co-workers in Mercy-sponsored programs and institutions share in the mission of the Sisters of Mercy. Currently, the six communities are:

Northeast Mid-Atlantic NYPPaW (New York, Pennsylvania, Pacific West) West-Midwest South Central CCASA (Caribbean, Central America, South America)

Institute Chapter - When in session, the Institute Chapter is the highest decision-making body of the Institute. Some Associates attend as non-vot-ing participants.

Institute Leadership Team (ILT) - The Institute is led by a team of five sisters who are elected by members every six years at the Institute Chapter.

2625

Mercy Association Basic Terms

Community Assembly - When in session, the Community Assembly is the highest decision-making body of the Community.

Community Leadership Team (CLT) - Each Community is lead by a CLT elected at the Com-munity Assembly.

DOCUMENTSConstitutions - The constitutions of any religious order in the Roman Catholic Church form the ba-sic document governing the life and work of each particular order. The Constitutions of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas were adopted by the Insti-tute Chapter in 1991 and approved by the Vatican in the same year. The "Spirit and Mission" section of the Constitutions are the first twenty-nine para-graphs which form the heart of the sisters' under-standing of their mission and life together.

PUBLICATIONS¡Viva! Mercy! - Bimonthly publication for sisters, associates and companions of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas.

Mercy Now - Biweekly online newsletter from the Institute.

Mercy E-News - Weekly online newsletter of the Mercy International Center

OTHER ORGANIZATIONSThe North American Conference of Associates and Religious (NACAAR) - The international organization which serves as a catalyst to serve, empower, and promote the associate-religious re-lationship.

“We ought then have great con�dence in God in the discharge of all these oces of

mercy, spiritual and corporal—which constitute the business of our lives. . . .”

Catherine McAuley, “�e Spirit of the Institute”

Additional ResourcesCatherine McAuley and the Tradition of MercySullivan, Mary C., RSM. The Path of Mercy: The Life of

Catherine McAuley. Four Courts Press, Dublin, and The Catholic University of America Press, 2012.

Breaking new ground in presenting the life of Catherine McAuley, the Dublin woman who founded the Sisters of Mercy, Mary Sullivan has written the first full-length, documented narrative of McAuley in more than fifty years. This work places McAuley in her Irish context, particularly in post-penal Dublin, where the destitution, epidemics, and lack of basic education, especially of poor women and young girls, led her to a life of practical mercifulness.

Regan, M. Joanna, RSM, and Isabelle Keiss, RSM. Tender Courage: A Reflection on the Life and Spirit of Catherine McAuley, First Sister of Mer-cy. Chicago, IL: Franciscan Herald Press, 1988.

Theology of MercySobrino, Jon. The Principle of Mercy: Taking the Cruci-

fied People from the Cross. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 1994.

Callahan, Sidney Cornelia. With All Our Heart and Mind: The Spiritual Works of Mercy in a Psycho-logical Age. New York: Crossroad, 1988.

Catholic Social TeachingSelected Papal Encyclicals on Social JusticeLeo XIII, Pope. Rerum Novarum. Vatican, 1891.This encyclical is acknowledged as the first to address social issues. It is in response to the conditions faced by workers following the onset of the Industrial Revolution. Issues it addresses include unbridled capitalism, socialism, the rela-tionship between worker and employer, a living wage, the

relationship between classes and the preferential option for the poor.

Pius XI, Pope. Quadragesimo Anno. Vatican, 1931.Forty years after Rerum Novarum this encyclical further develops the Church’s teaching on labour and industrial-ization, and includes strong critiques of unrestrained capi-talism, communism and classism.

John XXIII, Pope. Mater et Magistra. Vatican, 1961.The Church’s mission is the salvation of souls and the trans-formation of the society. This encyclical addresses the socio-economic conditions and the responsibility of individual Catholics and the Church to work to overcome excessive inequalities. Wealthier nations should assist poorer nations. Advances in science and technology need to be critiqued be-cause they have the power to improve the human condition, but may also pose dangers to life and to human rights.

———. Pacem in terris. Vatican, 1963.This encyclical is the first to be addressed to "all men of good will," instead of just the world's Catholics. It focuses on what is needed for peace in the world, at a time when the Cold War was at its height. The encyclical emphasizes re-lationships, including the rights and duties of individuals, relationships between individuals and the state, relation-ships between states, and the need for global oversight of developments.

