On the 25th of October, Coolock Associates joined together to share their love of the Rosary. Barbara Mercer introduced the prayer with a reflection on the Rosary as a sword. "Have your Rosary in your pocket and have it easy to take hold of, in times of trouble just as the soldier grabs his sword" she said. Brid and Maurice Regan shared their collectimn of rosary beads, including one from Fatima, one from Lourdes and one from a friend, a Mercy Associate who has died. They even had one with the Luminous mysteries from Medugorje. Sr. Bridie and Maurice both had their mother’s rosaries which by coincidence were both were the same. The Venerable Catherine McAuley had rosary beads in her hand when she died and it had the 15 mysteries on it. The Focus had a display of different Rosary beads. A single decade, a rosary ring, and the rosary of Our Lady of Sorrows. The Venerable Catherine said the Sisters of Mercy should say the Rosary daily. After the sharing the group prayer, the "Hail Mary" prayer sheet sent out by Sr Annette was given to all. It was a most joyous occasion.

Mercy Day Celebration On the 27th September the Mercy Associates from Coolock held their Mercy Day celebration. 33 associates attended. The main focus was a picture of Our Lady of Mercy. Barbara Mercier gave the following explanation of the picture. The original of this painting hangs in the Mercy International centre in Baggot Street Dublin. It was blessed by Pope Leo XII in 1894 and presented to the Sisters of Mercy as their Emblem. This copy of the picture here was framed by Sr. Betty when she worked in Hornsey, it was for the 150th anniversary of the sisters in Newcastle-upon-Tyne in 2005. Bernard Byrne, a Mercy Associate from Coolock presented the picture at the 175th Anniversary Mass in Westminster Cathedral. He was dressed as Pope Leo XII in the pageant. The focus also showed a banner depicting the Mercy Associate badge. Sr. Bridie explained the meaning of the Mercy Associate badge to the new associates. The badge shows the cross without the figure of Christ as we are Christ body today and the hands reminding us we are his hands. The group then had a short time to relax and prepare for prayer. We followed the prayer sheet given by Sr Annette and various members of the group shared the readings. When we finished our prayer we made our way to the dining room for a good cup of tea and a slice of the beautiful cake made by Christine, one of our new associates.

FEAST OF OUR LADY OF MERCY - 24th September 2023 I have just returned from a Family Visit and a six-day Retreat at Knock Shrine, where I was surrounded by hundreds of people every day praying quietly as well as in attendance at many Masses and nightly Adoration. The Basilica was full daily at 3pm for Mass with the Anointing of the Sick. People have the opportunity for Confession from 11.00 am to 4.30 pm. Of course, Knock is a place like Lourdes where people of all nationalities visit. I assure you that I did pray for you and your families especially at Night Adoration from 7pm to 9pm. Now that I am back in full swing apart from the continual noise of the rewiring of the house, it is good to be home and connect with the Hospital Chaplaincy and other Mercy Ministries. I hope that you all had a good summer and enjoyed the sun, especially earlier in the season. I am aware that Our Patronal Feast of our Lady of Mercy is around the corner on Sunday, and I am sending you a short meditation to help you connect with the Feast and the gift of Mercy. Catherine McAuley, our Foundress, was born in Dublin into a happy home and had a wonderfully caring father who provided well for the family and taught them the elements of the Catholic faith until he died, leaving a young family and an inexperienced wife, who managed the family resources badly which meant that the children had to be fostered out. Catherine was adopted by a wealthy man and his wife, Mr. and Mrs. O’Callaghan who were Protestants but loved Catherine dearly and left her their whole estate and a huge sum of money on their death. At the age of 40+ Catherine was a very wealthy woman. Having experienced great poverty before her adoption she was familiar with the pangs of hunger owing to her mother’s inability to manage money etc, Catherine was very sensitive to the needs of the poor in the inner city of Dublin, and she decided to spend her fortune in the alleviation of poverty, the education of poor children and rescuing young women form the plight of prostitution. Thus began the Congregation of THE SISTERS OF MERCY adopting the 24th of September, Feast of Our Lady of Mercy as our Patronal Feast. Catherine’s work as a Sister of Mercy spread all over Ireland and in 1939 at the invitation of the Archbishop of Southwark, Catherine made her first Foundation