The Evolution of Guyana’s First Safe House for Trafficking ...JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2017 Bimonthly...

JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2017 Bimonthly publication for sisters, associates and companions of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas

The Evolution of Guyana’s First Safe House for Trafficking Victims

also in this issue:

Our Great Work— Learning to Live as an Interconnected Whole

Analyzing Words for the Future

F E A T U R E S

5 OurGreatWork—LearningtoLiveasanInterconnectedWhole

By Sisters Kathy Nolan and Pat Griffith

8 TheEvolutionofGuyana’sFirstSafeHouseforTraffickingVictims

By Sister Judith Schmelz

12 AnalyzingWordsfortheFuture By Sister Margretta Dwyer

With contributions from Sisters Cabrini Taitano and Vilma Alayo Villacorta

C O L U M N S

4 Justice|Crisis in Latin America By Sister Ana María Siufi

16 Vocation&Incorporation| “God Had My Attention”By Sister Jenny Wilson

D E P A R T M E N T S

2 CommunityUpdateCompiled by Mercy Communicators

17 SpiceofMercyLife|Random Thoughts on Retirement By Sister Joy Clough

J A N U A R Y | F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

Table of Contents

BIMONTHLY PUBLICATION FOR SISTERS, ASSOCIATES AND COMPANIONS OF THE INSTITUTE OF THE SISTERS OF MERCY OF THE AMERICAS

PublisherInstitute of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas 8380 Colesville Road, #300 Silver Spring, Maryland 20910-6264 tel 301.587.0423 [email protected]

Editor Lauren Albright [email protected]

Design and Production RoundPeg

TranslationMany thanks to our translators!

Advisory BoardSisters Anne Curtis, Camille D’Arienzo, Kathleen Erickson, Diane Guerin, Patricia Kenny and Pat Talone. Anne Boyle, Sue Carroll, Liz Dossa, Elizabeth MacNeal, Beth Thompson and Cathy Walsh.

Articles or portions thereof are protected by copyright laws and therefore cannot be reproduced or reprinted without the permission of ¡Viva! Mercy and/or the author.

Visit www.sistersofmercy.org for highlighted articles from this publication.

¡Viva!Mercy is printed on acid free, elemental chlorine-free paper containing 50 percent recycled content including 15 percent post consumer waste.

For young women rescued from trafficking in Guyana, the safe house provides not only a refuge, but also a place to rebuild their lives. Read more on page 5.

page 5 page 12

J A N U A R Y | F E B R U A R Y 2 0 17 ¡Viva! Mercy 1

DearSisters,Associates,CompanionsandMercyVolunteers,

“And now let us welcome the New Year full of things that have never been.”

-Rainer Maria Rilke

HappyNewYear!NopoethadasmuchinfluenceonThomasMertonasRilke.ForMerton,Rilke’spoetryproclaimedhumanity’scapacityforholiness—holinessunderstoodasthelimitlessimaginativepossibilitiesforgood.

Weenter2017havingrecentlycelebratedtheclosingoftheJubileeYearofMercy.Yetforus,theMercyfamily,thereisnoendtoouryearsofmercy.AsMercyweenjoyalifetimeoflimitlessimaginativepossibilitiesforgood,formakingmercyrealeverydayoftheyear!

NosoonerhadtheJubileeYearofMercyendedthanPopeFrancisproposedafurtheropportunityforgoodandformercy,callingustostrengthenourcommitmenttononviolencesothata“pathof

hope”wouldguideourwayin2017(WorldDayofPeaceMessage,January1,2017).ThiscallrefocusesusonthecentralityofactivenonviolenceinthemessageofJesusandtothevocationweallhaveofhealingbothpeopleandourEarth.Aswestepintoanewyearwearekeenlyawareoftremendoussufferingandwidespreadfearacrossourplanetduetomilitarization,economicinjustice,racismandenvironmentaldegradation.Violenceseemstobecomeincreasinglynormalized.AsMercywehavecommittedourselvesto“deepenandassimilatemoreconsciouslythepracticeofnonviolenceasanintegralaspect”ofourcharism.

WerejoiceinthemanyandamazingwayssomanyofyouengageinworkforpeacethroughoutourInstitute.Yourprayerandactionscontributetothecollectiveenergythatmakespeacepossible.Wepraythatassisters,volunteers,companionsandassociateswewillbeblessedwithrenewedfervortocontinueourcommitmenttononviolenceinawaythatdailyshapesourpersonalandcommunallives.

Eachnewday,eachnewyear,giftsuswiththepossibilityofmercythathasneverbeen.LetusprayforeachotherthattheSpiritmaycontinuetoinspireusanew“toseekjustice,tobecompassionateandtoreflectmercytotheworld”(Constitutions,84)aswejourneythrough2017.

InMercy,

From the Institute Leadership Team

The InsTITuTe LeadershIp Team (STANDING) SISTERS PAT MCDERMOTT,

MARY PAT GARVIN, EILEEN CAMPBELL;

(SEATED) SISTERS ANNE CURTIS AND

DEBORAH TROILLETT

Community Update

2 ¡Viva! Mercy J A N U A R Y | F E B R U A R Y 2 0 17

C O M P I L E D B Y M E R C Y C O M M U N I C A T O R S

SOUTH CENTRAL

A 6-FOOT BRONZE STATUEofCatherineMcAuleywasdedicatedSeptember23atSt.Vincent’sAcademyinSavannah,Georgia,followingaspecialMass.Thestatuehonorscon-tributionsbySistersofMercytotheareaforthepast172years,includingfoundingSt.Vincent’sin1845.

Recognizingtheir150yearsofministriesineducationandhealthcareinTennessee,theCathedraloftheIncarnationinNashvillehonoredtheSistersofMercywithacelebratoryMassandreceptionOctober30.SisterMaryRoseBumpus,whogrewupinNashville,spokeaboutthesisters’historyandgrowthofCatholicisminthestate,concluding,“…wecelebratethefactthattogetherwehaveahistoryofbringingthecompassionatemercyofGodtothepeopleofTennessee.”

SisterRoseOlivierireceivedtheRayofHopeAwardfromtheNationalAllianceonMentalIllnessforherservicetotheorganizationatabanquetOctober2inFremont,Ohio.SisterRoseorganizesateamforthefundraisingwalkeachyear.

