Marie’s Song of Mercy

Sydney
10 August 2003

Catholic MPs told to oppose same-sex ‘marriage’ moves

Medical equipment shipped to islands

Honour a ‘bolt from the blue’

Blessing for the infertile

Your gifts send Susan to Lourdes

Landmark dates for Fr Joe, escapee

Bishops applaud refugee move

Liberal arts focus at Campion College

Faith, ecology network

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Letters: Move the world?

Vocation Awareness Special: Are you doing what God’s calling you to?

Living ‘in the spirit of Mary’

Mercy at the heart of a vocation

Marie’s Song of Mercy

Children of the rock - John Paul II

Kim received faith ‘through God’s words’

People you meet are the ‘best thing’ for a priest

Divisions cast aside

Voice of youth: Downside to benefits of plurality

Tribute to the man in the bus shelter

Marie’s Song of Mercy

“I find it a delight to watch children’s faces change as they start connecting in a positive way with others.”

I wrote these words some time ago when asked to reflect upon my role as an educator.

Hello, my name is Marie and as a Sister of Mercy I work with students, parents and teachers in a Catholic primary school in Sydney’s West.

Having been a classroom teacher and a principal for some years, I moved into an area close to my heart - that of helping children who are experiencing difficulty in the classroom and playground. These children are often very creative and gifted and challenge the education system to explore other modes of learning.

By assisting them to self evaluate and come up with new behaviours to meet their needs, I try to help them experience a sense of empowerment and so take responsibility for the choices they make. When I see these children mingling in the classroom and enjoying their school life I experience immense delight in my ministry and feel deeply connected to the song of mercy.

My role also brings me into the lives of children beyond the classrooms.

It is when I meet with parents who are concerned about their child’s way of coping with grief or anxiety that I feel deeply touched.

Here I meet people’s courage in the face of vulnerability and mercy comes alive for me.

I also have an energy to explore social justice issues, especially the rights of indigenous Australians, refugees and asylum seekers, women and ecology.

This is another ministry of mercy for me as I explore ways to deepen my own and others’ awareness of the human faces behind these issues of social justice, and seek practical ways to address them so that the God’s reign of mercy, peace, justice and forgiveness will become a greater reality for our world and its people. As I live out my life as a Sister of Mercy I draw strength and purpose from the words of Scripture and from one of my favourite mystics, Hildegard of Bingen, who said: “God was and is without beginning before the creation of the world. God was and is Light and Radiance and Life”.

Marie’s story tells us something of her life as a Sister of Mercy.

Other Mercy ministries include nursing; social work; physiotherapy; parish ministry (urban and rural); schools and tertiary education; pastoral care and parent/student support in schools; aged care and pastoral support; counselling; campus ministry; renewal work and spiritual direction; visitation in homes, hospitals and care facilities; advocacy for, and pastoral support of, refugees and asylum seekers; adult education in theology, scripture and social justice; history and research; education in drama; natural therapies; religious art; canon law; and administrative and prayer support.

If you feel drawn to religious life and wish to know more about the Sisters of Mercy, you are invited to come to an inquiry afternoon at 2.30pm on Sunday, September 7 at the address below (RSVP by September 5).

If you are unable to come, you may simply wish to ring and speak to Sr Margaret Sheppard, at 6 Victoria Rd, Parramatta 2150 (PO Box 2012 North Parramatta 1750); call (02) 9630 1106; fax (02) 9683 2550.

Alternatively you can email margsh@mercy.org.au or visit www.parramattamercy.org.au