outside Ireland, here in Bermondsey on 19th November. The purpose of the Foundation was for the Educational Needs of the children of the Irish Dockers together with their Spiritual Formation. When time permitted the Sisters visited the sick poor in their own homes and the annals tell us that Mill Street was a terrible slum. Today one would need a million pounds in one’s pocket to buy a one bedroomed flat in that street! How times change! The early Sisters were also known to have visited the sick in Guys and St Thomas’ Hospitals, which later led them to the Crimea with Florence Nightingale. Historical evidence tells us that the situation that awaited Florence and the Sisters in Scutari in the 1850’s was daunting beyond belief. Lack of food, medication, bed linen, together with hygiene facilities led to the deaths of thousands of soldiers and their demise was less than comfortable. The letters written home by the Sisters makes challenging reading. “I had two rats in my bed last night or maybe it was the same rat twice”. I suppose every age in history presents its set of challenges and the inability to address new and different illnesses gives rise to more questions than answers. I was blessed to have had the opportunity to work in Kenya when the Aids pandemic was out of all proportion and over 1,000 people died every day, with parents leaving nine year old children to bring up their younger siblings. For the poor there was no way to address this problem. The rich could fly to America or Europe for treatment. God did not forget His people as the then President, George Bush, released the drugs to Africa through The Catholic Aid Agency in the USA. The Mater Hospital, Nairobi, owned and run by the Sisters of Mercy was chosen to facilitate the Programme in the hospital and in two local slums. Admission to the Programme was by self-referral with a step-by-step process which included a nutritional facility. This opportunity has saved hundreds of lives and has given mothers the strength to rear their children beyond teenage years. In one of his addresses during his Pontificate, the late Pope Benedict referred to the “WISDOM OF WEAKNESS” No doubt he was feeling his own weakness at that time. At some time in our lives, we all face weakness in ourselves and others . St Paul refers to the fact that the weakest are indispensable to the body. Those are challenging and uncomfortable words. If you are like me you might want to FIX things that you are uncomfortable with, but it is not always a question of DOING, it is often about meeting or accompanying or listening. We can see the ugly, the disability, the smelly, the uncomfortable as the enemy, but Jesus said LOVE YOUR ENEMY, because the enemy is telling us something about our own fears, our capacity to be angry, to reject the unsightly and to walk away. It tells us about our fear of getting too close. In some cultures, people with disabilities are kept out of the public eye to save people like me from getting embarrassed and feeling uncomfortable. Behind the wounds of a person in a sick bed is a man, a woman or a child , someone who has something to say about being human. St Francis had three conversions. 1st When he met the lepers 2nd When he was with the bandits in the forest 3rd When he met the Sultan and he discovered that Muslims were men and women seeking God. Have you ever met someone in your life who has had a profound experience of God for you? I know I have, and such situations called on me not to respond with words but with staying alongside in silence and just being present and offering nothing but silence. We cannot solve everything, but we can help by our presence. In the Eucharist Jesus says nothing and we understand Him as the REAL PRESENCE. His Real Presence to us is such a comfort in times of anxiety. We feel understood, safe , accepted and not judged. Time is a precious commodity, and it costs nothing and as ministers of the Lord’s work it is the most precious gift we have to offer another human being whether in the confines of a hospital or a person who is housebound. All illness has a mental aspect which is not possible to touch , but our empathy , understanding and tenderness will make another human being feel accepted and fully human. JESUS LOVES ME AS I AM and we can say that we are OK just as we are , because we are loved by God and He is calling us to be present to each other. We can listen to the cry of the poor so that we can give hope and be a sign that God is present in the world. I think that is what Catherine McAuley did when she spent her fortune on the poverty and suffering she saw around her. I pray that ,we her followers, would strive every day to make life a little brighter and better for another human being and that each encounter with our brothers and sisters would assure them of their uniqueness as children of God and that they are unconditionally loved by Him. May this Mercy Day bring you many blessings as we here in the Community include you in our Celebration of the Eucharist and our Prayer together as we remember and give thanks for all that has been and will be into the future. Sister Assumpta Walsh 21/9/2023