WEST MIDWEST

THE CENTRAL AMERICAN ResourceCenterinSanFrancisco,California,honoredSisterPetraChavezasafounderatits30thanniversarycele-brationonNovember10.Shestartedtheorganizationin1986inaformerSistersofMercyconventinSanFranciscotohelpthosefleeingthewarsinCentralAmerica.Whatbeganassupportforrefugeeswithlegalservicesandadvocacynowincludeshealthcare,wellness,violencepreventionandfamilysupport.

AssociateMarylynFelionofOmaha,Nebraska,alongtimeopponentofthedeathpenalty,receivedthePeacemakeroftheYear2017awardfromNebraskansforPeaceonOctober29.NebraskaStateSenatorErnieChamberspresentedtheaward.MarylynhadaccompanieddeathrowinmateRobertE.Williamsandministeredtohimthedayofhisexecutionin1997.

SisterKathleenErickson,MikePoulinandSisterÁineO’Connorjoinedmorethan500faithleadersonNovember3attheStandingRockSiouxReservationinNorthDakotatobeapeacefulpresenceofsolidaritytothetribeswhoopposebuildingtheDakotaAccesspipelineonthatsite.

Bronze statue of Catherine outside

St. Vincent’s Academy in Savannah,

Georgia. The statue was created by

Nebraska artist Sondra Jonson.

CARIBBEAN, CENTRAL AMERICA, SOUTH AMERICA

PREPARATIONS CONTINUEfortheCCASAAssembly,February7-12,inLima,Peru.ThosewhoacceptednominationfortheCCASACommunityLeadershipTeamwillgatherforadiscern-mentretreat,January4-7.

SistersAnaSiufiandCristinaMirahavebeenparticipatingintrainingforAlternativestoViolenceProgram(AVP).Thisprogram,nowinternational,wasdesignedin1976byQuakersforuseintheNewYorkprisonsystem.Aspartoftheirprepa-rationasfacilitators,AnaandCristina,alongwithAVPteammembersRosaHernandezDiazandAssociateMonicaMaher,presentedtwofirst-levelworkshopsinBellaVista,BuenosAires,Argentina,November8-13.Sisters,associates,collaboratorsinministryandmembersofMercy-sponsoredwomen’sgroupsparticipatedintheexperience,exploringandpracticingnonviolentwaysofdealingwithconflictsituations.SisterstraveledfromChileforoneoftheworkshopsandstayedonforaCommunitygatheringthatincludedphasethreeoftheChapter2017memberengagementprocessandadayofreflectiononLaudato Si’.

Associate Monica Maher, Sisters Ana Siufi, Cristina Mira, Lia González,

María Inés Olguín, and Lilian Silva.

Associate Marylyn Felion

3J A N U A R Y | F E B R U A R Y 2 0 17 ¡Viva! Mercy

MID-ATLANTIC

THROUGHOUT THE MID-ATLANTICCommunity,sistersgatheredthefirsttwoweekendsofNovemberatfourdifferentlocationsfortheCommunity’sConsultativeGatherings.Theseinteractivemeetingsincludedaconversationwiththeleadershipteamandtwopaneldiscussions,onewithmembersfromseveraloftheInstitute’sdesignteamsandanotherwithparticipantsfromthe“Mercy-ing:OneWorld,OneDream”gathering.Duringthemeetings,sistersalsosharedtheresultsoftheirrecentConversationCirclesinwhichtheydiscussedcommonfocifordirectionfortheupcoming2017InstituteChapter.

ThreeMid-Atlanticsisterswhoarecentenariansrecently

celebratedtheirbirthdays:SisterMagdalenaParkerfromDallas,Pennsylvania,turned102;SisterFrancelineMarshfromMerion,Pennsylvania,celebratedher100thbirthday;andSisterCharlotteMcGrathfromBrentwood,NewYork,turned103!

NORTHEAST

HONORS AND AWARDSforsistersandsupportersinrecentmonthshavebeenabundant.InConnecticut,SisterMaureenReardonhadalabyrinthnamedafterher;SisterMaryAliceSynkeweczacceptedasocialjusticeaward;andSisterBridgetMaryKennyhadaroomnamedafterheratMercyHousingandSheltershortlybeforeherdeath.InRhodeIsland,SisterMaryReillywasnamedaYWCA“WomanoftheYear.”InVermont,SisterElizabethDriscollwasrecognizedalongwithothersistersfor116yearsofcollectiveparishservice.

Ata“CelebrationofMercy”fundraiser,organizedbySisterIreneNerneyandthedevelopmentteam,theCommunitymarked165yearsofserviceinRhodeIsland,andhonoredindividualswhoembodytheCriticalConcerns:FatherRaymondB.Malm,achampionofimmigrationreform,anti-racismeffortsandnonviolence;JosephR.Beretta,anarchitectknownforvolunteerismandphilanthropy;andNellieM.Gorbea,RhodeIsland’sSecretaryofStatewhohaslongadvocatedforaffordablehousing.

NEW YORK, PENNSYLVANIA, PACIFIC WEST (NyPPaW)

NYPPAW CONTINUED ontheJourneyofOnenesswiththenamingofmemberstotheDesigningWomenWorkGroup(DWWG):SistersNancyHoff,PatMcCann,MargaretPark,KathleenWayneandPatriciaWhalen,alongwithSistersDeborahTroillett(InstituteLeadershipTeam)andNatalieRossi(CommunityLeadershipTeam)asliaisons.ThegrouphelpeddesignaninterimgovernancestructureforNyPPaWusingfeedbackfromsisterswhoattendedSeptembermeetingswiththeInstituteLeadershipTeam(ILT)inBuffalo,NewYork,andErie,Pennsylvania.AsofJanuary1,2017,NyPPaWwillrelatetotheILT.

HolyCrossHighSchool,Kolambugan,Philippines,brokegroundforabuildingtobeusedbytheseniorhighschoolforcomputerandsciencelaboratories.

McAuleyMinistries,PittsburghMercy’sgrant-makingfoun-dation,hasawarded33grantstotaling$1,991,387thisyearto29nonprofitorganizationsinthePittsburgh,Pennsylvania,area.

OnSeptember23,MercyAssociatesinBuffalolistenedtotwo“wisdomfigure”sisterssharetheirvocationstories.

From left: Joseph R. Beretta, Sister Jacqueline Marie Kieslich, Nellie M. Gorbea,

Father Raymond B. Malm and Sister Irene Nerney. Credit: Catherine Walsh.

From left, Sisters Michele Schroeck, Rita Lewis and Mary Ann Bader at the

Journey of Oneness meeting with the ILT in Erie on September 17.

Sisters Dolores Targiano and Jeanine Oliver prepare for a Conversation

Circle with 16 other sisters at McAuley Hall Health Care Center in

Watchung, New Jersey. Photo shared by Sister Marjorie Tapia.

