Australia’s Catholic Bishops have used their 2008 Social Justice Sunday Statement to issue an urgent call for action to achieve justice for those afflicted by poverty in our affluent society. The Institute’s Specific Issues Committee, Women and Poverty encourages all people of good will to download this statement, “A Rich Young Nation: The challenge of affluence and poverty in Australia”.

The Institute of Sisters of Mercy of Australia will host a conference in November 2009 exploring the theme “Embrace the Other and Welcome Difference…” This conference is a gathering for people who are interested in looking at justice through a mercy lens. Sisters of Mercy, colleagues in ministry and all those seeking justice in our world are invited.

An Australia-wide representation of Sisters of Mercy, their colleagues and friends gathered recently (September 8, 2008) for the inaugural Catherine McAuley Symposium at All Hallows’ School in Brisbane.

Sister Veronica Lawson RSM (Ballarat East) offers a reflection on the Gospel for the twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A (Matthew 20:1-6a). To access this reflection, click on "MORE" and then click on the picture of the Bible where you can read the Scripture as well as the reflection.

Twenty-five years ago on Mercy Day, a small group headed by Sisters Pat Kenny and Rose Casey of Adelaide formally committed themselves for a six-month trial period to test their vision of a healing community. Rose was 80 years old; Pat, 57. They chose the name Hesed, a Hebrew word with a cluster of meanings closely linked to the compassion, mercy and fidelity of God.

“Most of my school days were spent in school in Brisbane run by the Sisters of Mercy and these women have had an enduringly positive and emboldening influence on me and many others”, writes Marilyn McMeniman, a former student of All Hallows’ School in Brisbane and now the Pro Vice-Chancellor of Arts, Education and Law at Griffith University. Marilyn’s essay, published recently in the Griffith Review (21: “Hidden Queensland”) can be downloaded here.

Good wishes and prayerful thoughts go out to Sisters of Mercy of the North Sydney and Brisbane Congregations who will commence their Chapters of Election very soon. North Sydney’s is from September 23-26, while Brisbane’s is from September 26-30.