It is now 20 years since the 80 strong youth pilgrimage to Lourdes. Sisters of Mercy, Youth Mercy Associates and Mercy Associates travelled in two coaches. This had been the ‘dream’ of YMA from the start of the first group, by Sister Patricia Bell, in 2000. It was a wonderful experience to see all the groups of young associates gather at Our Lady’s shrine. The pilgrimage was opened in the crypt of Sacre-Coeur, Paris, on 15th August, The Assumption, and closed eight days later on the 22nd August, The Queenship of Mary, in Rue du bac, the Chapel of the Miraculous Medal, Paris. What a memorable experience for all the young ones, and of course, also us older ones too ! Tommy and Monica Mills YMA & High Heaton, Newcastle upon Tyne

Do this in memory of me “We cannot love God unless we love each other, and to love we must know each other. We know Him in the breaking of bread, and we know each other in the breaking of bread, and we are not alone anymore. Heaven is a banquet and life is a banquet, too, even with a crust, where there is companionship.” (Dorothy Day) It is not in any way unreasonable to ask ourselves what we have done with our lives especially if you are as old as me! How will posterity remember us and what legacy will we leave behind. It would be so nice to be remembered even for a short while following our demise. I am sure that none of us would want to be remembered as being a miserable unfriendly human being and we certainly would not like people to say that we did little to make a difference in our corner of the world. Deep down in our inner core is the desire to have done something worthwhile with our lives. We would like our families and friends to remember us as loyal, faithful, generous, hardworking, compassionate, hospitable and welcoming. Many of us celebrate the different milestones in our lives such as Birthdays, Wedding Anniversaries and so on, as an opportunity to celebrate so that when we have passed on the next generation might give us a fleeting thought as they recall us on significant days through the year. In this reflection Jesus is the subject matter, because He is the One who called His disciples together and blessed, broke and shared bread with them. He had previously fed the thousands who were hungry showing concern for them. Jesus Himself is the Blessed One of God having had His body bruised and broken to the point of death showing us that love pays the ultimate price of sharing one's self with others. To quote His own words "THERE IS NO GREATER LOVE THAN TO LAY DOWN ONE'S LIFE FOR ONE'S FRIENDS". "AS I HAVE DONE SO YOU MUST DO" What did Jesus mean and what does it mean for us today?. Every time we gather to celebrate the Eucharist (Mass) this instruction is repeated. According to Holy Scripture Jesus took bread, blessed it, shared it, and gave us the instruction as He said "DO THIS IN MEMORY OF ME" For over 2,000 years the church has identified these words with the most important words of the Eucharist; the words of Consecration of the bread and wine. Let us imagine the scene of the Last Supper and the unusual group of disciples called from many positions in life with Jesus in the midst of them. I doubt if the full impact of what Jesus was doing made any real sense to the gathering. Would Jesus have known that this memory of Him would be carried on for thousands of years and celebrated in beautiful and spectacular events like An International Eucharistic Congresses? Each Congress has a different Theme and the last Congress had for its theme COMMUNION WITH CHRIST AND ONE ANOTHER. As a people of God we need each other and that is obvious when we celebrate the Eucharist together. Sometimes when our priest is away here in Bermondsey and Mass is not available to us, I follow online from places like Knock Shrine where thousands gather every day or at Clonard Monastery in Northern Ireland where as many as 12 Eucharistic Ministers are needed to help the Priest distribute Holy Communion. If you have an Ipad it is a very worthwhile time of Prayer to follow Mass from these two places, but there are also many, many places in our world where we can follow Mass at any time of the day or the night. Let us continue to hunger for the Bread of Life that will sustain us as we continue our Faith Journey which can take us through challenging experiences. Sr Assumpta