4 ¡Viva! Mercy J A N U A R Y | F E B R U A R Y 2 0 174 ¡Viva! Mercy J A N U A R Y | F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

Crisis in Latin America

J U S T I C E

The 2009coupd’étatinHonduraswasfollowedbyanothersuccessfulcoupinParaguay,andbyattemptsinEcuador,Venezuela,BoliviaandArgentina,andonecur-rentlyunderwayinBrazil.Thisisnoaccident;thecoupsaretriggeredbyU.S.foreignpolicy,whichimposesgov-ernmentsobedienttothedictatesofglobalizedneoliberalism.TheUnitedStatesachievesthisbyallyingitselfwitheachcountry’scorporateeconomicelite,mass“non-communications”(onlycommunicatingwhatservestheirinterests)andsecurityforces.

Theclaimthatdemocracyisbeingpreservedisjustapretense.

Economicpoliciesthatextractandplunderournaturalassetsarebeingimposedatanycost,whilepopularattemptsatresistancearecriminalizedandprosecuted.Mega-mining,hydroelectricpowerplants,fracking(thenon-conventionalextractionofpetroleumandgas),deforestationandagro-industry(extensivemono-culturefarmingofsoy,palm,sugarcane,etc.)areformsofecocideandgenocidethatarespreadingacrossLatinAmericaandAfrica.Thesecontinentshavebeenconvertedintozonesofsacrificetoservethelimit-lessdemandsoftheglobalmarket.

“Green”discourseisjusttalk.“Caringfortheenvironment,”

“combatingclimatechange,”a“greeneconomy”and“corporatesocialresponsibility”arephrasesgenerallyemployedtomasktheprofitsthecorporationsandfinancialmarketarereaping.

Itisuptoustohelpthepeopleintheirfighttostopthisinjusticeandviolence,tostudyandspreadtheencyclicalLaudato Si’.WemustliveandbearwitnesstothespiritofMercy,whichcallsustotheplaceswheresociety’smostvulnerablesufferdisplacementandcryoutintheirmarginalization,ormigrateintheirdesperatesearchforadecentlife.

— By Sister Ana María Siufi

The Extended Justice Team is framing its work these days in response to the call of Pope Francis in LaudatoSi’to “hear the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor.” Within that context, Sister Ana María Siufi, who lives and serves in Argentina, shares her concerns for the direction of Latin America at this time. She points out strong U.S. influence on the region and Pope Francis’ critique of the global inequalities fostered by unfettered capitalism and the grave harm done to Earth, our common home. As you read her observations, consider how our 2011ChapterDeclaration is calling us to ascertain and address the underlying causes of human suffering that Ana challenges us to reflect upon. Ana’s reflection was first shared in the CCASA Community newsletter and was translated into English from the original Spanish.

Sister Ana María Siufi, at left, protests at a fracking site in Argentina as part of Global Frackdown Day.

Our Great Work

By Sisters Kathy Nolan and Pat Griffith

Learning to Live as an Interconnected Whole


“Child of the Universe.” Artist: Mary Southard, CSJCourtesy of www.MarySouthardArt.orgCourtesy of www.MinistryOfTheArts.orgCongregation of St. Joseph

6 ¡Viva! Mercy J A N U A R Y | F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

Wefirstheardtheterm“thegreatwork”studyingthewritingsofFatherThomasBerry,CP,aPassionistpriest,cultural historian and eco-theologian. We say “study-ing” because his view of the universe and all beings farexceeded our narrow view, which we learned affectedourlimitedviewofGod.Anditstilldoes!Simplyput,forThomas Berry, “the great work” is inherent to the newcosmologyanditscentralmeaningisthat“theremustbeamoreintegralrelationbetweenthehumanandother-than-humannatureiftheEarthcommunityistohaveaviablefutureand,importantly,ifhumansaretorealizefullytheirownhumanity.”2

Whenwefirststartedtopreparethisarticle,theUnitedStateswasonlyatthebeginningofwhatfeltlikeanever-ending presidential election. Listening to and readingabout the candidates brought discouragement. We bothwere filled with distress, even despair. What becameclearerandclearertousisthatweliveinadifferentworldwithaverydifferentworldviewandcertainlywithdiffer-entvaluesandbeliefsfromwhatisshapingconversationsandbehaviorsinournationandworld.

AboutthissametimetheMid-AtlanticCommunitywaspreparingforwhatmightbethelastofourlocalassemblies.Inpreparation,theCriticalConcernsCommitteeencour-agedus to look at the concept of sustainability andourrelationshipas activemembersof theEarthcommunity.Wewereinvitedtolookattheconceptofsustainabilityas“awayoflookingattheworldasaninterconnectedwhole… a transformative worldview that offers a mindset forseeingandchangingourworld.Itisadeepunderstandingthateverything is seamlessly interconnectedandacceptstheresponsibilitytobuildathrivingworldforthemanygenerationstocome.”3That’slivingthenewcosmology.

Thisnewcosmology,thatis,areorientationofallthatsciencenowknowsabouttheuniverse,demandsthatwebeopen toanewwayofbeingone,amongmany,of itsmembers. Italsobeckonsus, throughthegrowthinsci-entific data, to see the interconnectedness among all ofcreationandalsotorisetothechallengeoflettingthisnewinformationreformourwayof thinkingandourbeliefs.Ithasthepowertochangeusintonewbeings.InsteadofthinkingofusashavingdominionovertheEarth,weareinvitedtocreateanewwayofbeingwhichisinrelation-shiptoeveryotherlivingthing.

Thisunderstandingisquitethecontrasttothenationalagendaof division, death andpower that tries to justifya hierarchy of deserving persons and causes. That viewnevertakesalllivingbeingsintoconsideration,notevenallhumans.NordoesittakeintoconsiderationtheeffectthatthedestructionofEarth’sgiftsandtheextinctionoflivingbeingshaveonthefutureoftheuniverse.However,at some point in our lives, we all might have seen theworldthesameway.Indeed,weknewthosetemptationsinourownlifetime.Manyofusrememberhowweusedtobelieveinoriginalsin,insteadoforiginalblessing.ThefirstaffirmsawayoflookingatourselvesandoneanotherinaracetoproveourselvestoaGodwhogaveustimeonEarthtodojustthat.Theother,originalblessing,beckonsusoverandoveragaintocherishthegiftofalllifeandallhappeningsasmomentsofblessing,bringingrenewedlifetousasweknowGodinthislight.