Paul VI, Pope. Populorum Progressio. Vatican, 1967.This encyclical proposes a Christian approach to develop-ment, emphasizing that economies should serve all people not just the few, based on the principle of the universal destination of goods. It addresses the right of workers to a just wage and security of employment, fair and reasonable working conditions and the right to unionise.

John Paul II, Pope. Laborem Exercens. Vatican, 1981.This encyclical commemorates the 90th anniversary of Re-rum Novarum, revisiting the rights and dignity of workers. It examines the opposition between those who contribute

27

Additional Resources

capital to the production process and those who contribute labor. Pope John Paul II develops a spirituality of work, considering work to be “a key, probably the essential key, to the whole social question.”

General WorksMassaro, Thomas. Living Justice: Catholic Social Teach-

ing in Action. 2nd classroom ed. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2011.

For over a decade Living Justice has introduced readers to Catholic social teaching. Grounded in scripture, theology, reason, and experience, these faith-based principles for pro-moting justice and peace in modern society have inspired a remarkable burst of social activism in recent decades. The second classroom edition has been revised and updated throughout while maintaining the book's accessible intro-duction to both the foundations of Catholic social teaching and social justice in the world today.

InspirationBoyle, Gregory. Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of

Boundless Compassion: Free Press, 2010.

Lacey, Marilyn, RSM. This Flowing toward Me: A Story of God Arriving in Strangers. Notre Dame, IN: Ave Maria Press, 2009.

Macy, Joanna, and Chris Johnstone. Active Hope: How to Face the Mess We’re in without Going Crazy. Novato, Calif.: New World Library, 2012.

Miles, Sara. Jesus Freak: Feeding, Healing, Raising the Dead. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2010.

Critical ConcernsAdichie, Chimamanda. "The Danger of a Single Story."

Filmed July 2009. TED video. Posted October 2009. http://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story.html.

Alexander, Michelle. The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness. Rev. ed. New York, NY: New Press, 2012.

Hessel-Robinson, Timothy, and Ray Maria McNama-ra, RSM. Spirit and Nature: The Study of Chris-tian Spirituality in a Time of Ecological Urgency. Princeton Theological Monograph Series. Eu-gene, Oregon: Pickwick Publications, 2011.

Kristof, Nicholas D. and Sheryl WuDunn. Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2009.

Advocacy OrganizationsMercy Institute Justice TeamLocated at the Institute Office, the Institute Justice Team advocates for justice on many different issues and provides education and action opportunities to sisters, associates and others throughout the Institute.

Mercy Global ConcernIn continuing to promote the vision of Catherine McAuley, the Sisters of Mercy established Mercy Global Concern (MGC) in 1998, in order to bring the Mercy spirit to the United Nations (UN), the one forum in the world where all nations have the potential to meet as equals.

Network

Originally founded in 1971 by sisters from several reli-gious communities, Network is a progressive voice within the Catholic community that seeks to influence Congress in favor of peace and justice. Through lobbying and legislative advocacy, Network strives to close the gap between rich and poor and to dismantle policies rooted in racism, greed and violence. http://www.networklobby.org.

Pax Christi USAPax Christi USA strives to create a world that reflects the Peace of Christ by exploring, articulating, and witnessing to the call of Christian nonviolence. Pax Christi USA com-mits itself to peace education and, with the help of its bishop members, promotes the gospel imperative of peacemaking as a priority in the Catholic Church in the United States. Through the efforts of all its members and in cooperation with other groups, Pax Christi USA works toward a more peaceful and just world. http://paxchristiusa.org.

My God, I am yours for all eternity. Teach me to cast my whole self into the arms of your providence with the most lively, unbounded confidence in your

compassionate, tender pity. Grant, O most merciful Redeemer, that whatever you

ordain or permit may always be acceptable to me. Take from my heart all painful

anxiety; suffer nothing to afflict me but sin; nothing to delight me, but the hope of

coming to the possession of you, my God, in your own everlasting kingdom.

Suscipe of Catherine McAuley

© 2 0 1 3 S i s t e r s o f M e r c y o f t h e A m e r i c a sS o u t h C e n t r a l C o m m u n i t y

1 0 1 M e r c y D r i v eB e l m o n t , N C 2 8 0 1 2 - 2 8 9 8