On Saturday 22nd April, the Stechford and Handsworth Mercy Associates met for a day’s Retreat in Catherine’s last foundation. There was a great buzz of meeting and greeting on arrivals. The Associates had asked to learn more about Catherine, so the theme of the day was “Walking where Catherine walked”. Sr. Kathleen introduced the day and informed the group that she had received a message that morning for another Mercy woman to attend and was that ok? To the groups surprise ……... Venerable Catherine herself, (Sr Noreen), walked in and told us all how she founded this house in Birmingham in 1841. It was a very moving experience as she relived the memories of those early days. As she left we really felt the day had begun and especially as she reminded the Associates that Mercy started with two associates. The refrain “She is here, She is moving among us” was sung as we did actually feel her presence with us. The morning was spent going back to our beginnings, both through the life of Catherine and the development of St Mary’s to the Centre as it is today. The Associates felt free to ask and contribute to the input. It was a lively session. We then literally walked where Catherine had walked as we did a tour of the house. Lunch was in the Refectory and the buzz there was unbelievable. Our afternoon session began with a reflection on one of Catherine’s letters from this house, led by Sr Maureen. We were then encouraged to find a quiet place in the house, reread the letter and then write our own letter to Catherine as we were feeling today. Sr Maura concluded the day with a reflection and prayer on all the happenings of the day, emphasising greatly the role of the Mercy Associates. The day could not be over without a good cup of tea and a 21st Century Roger de Coverley Scottish country dance music and Abba !!!!!!

The month of May is traditionally devoted to Our Lady, Mary the Mother of God and it is well to follow her story as a meditation. Many of us will remember our school days when we had a May Procession and sang the hymn …….flowers of the fairest. From scripture we are not aware that Mary had any siblings so we will take for granted that she was an only child. We picture her as a young girl growing up in a simple homestead with Anne and Joachim helping with the daily routine in the house and like other teenagers going to the well to draw water. The well was an interesting place for young Jewish girls to share their stories. All these girls knew their scriptures and their conversations might well have turned to the coming of the Messiah and who His mother might be. All the young women at the well would belong to modest families and would never have presumed that one day they might be called to fulfil this mission. Everyone dreamed of a rich Messiah whom they relied on to break the yolk of domination by a foreign power and one who would set Israel free. They could only hope to be nothing more than a servant in the house of the new-born Messiah. It is dreaming that keeps us hopeful! One bright sunny day Mary found herself alone in the courtyard of her parent's home where she withdrew to pray. Suddenly she was surrounded by a bright light which took on the appearance of an angel ,who eventually spoke to her saying ‘Hail Full Of Grace, The Lord Is With You’ .One can think about the things of God, but when they touch us we can experience fear and doubt. The angel was aware of this and said, ‘Do Not Be Afraid Mary’. This gave Mary a sense of courage as she remembered the words of scripture ‘Fear Not Abram I Am Your Shield’ ( Gen 15 v1) The angel continued with the news that she was to be the mother of the Messiah. Mary's question seemed anxious as to how this should come about and in faith she accepted the Angel's assurance that it would be the work of the Holy Spirit. In faith Mary responded, ‘Be It Done Unto Me According To Your Word’ and the angel left her. That was indeed complicated as she was engaged to Joseph, the carpenter, and how would she tell her parents and what would Joseph say?. Every girl has a best friend, so Mary set off to talk to Elizabeth, her cousin, who was also to become a mother and we know what happened when Mary arrived at Elizabeth's home, the baby in her womb, John the Baptist, leapt for joy. We can only imagine the conversations Mary had with Elizabeth during their time together. Elizabeth being an older woman would tell Mary she had to go back home and face the music, because running away solves nothing; none of us can run away from ourselves. During her time with Elizabeth Mary found the courage and energy to face the long dusty road to Nazareth. It was a difficult re-entry to the home of Anne and Joachim with Mary dodging questions and waiting for the opportune moment to talk to her mother. Between them they devised a plan, as only women can do, on how to tell Joseph and Joachim. The