“The great work is inherent to the new cosmology” Instead of thinking of us as having dominion over the

Earth, we are invited to create a new way of being which

is in relationship to every other living thing.

In 1981 Sisters of Mercy from all over the world met in Dublin, Ireland, marking the 150th anniversary of our founding. There we celebrated a new path and established a

renewed connection and vision of what it means to be Mercy, proclaiming: “Mercy is God’s powerful Word spoken in Jesus—His life, passion and resurrection. It bends and changes, forms and re-forms our lives, so that we may receive Mercy and, in turn, be merciful. As women (and men) of the Church today in the steps of Mary and Catherine, with faith and prophetic boldness, we commit ourselves anew to the search for God’s Mercy, by standing with the poor, reassessing our ministries, working to alleviate and eradicate poverty, injustice and oppression, in collaboration with all people of goodwill who make the Gospel live in today’s world.”1

The two of us were blessed to be part of that experience. Who would have foreseen all the seeds of recommitment, change, unity and new ways of being and living Mercy that would emerge from this moment 35 years ago?

J A N U A R Y | F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 ¡Viva! Mercy 7

Didyoueverhave theexpectation thatat somepointyour life would stabilize and it would become easier,plaineror lesscomplicated?The twoofusdid.But thatjokesurelyisonus!Wethoughtwe’dhavemoreanswersthan questions the older we got, and instead our wholewayoflookingatthingsneedstocontinuallyshift.Eachof us is presently being invited, in preparation for theInstituteChapter2017,toconsiderwhat“greatwork”weastheSistersofMercy,MercyAssociatesandCompanionsinMercyarebeingcalledtodo.Whenwethinkaboutthe“greatwork”aheadatChapter2017,wethinkoftheseedssowninourheartsbymeetingandstudyingpersonslikeJudyCannato;JoannaMacy;DanielBerrigan,S.J.;WilliamStringfellow;ParkerPalmer;MiriamThereseMcGillis,OP;MiriamThereseWinter,MMS;ThomasBerry,CP;BrianSwimme; Ilia Delio, OSF; Matthew Fox; Larry Edwards;MargaretWheatley;andJoanChittister,OSB.

How blessed both our lives have been in meetingand reflecting with such incredible humans, and whatresponsibility comes with such awakenings. In a retreatmanyyearsagoJudyCannatoposedthischallengetotheretreatants: “Iwant to inviteyou tobecomeanewkindofhuman.”Shewasn’taskinghowwewill improveour-selvesorconfessoursins.Norwassheaskingifwewouldbe more serious or even repentant for not always beingourbest.Thatwouldbethe“originalsin”mentality.Judywasfirstappealingtoustoletgoofourlimitedviewsofourselvesand theuniverse.Secondly, shewascallingusto ponder how life would be if we lived it consciously,withintention,knowingweareparticipatingin“thegreatwork.”Thatislivingthe“originalblessing”vision.

Thinkingaboutthe“greatwork”ofourChapter2017isexcitingandfrightening.Itautomaticallycallsusbeyondlife as we’ve known it and beckons us to lay open ourdeepestbeing. It isn’taskinghowwecanstay thesame,butrather,howwecanevolvenewlife.

Areallofusnotstillsowingthoseseedsplantedsome35 years ago at our international meeting and throughall our days together since? We need to discern in thisChapterthequestionsweneedtoaskinlightofusbeingmembersnotonlyoftheInstitutebutoftheEarthcommunity

aswell.Howcanweconnectwithalargerworldviewandappreciateall life?Howcanwechooseavisionthatwillevolveus,individuallyandcollectively?

The answers to these and other such questions areclosely intertwined with the ways in which we respondtotheneedsnamedinourCriticalConcerns.Sinceiden-tifying thesefive areas,wehaveoften engaged in tryingtopinpoint theirunderlyingcauses.We,asMercy,haverightly named such realities as poverty, greed and theabuse of power as possibilities. More and more in theeffortsofbothofustosupportoneanothertolivemoreconsistentlywithintheawarenessofouronenesswithallthatexists,wehavecometorecognizeabitmorefullyhowPopeFrancischallengesusinLaudato Si’.Hereheremindsus, “It cannot be emphasized enough how everything isinterconnected. Time and space are not independent ofoneanother andnot evenatomsor sub-atomicparticlescan be considered in isolation.” This understanding hasbroughtustofurtherconsiderthatperhapswhatunder-liesallofourCriticalConcernsis,infact,thefragmentedresultswithwhichweareleftwhenwe,particularlythoseofusinthewesterncultures,forgetthisrealityandreturntolivingoutoftheillusionthatweareseparatefromoneanotherandallofcreation.

Livinglifeconsciously,withintention,knowingweareparticipatinginthe“greatwork”isindeedanongoinglifechallenge. Environmental activist Joanna Macy encour-agesuswhenshewrites,“Intheearlystagesofanymajortransition, the initial activity might seem to exist onlyat the fringes.Yetwhen their timecomes, the ideasandbehaviors become contagious: the more people pass oninspiringperspectives, themoretheseperspectivescatchon.Atacertainpoint,thebalancetipsandwereachcriti-calmass.Viewpointsandpracticesthatwereonceonthemarginsbecomethenewmainstream.”4

Itisthishopethatinvitesusalltochoosetoliveknow-ingwemaynotseetheeffectsofour“greatwork”inourlifetime.Doingso,webelieve,willmakethedifference.

Sisters Pat Griffith and Kathy Nolan are co-founders of Mercy Haven Inc., a nonprofit agency providing shelter, support and educational training to over 400 persons. Priority is given to persons living with mental illness and those who were formerly homeless, both individuals and

families. You can contact Pat at [email protected] and Kathy at [email protected].

Each of us is presently being invited ... to consider what

“great work” we as the Sisters of Mercy, Mercy Associates

and Companions in Mercy are being called to do.

1. Common Statement from the international gathering in Dublin of the Sisters of Mercy for Trocaire (1981).

2. Herman F. Greene, “Understanding Thomas Berry’s Great Work,” http://bit.ly/UnderstandingGreatWork.

3. Andrea Ferguson, excerpted from “Sustainability Is Not a Wind Farm Or Solar Array” in Impact (newsletter published by Veris Wealth Partners, 2017).

4. Joanna Macy and Chris Johnstone, Active Hope: How to Face the Mess We’re in without Going Crazy (Novato, California: New World Library 2012) 26-27.


Photos clockwise:1. Together in Peace – a safe house for victims of human trafficking.

2. A resident with her daughter (faces not pictured to protect their identity).

3. Jason is the son of one of the residents at the safe house.

4. Sister Judith Schmelz, left, with Sandra Granger, First Lady of Guyana.

By Sister Judith Schmelz


The Evolution of Guyana’s

First Safe House for Trafficking Victims

Initial, Tentative StepsThe story begins in late 2012 when our Institute chose human trafficking as a major social issue to be addressed, and the Sisters of Mercy in Guyana began looking for ways that they could contribute to this effort.

Trafficking In Persons (TIP) is not readily observed; there was nothing in the daily newspapers; and at that time the administration of Guyana consistently denied to the public that there was a trafficking problem. While we were trying to learn more about the issue, a large article appeared in the newspaper featuring Simona Broomes, founder and president of the Guyana Women Miners Organization (GWMO), and that organization’s focus on trafficking, especially in the Interior. The Interior—a heavily forested area—serves as the home to many gold mines and scattered villages of Amerindians, the indigenous people of Guyana. We planned to find a way to meet Simona and explore ways we might work with her organization.

In June 2013, Simona was honored by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry for her intrepid work in addressing human trafficking and rescuing victims. Around this time, Sister Kenneth McGuire and I went to the airport in Guyana to meet another sister coming in from the United States. We encountered a large group of young women in bright yellow shirts labeled Guyana Women Miners Organization. They were obviously at the airport to welcome Simona back from the United States. After Simona had been welcomed by her group, I walked up and introduced myself. And the story took off from there!

Where to Begin?WesistersinGuyanaknewthatourfirststepwastobecomeinformedandraiseourownconsciousnessabouttheprob-lem. To that end, we scheduled a Conference on HumanTrafficking at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Georgetown,Guyana, in November 2013 with Simona Broomes asthe guest speaker. It was well attended by the sisters,Mercy Associates, staff from our ministries, Mercy CorpsVolunteers and other interested persons from the areaincluding Bishop Francis Alleyne, OSB, and the Mexicanambassador. In small group sessions, this enthusiasticgroupcameupwithalonglistofthingstheycoulddotosupportthecause.

In her talk, Simona spoke of the difficulty of findinglivingaccommodationsforyounggirlstheyrescued.Afterthemeeting,BishopAlleyneofferedtomakeahouseavail-ableforthispurpose—athree-story,woodenstructureinaresidentialneighborhood.Ithadbeenemptyforanumberofyears,hadbeenbadlyvandalizedandwasinverypoorcondition.TheSistersofMercyagreedtoraisethefundsforrenovationwiththeunderstandingthattheGWMOwouldberesponsiblefordirectingtheprogram.

Come One, Come AllSimona organized a mammoth cleanup with 80 to 100volunteers, including a group from the local prison. TheMexicanambassadorappearedat5:30a.m.todohisshare.Volunteersremovedthetrash,steam-cleanedthewallsandleftthebuildinginreasonablecondition.Thoseunabletodoheavycleaningprovidedlunchforthevolunteers.

Since all trafficking victims are the responsibility ofthegovernmentinGuyana,SisterJulieMatthews,CCASApresident,andImetwithformerPresidentDonaldRamotarandthreeofhisministers to informthemofourplans todevelopasafehouse.Whilethesafehousecontinuestobeanindependentnon-governmentalorganization(NGO),weworkinclosecollaborationwiththegovernment.

Converting a House into a HomeAfterthecleanup,thenextstepwastorenovatethehouseto serve our needs. We employed an architect, a youngwoman just beginning her business in what had been anall-maleprofession.WorkproceededfromDecember2014toMay2015,andfromthenuntilDecember2015weraisedfunds and secured and installed the necessary equipmentand furniture. The completed building can accommodate

12women.Itprovidesspaceforprivateandgroupcounsel-ing, educational and recreational activities, skills trainingandbasiccomputerinstruction.TheresidencewasopenedinJanuary2016; it is theonly facilityof itskind inallofGuyana, focusing exclusivelyon theneedsof young traf-fickingvictims.Atthesafehouse,theacronymTIPnolon-germeans“TraffickingInPersons,”butinstead,“TogetherInPeace.”

GWMOandtheGuyanaSistersofMercyformalizedourpartnershipandregisteredtheTogetherInPeaceTrustasacharitableNGOattheGuyanaRegistryofDeeds.WealsoestablishedaBoardofTrustees.

In January 2016, we accepted two young women, a16-year-oldandan18-year-oldwithatwo-month-oldson.Overthenextsixmonths,thenumbersgraduallyincreasedto 11 women and two infants. The young women camemainly,butnot exclusively, from the Interior.A fewhadneverbeentoschoolandwereilliterate.

Thisisanexpensiveprogrambecauseitrequires24-hourcoverage by both house managers and security guards.Securityandconfidentialityarevitalissues.Suchaprogramrequiresstaffwithspecialsensitivitytotheresidents—itisauniqueclientelewithissuesdifferentfromanywehadeverdealtwithinourotherministries.Volunteersarewelcome,butadequateorientationisessential.

Tales Worth TellingThefollowinganecdoteswillgiveyouaglimpseof life intheTogether InPeacehome.Werefer to the residentsasyoungwomen,buttheyaresoveryyoung,allbetween12and19,alltryingtoputtheirlivesbacktogether.

One woman referred to us was from the DominicanRepublicandspokenoEnglish.Shewassotraumatizedthatsheattemptedsuicide.Butwiththehelpofaninterpreter,shewascounseledandexpressedthatshejustwantedtogohome.Theplaneticketwaspurchased,andshewashappilyreunitedwithherfamily!

There was the 12-year-old who arrived nine monthspregnant.Shewasonlywithusadayortwowhenshewentintolaborandgavebirthtoababygirl.

SeveraloftheyoungwomenareCatholic,andweareabletogetthemtoMassonSunday.Theyaskediftheycouldbeconfirmed, and sowehavemade special arrangements tohavethempreparedforreceptionofthesacrament.

In recent months, residents attended a special programdesigned for them by the Carnegie Institute where theylearned cooking, baking and decorating of cakes, garmentconstructionandfabricdecoration.

10 ¡Viva! Mercy J A N U A R Y | F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

OnInternationalAnti-TraffickingDay,July30,theFirstLadyofGuyana,SandraGranger, invitedallof theyoungwomentoaspecialluncheonattheStateHouse,theofficialresidenceofthePresidentofGuyana.Thatwasareallybigday!