culture was against Mary and as her pregnancy showed, tongues began to wag and Mary was the victim of many insults and lies and her family was shunned everywhere. Joseph who loved her could not believe that she was an innocent young mother and reacted badly at first. Being a good and just man with genuine love for Mary and some prompting from Joachim he decided to take Mary away from hostile gossiping neighbours. Anne, the ever the faithful and loving mother who forgives all, packed up fresh bread and water and Mary and Joseph set out in the dead of night with the help of a donkey. It was a rough lonely journey over unfriendly terrain with cold nights out in the open. Let us think for a moment of the feelings and thoughts that invaded Mary's soul as to how this whole saga would pan out. A young mother pregnant with an unusual child and the possibility of trouble and danger on the way. Reflecting on Mary's plight we can easily understand the hardship encountered by pregnant refugee women as they escape war and persecution. They certainly are the ones who are best able to identify with Mary and understand her plight. Let us for now remain with Mary and Joseph on their long pilgrimage to a place where they hoped they could live in anonymity, but God always has other plans which unfold in His time. Our Spiritual Journey may not have much in common with Mary's reality, but we all live through doubts and fears when the present moment offers poor comfort and our ability to ‘hang on in there’ demands a strong faith. It is never easy to live with an attitude of gratitude and surrender. It is very difficult to accept that we are powerless to control and fix things so that life would be kinder to us and to those we love. It is very freeing to be vulnerable and let go of pretence and allow the tears to flow. God does provide us daily with those opportunities and especially in our encounter with others, who do not always fit into the politically correct boxes and who are crying out to be accepted, loved and understood. In the Apparitions of Mary that we are familiar with we see her with the little ones of Yahweh often giving then tall orders to talk to Bishops, to build churches and teach people to pray. We are included in this, and the Month of May is a wonderful time to encourage ourselves to renew our devotion to Mary and reflect on her life as we have experienced in this meditation. Go forward, therefore without fear, devotees of the Blessed Virgin Mary and together with the Church, joyfully and trustfully chant the antiphon.. Loving Mother Of The Redeemer, Gate Of Heaven, Star Of The Sea, Assist Your People Who Have Fallen And Strive To Rise Again

Maryland Mercy Associates, St.Albans On the 29th March we were privileged to have Sister Maura with us once again for our meeting. Nine of our Associates attended and also welcomed a new member, Christina. We started our session with refreshments – plenty of ‘good cups of tea’ and some hot cross buns. Sister Maura then produced a stunning birthday cake for our secretary (me) as I celebrated my 70th birthday the previous week! We renewed our commitments as Mercy Associates and Sister Maura renewed her vows as a Sister. We also heard Catherine’s thoughts on Lent from a letter she wrote and were inspired by the words of the Lenten Psalm of Awakening by Edward Hays. My recent birthday prompted us to think about getting older and how things are changing for both the Sisters and us Mercy Associates. Sister Maura updated us about what is happening to the Sisters of Mercy in England. She paid tribute to Sister Mary Sullivan (USA died 2023), Sister Angela Bolster (Ireland died 2005) and Sister M Liguori (UK died 2008) and many others to whom we owe so much. They were steeped in Venerable Catherine’s story and shared it with a passion. We prayed for them. Although getting on in years brings its challenges – one of our group now uses a mobility scooter and another told us she now has ‘wheels’( a mobility walker) – we recognised that slowing down in life does allow us to have more time for people. We can be ‘available’ more often and hopefully more sensitive to others – the two features of Catherine’s legacy as cited on the Mercy calendar for that day. Some of us will be attending the celebrations for Sister Margaret Jones’s Diamond Jubilee in April and we are looking forward to a commemorative tree being planted at SS Alban and Stephen Primary School in June. This will be another memorial to the great work the Sisters have carried out in St. Albans particularly in the field of education. We would also like to visit the Sisters in Clacton this year – possibly in June or July and catch up with the Sisters we know from their time at Maryland. Cath White Secretary Maryland Mercy Associates, St.Albans.

MARY RECEIVES THE BODY OF JESUS "Joseph of Arimathea, who was the disciple of Jesus, though in secret asked Pilate to let him take away the body of Jesus. Pilate gave permission and he came and moved the Body". (John 19:38) All the people who stood at a distance to watch Jesus being crucified had gone away. It was nearly evening by the time Joseph got permission to move the body of Jesus. Mary waited and waited by the Cross not wanting to leave her Son without being able to embrace Him one more time. "I wanted to hold Him, but Joseph protested and said "HE IS TOO HEAVY". Mary begged and asked that they do not deny a Mother's wish to hold her child. How cold , awkward and heavy the body was as they placed it on Mary's lap so unlike the warm body of her Infant Child in the stable at Bethlehem. How the memories kept flowing through Mary's mind. The happy days when Mary recalled Jesus taking his first steps; eating his first spoonful of solid food; playing with other children in the alley way and even helping Joseph in the Carpenter's shop. At the Marriage Feast when she said "THEY HAVE NO WINE "he gave her a strange look and when she found Him as a young teenager teaching the elders in the Temple, He answered her sharply. He was always a puzzle to her, but nothing could have prepared her for meeting Him carrying the Cross and now finally His dead Body in her arms. Every life has its share of pain and suffering and for Mary life was no different. The Pieta by Michelangelo is a huge masterpiece and powerfully depicts the image of a Mother holding the torn, and ravaged body of her crucified son. In the Pieta Mary has large, broad shoulders with a wide lap on which the dead body of her son rests. The Pieta is a powerful reminder of how much strength love can have and how much pain a Mother can endure for the sake of her child. Over many years living in Rome the Pieta was one of my favourite places to stop and meditate. It was easy to identify with the sufferings of Mary and to hold the suffering world before this powerful image. The experience of the Pieta is everywhere in our world and comes into our sitting rooms when we turn on the daily news and we see the plight of refugees, of those affected by climate change like now in Africa where drought has escalated the price of food. Every generation is affected by some condition. Two years ago here in this country we were controlled by the restrictions of the Pandemic, but what about the children of parents ravaged by disease and death in war torn countries like Ukraine and currently the serious unrest in Nigeria. Who will tell orphaned children stories of their parents and families whom they will never know. The plight of such children is too challenging for comfort. Does Mary in the Pieta offer us any insight into how we might understand and embrace the suffering of the world today?. Yes, it does have a powerful meaning because when we open our hearts in compassion to all whose stories we know or those who lean on us for strength and courage we are another Mary holding the mangled Body of Jesus covered in blood. Mary You Were There Before Me You Opened Wide Your Arms To Receive The Bruised Body Of Your Son. Today I Think Of Mothers Whose Sons Are Long Lost, Ill And Ravaged By Disease Or Addiction Of Some Kind Help Me To Draw Inspiration

On the 13th of March I had an enjoyable visit with the Mercy Associates in Whitstable. These Associates have been and are very generous in helping the home and overseas mission. They generously supported and are willing to support the mission where I worked - the Mercy Community Centre Kiptere Kenya. The group raised funds previously by having a Lunch Club which they managed for many years but due to age and infirmity this had to be discontinued. Then they came up with the brilliant idea of having Afternoon Tea every Wednesday where they serve their home - make cakes biscuits etc,. This event gives great joy to many elderly people who might not otherwise leave their homes. It was good to join them for a cup of tea and Marian's homemade biscuits before they held their monthly meeting. I was impressed by the manner in which they conducted the meeting. They followed the usual procedure for a meeting. Under AOB I heard that they found Sr Assumpta's recent Reflection helpful and appreciated Sr Bride's keeping in touch. The chairlady gave a short prayerful reflection. I gave them some passages to ponder/ meditate on at their leisure. I should mention that one member Lesley was absent from the meeting through illness. She is, like each one of the Mercy Associates hardworking energetic and generous. There were three volunteers at the meeting. They are indeed every bit Mercy Associates; they were friendly, hospitable and generous and so willing to help though have yet to be enrolled! I unfortunately was unable to stay to the end of the meeting. I thanked these great Mercy Associates for a pleasant, joyful few hours. It was a refreshing experience and I left with a new sense of hope. Thank you Whitstable Mercy Associates ! Sr. Lucy