InSeptember,nineoftheyoungwomenbegantheyear-long program at Mercy Wings Vocational and Day CareCenter.Fouryoungwomenwhohaveneverbeentoschoolarepainstakinglylearningtowritethelettersofthealphabetandformsmallwords.

The residents shared the followingupdates about theirtimeatthesafehouse.Theirnamesarewithheldfortheirprivacyandsecurity.

“It’sveryniceherebecause Ihaveeverything Ineed. IhadtheopportunitytogotoCarnegieSchooltolearnhowtosew,cook,bake,anddofabricdesigning.IamveryhappyIgotthisexperience.BecauseIhavetheseskills,Ifeelgoodaboutthefuture.IalsogotthechancetogotoMercyWingsandIreallylikelearningallthesubjects.”

“IlikeitherebecauseIamcaredforandgetthingstoeat.IalsolikeitbecauseIfeelsafehere.IhopeIcanbehomesoonwithmyfamily.IthaschangedmyoutlookonlifebecausenowIhavemoreskills. Iwent toCarnegieSchoolandmyfavoriteskillsIhavelearnedarehowtobakeandcook.IalsogottoattendMercyWingswhereIamstudyingchildcare.”

“Ilikethehomebecauseitiskeepingmesafefromdanger,providing[me]foodeveryday.Icanfinishhighschool.IwasabletogotoCarnegieSchoolandlearnhowtocookandhowtodesignclothes.Ihopetoopenupabusinesswiththeseskills.Iamverythankfulfortheopportunitytheyaregivingme.”

“WhatisgoodaboutbeingatthehomeisIgettogobacktoschoolandlearnsomething.IamstudyingcosmetologyatMercyWings.WhenIleavehereIhopetofindworkandthenIwanttostartmyownbusiness.”

“Ifeelsecurehere.It’slikeasecondchanceinlifeforme.I startedback to classes so I couldget agood jobandearnmoney. Ifnot formysonJason, Iwouldbesomeplaceelse,maybeendupbackinthebackdam[agatheringplaceoutsideoflocalvillageswherebadthingstendtohappen].Allthestaffisveryhelpful,especiallywhenIhavetobeout,theylookafterJasonforme.Itisgoodformetobehereatthistime.”

Sister Mary Judith Schmelz, Ph.D., has served in Guyana for 16 years. She serves on the board for Together in Peace and has previously served as an educator at Mercy Hospital and Mercy Wings Vocational Centre, in development for Mercy ministries in Guyana, and as a board member for

Mercy Wings Vocational Centre and Saint Joseph Mercy Hospital boards. You can reach Judith at [email protected].


Where Do We Go from here?We know our safe house is only the first step in eliminating human trafficking in Guyana. In the future, our Board of Trustees hopes to address some of the following activities:

Sponsor another conference focusing primarily on sensitivity training

Educate the general public, parents and children about the dangers of trafficking through our various ministries, schools, churches, especially in the Interior1

2

45

3

Become a model Safe House and assist other areas that would like to start a similar program

Explore ways we might be able to support the government in addressing the problem at its source—putting the traffickers out of business

Train some of the victims to speak out for themselves and for others about the issue.

By Sister Margretta Dwyer

Analyzing Words

for the Future

Right: Justicía, translated “justice” sprayed on the U.S. Mexico border wall.


Words fillourdaysandcarrymeaningtoourhearts.Puttingwordstogetherspeaks

of judgments we make of others or ourselves. Using words to describe our

religiouslivestolaypersonsisoftenproblematic.Peoplequestionthemeaning.Whatdoour

wordsmean?Dotheyspelloutwhowereallyare?

In our fast-changing world, words are a challenge,as they constantly take on new meanings. In explainingtoday’swordspertainingtoreligiouslife,onemustrecognizethat the meaning of a word often does not convey whoweare.Courageisneededtobuildafuturebasedonnewwordsandnewinterpretations—creatinganewnormal.

Moreover,developingnewwordsfortodayisataskthatcan raise our authenticity in the eyes of the people withwhomwewalk;otherwise,weruntheriskoftreadingonfalseground.AstheIrishpoetJohnO’Donahuewroteinhispoem“FortheInterimTime:”

Do not allow confusion to squander This call which is looseningYour roots in false ground,That you might come free From all you have outgrown.

Wehavedroppedsomeofourpastwordssuchasrefectory,cells,portress,MotherSuperior,etc.Nowmaybethetimetoreflectuponotherwordsthatareapartofourvocabularyas women religious that may have outgrown their time.Threewords standout tome—“poverty,” “ministry” and

“prophetic.”Itisuncleartomanypeoplewhatwemeanbythesewords.Sometimesitisevenuncleartous,towhichmanyofourdialoguesandmeetingscanattest.

PovertyThe word “poverty” has many definitions in our world:scarcity, needs, hardship, deficiency, lack, paucity, etc.—noneofthempositive,andnoneofthemseeninourlivesforthemostpart.Norshouldtheybeapartour lives,orofanyone’slife.

Poverty isnot a virtue andprobablynot something tovow.Thisideamayshocksomereaders,butweneedmuchinmaterialgoods—cellphones,computers,decentclothesfor work, grooming products, office space, good livingquarters, tripsby air, vacationhouses aswell as a strongeducation—all of which leaves us sometimes seemingmiddle-classandgraspingforthemeaningoftruepovertyinourday-to-dayliving.

Perhapsavowofjusticewouldbebetterforsome.Iusedtothinkavowofsimplicitywouldwork,butitishardtobesimpleinanavant-gardeworld. Ifinditeasier tooperate fromthe


followingquote:“Theoppositeofpovertyisnotwealth,butrathertheoppositeofpovertyisjustice”(BryanStevenson).

Somesisters,associatesorcompanionsmaybewillingtoexperimentwiththisidea,rememberingthatjusticeistheopposite of poverty. Mercy and justice go hand-in-hand.Givingmercytosomeonebutnothelpingjusticetooccuristodoonlyhalfthejob.

Whatif,honoringtherecentJubileeYearofMercy,sisters,associates,and/orcompanionstookavowofjustice,oratleast a public promise of justice? It could give strongerattentiontojusticeissues,largeandsmall.

Would that not border on being prophetic to a worldlooking for answers? A focus in life may emerge that isa total changeofdirection;perhaps this focuswouldcallforth more intensive work for justice issues, and therebyproducemoresystemicchange.Thiscouldtrulybeprophetic.

Prophetic This leadsus to thesecondword:“prophetic.”Theword“prophetic” describes something visionary or farsighted,orsomethingthatpredictsorforeshadowsthefuture.We

searchforwaystofulfillthisdefinitionforreligiouslife,yetweneverknowwhenwe reachourgoalor travel agoal-drivenpath.

WeknowwhatprophetslookedlikeintheOldTestament,butwhatdoesaprophetappearastoday?Perhapsthereisno clear picture. On the other hand, maybe, just maybe,oursisterswithcreativeideasandgreatimaginationshavegivenuspropheticvisions,andwehavenotalwayslooked.Beingquicktoturnaside,quicktokeepthefootprintsontheolderpathways,wemightjusthavemissedtheneededturnintheroad.

There are many ways to turn in the road if we areto maintain Mercy in the future. Taking a vow of jus-tice instead of poverty may led us to be truly prophetic.Patriarchalruleshaveblockedmanychanges,limitingourpropheticways.Fearquickensinsideuswhenwethinkofchallengingwhatis.

MinistryThethirdwordis“ministry.”Theword“ministry”frequent-ly gets confused with over-helping, making the ones we

International Response

We asked two sisters who live and minister in Guam and Chile to offer their responses to this article.

Sister Cabrini Taitano, Guam: “If Necessary, Use Words”My response flows from my faith experience and my personal spiritual journey.

I agree with Sister Margretta Dwyer’s words, “Putting words together speaks of judgments we make of others or ourselves.” They immediately reminded me of St. Francis of Assisi’s words, “Preach the gospel, and if necessary, use words.”

I agree that my religious lifestyle externally is not always in sync with the vow of poverty I profess. One way of thinking about poverty is the plight of those who are poor. Another way comes from the Gospel: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the reign of God.” These words spoken by Jesus are what I strive to authenticate in living the vow of poverty. So perhaps a vow of simplicity, as Margretta suggests, may bridge the gap between the gospel I preach and my lived witness.

The elusiveness of complicity in life is a constant chal-lenge in personal decisions I make every day, distinguishing and discerning what I need and want. Easy access to many “things” in the materialistic corner of my world makes for

decisions that authenticate my religious profession and life.Neither blind nor deaf to the realities of injustice in our

world village, I am constantly striving for greater transpar-ency in authoring my life within the call of the gospel. Therefore, my focus is to preach the gospel of God’s mercy and “if necessary, use words.” With these efforts perhaps my life here, now and henceforth, will be prophetic in some small and quiet way.

I offer that sisters would find a lot of meaning in profess-ing vows of (1) mercy, (2) to live in community, and (3) to a life of contemplation and action. All of these we find in our Constitutions.

Sister Mary Cabrini Taitano has ministered in education, incorporation and leadership. She currently is the spiritual advisor for Mercy Associates in Guam, director of Mission Effectiveness for two Mercy-sponsored daycares and president of Mercy Action Marianas, Ltd. You can contact Sister Cabrini at

[email protected].


serve feel inferiorornot equal. I suggestto replace the word“ministry”with“mis-sion.” Mission hasno sense of inequal-ity,asministrydoes.Mission is more ofa goal, usually moreclearlystated.

We give off adifferent vibration

whenweworkequallywithoutatitle,walkingside-by-side,onewithpeopleandtheirdesires.Inourmissionthereisa need to realize that sometimes, quoting writer CharlesKrauthammer, “the real-life effects of good intentionssometimes(go)terriblywrong.”Ihaveseenmanyexamplesof this.Onechurchcommunitywouldbuildschools inasouthern country, then when they left the people wouldburn them down. The next year they are back to buildanotherschool,andthesamesceneoccurs.Somehowthemission and the people were not on the same page. We

shouldexamineourmissioncarefullyeachday,andensurethatthemissionistransparenttoall.

ConclusionIwritethisasachallengetomyselfandtoothers.Wordsdescribing our lives are most important. Are authenticityand integrity somewhat missing, or is it that we do nothavetherightwordstoexplainourselves?Tobecleareristobemoretransparent,andtransparencyismuchneededindefiningournewnormaltolaypeopleandtoourselves.

Sister Margretta Dwyer taught school for 16 years and has been a therapist for people with various sexual problems for 45 years. She has also served on the faculty of University of Minnesota Medical School. You can contact her at [email protected].

References:

O’Donohue, J. (2008) To Bless the Space between Us. Doubleday New York, (pages 222.)

Riley, J. (2014). Please stop helping us. Encounter Books, New York, N.Y.

Stevenson, Bryan (2015) Just Mercy: A story of justice and redemption... Spiegel & Grau

Trade Paperback Edition

Sister Vilma Alayo Villacorta, Chile: Our Challenge TodayWhen I read the reflection by Sister Margretta Dwyer, I truly resonated with her suggestion of searching for new words for the future, with the hope that those new words make clear and reflect who we are as women religious.

I want to focus particularly on the first word: poverty. From the reality of my country, Chile, and considering the language of the people, I believe that this word does not say anything about us, and it also shows us leading an incoherent life among the communities with which we work; if people ask about the vow, we have tried to explain that it is really a vow of solidarity.

In some situations in Peru and Chile and mainly among ourselves, we believe that the original meaning of the vow of poverty is to be free, with nothing tying us down, and we affirm that belief with phrases such as “it’s not how much I have, but how I have it” or “not what I use, but how I use it.” Together with that, there is a longing for living a simple life. Consequently, some feel guilty about what they own, while others take on possessions responsibly.

Next, thinking about the article as a whole, I feel that we are on a path, pursuing the call to be new in religious life, to be new religious women.

For a while now, we have had the concern of no or few

new vocations, but we have lost sight of the fact that we ourselves can be the new vocations.

When we lend our ears to hear the cries and permanent challenge of the lay people who demand change in the Church, changes in religious life, we hear this ever-common expression: “There’s nothing that a sister does that I can’t do also.” Our identity has been reduced to doing, which is why people who might have considered a vocation don’t find the unique call in religious life that they are looking and hoping for.

What kind of uniqueness do we want to show? Margretta brings up this question that may disturb us: “Are authentic-ity and integrity somewhat missing, or is it that we do not have the right words to explain ourselves?” That is where we may find a glimmer of an answer and the recognition of where the damage is.

Let us pay attention to the journey and challenge to reconnect and communicate effectively who we are.

Sister Vilma Alayo is originally from Peru and currently lives in Conchalí, a community in Santiago, Chile. She is engaged in professional studies and also does pastoral work. Her email address is [email protected].


Sisters join hands at the “Mercy-ing: One World,

One Dream” gathering held in July 2016.


couldbelikethoseSistersofMercyImetinGuyana.