Stechford Mercy Associates And Sisters’ Annual Renewal Of Commitment 12th March 2023 On Sunday 12th March 2023, the Stechford Mercy Sisters and Associates, joined by Sister Teresa Paschal O.Carm, held their annual renewal of Religious Vows and Lay Commitment in the newly-decorated Parish Room of Corpus Christi Church. The meeting began with the lighting of our Mercy candles, the singing of the Suscipe and the prayerful naming of our absent and deceased members. Next we reflected silently on the powerful Lenten Psalm of Awakening by Edward Hays, from the March prayer leaflet sent by Sr. Annette McCartan (Glasgow). After sharing some personal thoughts on how the Psalm had spoken to us, including its message of ‘waking up spiritually’ in our daily lives, we prayed it aloud together. The Associates then renewed their Commitment followed by the Renewal of Vows by Sisters Maura, Maureen and Teresa Paschal. After each renewal, we sang ‘Amen, we affirm…’ as a message of encouragement. As always, this was a very moving experience and we all felt blessed to be together. We completed our Prayer with the Magnificat of Mercy and our final hymn. Sister Maureen then introduced a letter written by Venerable Catherine McAuley during Lent 1841. Written from Baggot Street to Sister Mary de Sales White in Bermondsey, London on 28th February, we were struck by the motherly compassion of Catherine as she instructed her Sister not to be too rigorous during the Lenten fasts because of the ‘flu epidemic then raging, but rather to practise obedience as a higher form of self-denial in that giving up one’s own will is so much more difficult than giving up foods we like. Coming from Catherine who was by then suffering so much from what she called ‘my old cough’, we were all touched by her loving concern for the Sisters and her wisdom in counselling them to ‘take one day only in hands at a time’ and ‘to resolve to be good today, but better tomorrow.’ For us, these were very encouraging words for our own journey through Lent! We reflected together on Catherine’s message about living a faithful, fruitful Lent: ‘…resolve to be good today but better tomorrow.’, asking how we could apply it to our own lives. Could we also just ‘rest with where God as Mercy, is opening a door in our hearts this Lent? No questions or searching, just resting…?’ This is not something we are used to doing, so is a real challenge. We concluded that we may well be more comfortable with Lenten works of Mercy but should also give inner space to God’s word spoken within us. We concluded our meeting with ’a shared table’ meal and some yummy treats kindly sent by our Associate *Mary Moyles who could not be with us. These and the ‘united in Mercy’ greetings sent by others who could not attend including Clare & Freda in Australia (!), were a real blessing. Feeling renewed, we went our separate ways until next time. Angela Powers * In a very special moment, Mary renewed her Commitment at home on 16th March during a visit from Sr. Maureen. We hope others unable to attend on 12th could also enjoy a ‘Mercy Moment’ of Renewal in their own homes at a time of their choosing.

The group met on Ash Wednesday, 22nd February. 33 were able to come. 10 were absent through illness. The theme of the prayer was Lent. Sr Betty prepared the focus which was a large wooden cross with a drape of purple material at the base. Radiating out from the base of the cross were 5 scrolls on which were written names for Christ. Merciful Redeemer, Heart of my heart, You O Beloved, O comforter, Loving Companion Presence. 2 baskets of small stones were also placed at the base, a copy of the scriptures, and a small statue of Christ in the garden of olives. The stones were used as part of a ritual on our heart. The basket of stones was passed round the group and each Associate took one and after reflecting placed it in the sacred space. Venerable Catherine's Maxims on the Cross were also shared. "The order was built on the Cross there to serve a crucified redeemer" was the one most recalled. Many of the group are members of Holy Trinity choir so the singing of the hymn "God forgave my sin in Jesus’ name" was sung with gusto. The prayer ended with Catherine's Suscipe.