Itisnow2017.IamaperpetuallyprofessedSisterofMercy.IamvisitingGuyana after a long time away. Isit with the sisters and talk aboutthe ILC—which I now know is theInstitute Leadership Conference. Wetalk about oneness and I remembermy first experience with the ILC. IvisittheboysthatliveatSt.JohnBoscoOrphanage. I spend time with twoboyswhohad stolenmyheartwhenI lived there. They inspired me toearnmymaster’sdegreeineducationand special education. These boysare now 18. I meet the women whoare in the process of becomingSisters of Mercy. I listen to theirexperience, marvel at the grace ofGod in their lives and reflect on the

continuedgraceofGodinmylife.

I am a Sister of MercytodaybecauseofthemanySisters of Mercy I met inGuyanaand in theUnitedStates. It is in their livesthat I saw God. It is thehuman connection, therelationship with a sister,thatenabledmetolistentoGod.Vocationsare fosteredbytherelationshipswehavewith young women. Theseeds planted will blossomevenwhenwedonotknowit.

— By Sister Jenny Wilson

tell their vocation stories. I listenedpatientlywhileinsideIwasthinking:“Are you serious God?” I could notignore how my story had threads ofsimilarities with theirs. Whether Ilikeditornot,Godhadmyattention.

What I remembermost aboutmytimeasanMVCvolunteerinGuyanais the Sisters of Mercy. They wel-comed me and put up with all theculturalmistakes Imade.Theywerethere when both of my grandmotherspassed away. They were the face ofGod for me those two years. Theway they responded to the needs ofthe people—the tireless way theyserved—helpedmetoseeGodinnewways. I struggled with the call I feltwhen I returnedhome to theStates.IkepttellingGodtherewasnowayI

V O C A T I O N & I N C O R P O R A T I O N

God Had My Attention

It is February 2003andIhavebeeninGuyanaforjustafewmonthsservingasamemberofMercyVolunteerCorps(MVC).Therearemanysistersvisiting.Thesesistersareapartofsomethingcalled“ILC.”Knowingabsolutelynothingaboutwhatthismeans,Iattendaculturalpresentationthatwasbeingputonforthevisitingsisters.Imeetsomeofthesistersandthengohometothevolunteerhouse.Iamunawareofhowthatmeetingwillhaveanythingtodowithmyfuture.

A few months before leavingGuyana in 2005 a few sisters cameover to our volunteer house to visit.That morning a small voice fromsomewhere suggested that maybe Ishouldthinkaboutbecomingasister.I promptly pushed that voice awayandwentonwithmyday.Thatnightwhile visiting, the sisters began to

Left: Sister Jenny and the late Sister

Kostka Pereira in 2005.

Right: Sister Jenny with her former

student, Moses, in 2017.

Random Thoughts on Retirement

S P I C E O F M E R C Y L I F E

Retirement.Thejoyofnotsettinganalarmclock.Thepleasureofabitmoremeditativetimeinthemorning…anextracupofcoffee…nothavingtorushintotheday.Thelureof“Now,Ican…”or“Maybe,atlast,I’ll…”Thepuzzles.

WhatdoIsaywhensomeoneasks,as theyalwaysdo,“Whatareyouuptothesedays?”Ioffersomeresponsethat’s truebutoften incidental tomylifeasawhole—awholewhichIcan’tquitearticulate—andtheconversationmoveson.

It’shardtohangloose.Sure,retire-mentcanstartwithasenseofvacation,ofrelaxationandpersonalindulgence,maybe a trip or a longer than usualretreatorluxuriousafternoonsreadingbooks too long set aside. But then,whatdoIwanttobeaboutinthisphaseoflife?Howisretirementaboutmorethanme?Whatpropelsmetowardactiv-ity—fearofquietorofbeing overlooked orof feeling useless?Or, might it be asense of adven-ture,ofexploringapartofmethat’sbeen “on theshelf”? Can Ibe comfortableresponding toad hoc requestsor intuitions, ordoIwantasched-ule,anewministry,even a job thatcouldearnmoneyforthecommunity?

I ask myself a lot of questions.HaveIgrownwiseaswellasold?AmI more tolerant or accepting? Am Imorecompassionateorunderstanding?Do I find humor in life and laugh,even atmyself?Am Imore awareofthe wonder of God’s mercy and itsembraceofme?

Certainly, I’m not retiring frommission or ministry. Our mission issharingGod’smercywithothers.Ourministry is outlined in the spiritualandcorporalworksofmercy,andmyvowofservicecanalwaysincludeoneormoreofthose14works.Forgivinginjuries,maybe.Prayingforthelivingandthedead.Bearingwrongs(dimin-ishments)patiently.

Weclaimthatourretirementcentersarepowerhousesofprayer,butIsuspectthattheyarealsopowerhousesofmin-istry,ofvolunteerismsodiversethatitwouldastoundus ifever itwascata-logued.Andifitcametocataloguingtheministriesofourseniormembers,we’d certainly have to look also wellbeyondourretirementcenters!

I, too, often focusondoing.Afterall, I am a Sister of Mercy. Yet myspiritual director affirms my sensethat this is a time of adjustment, ofmovement into a new phase of life.She advises, “Slow down; try not tobe impatient or nervous. It’s okay tobreathe,topuzzle,toexplore,totakesome time simply to be.” Abruptly,the phrase “conversion of lifestyle”springstomind.

Still, I see the old ladies (old =myage)wipingtablesandsweeping

upinthefoodcourtattheshoppingmall.Ifeelbadforthem,having

towork,beingontheir feet.IfinditwrythatIhavethe

vowofpoverty.I notice the news

reports about thosefor whom the eco-nomic downturn hasmeant postponed oreliminated retirementplans.AndhereIam:retired…andgifted…and wondering anew

how to apply Christ’swords: The gift you’ve

beengiven,give.— By Sister Joy Clough

J A N U A R Y | F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 ¡Viva! Mercy 17

JANUARY 27-29Discernment Weekend for Institute Leadership Team NomineesDetroit, MichiganContact: Sister Nancy Houlihan, Sister Chris [email protected], [email protected]

FEBRUARY 3-5Institute Chapter Planning Team MeetingSilver Spring, MarylandContact: Sister Mary [email protected]

FEBRUARY 7-12CCASA Community AssemblySanta Eulalia, PeruContact: Sister Julie [email protected]

FEB 12-17Mercy Conference of New Membership Personnel (MCMNP)St. Louis, MissouriSister Cynthia [email protected]

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“The Spirit over the Bent World Broods” by Sister Celeste Nuttman

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