Fifth Australian Catherine McAuley Symposium
Over the past two weeks, Mary Pat Garvin RSM (Sisters of Mercy of the Americas) has led exploration of the topic of Catherine McAuley as a ‘social mystic’, at the Fifth Australian Catherine McAuley Symposium. The Symposium, which is an initiative of the office of the Vice-Postulator for the Canonisation of Catherine McAuley, was held in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Brisbane.
A wide representation of Mercy in Australia attended the gatherings including sisters, staff, associates, ministry personnel and other people of Mercy.
Mary Pat Garvin described Catherine McAuley as a “a mystic, a ‘live-wire’ between God’s grace, God’s mercy and a world in need!”.
Drawing on a description of a social mystic as a ‘person whose relationship with Jesus has direct social implications’*, Mary Pat said Catherine was a person whose relationship with Jesus transformed her very being and awakened in her an animated life of service to God’s most vulnerable.
As followers of Jesus, in the tradition of Catherine, Mary Pat asked those gathered to consider “What has been my experience of being a ‘social mystic’? How has my relationship with Jesus had direct social implications?”.
In seeking to be a live-wire in a contemporary world, Mary Pat reinforced the importance of contemplative prayer as moving one to prophetic action.
“The clarity, courage and empowerment that emerge through contemplative prayer moves one to prophetic action”.**
A live-wire also is able to embrace God’s providence not only in moments of design but also in the chaos of life.
The Catherine McAuley Symposium is funded and sponsored by the Leaders of the Mercy Congregations of Brisbane, North Sydney, Parramatta and the Institute of Sisters of Mercy of Australia and Papua New Guinea. Its purpose is to engage participants in exploring the relevance of Catherine’s founding inspiration for our own time and place.
Messages to: ISMAPNG Communications
* Adapted from Rakoczy, Susan. Great Mystics and Social Justice: Walking on the Two Feet of Love. (New York: Paulist Press, 2006), 38.
** Doyle, Katherine. “Out of God’s Deepest Mercy, A New Dawn: Reflections on the Fourth Institute Chapter.” The Mercy Association of Scripture and Theology Journal (M.A.S.T.), vol. 15, no. 3 (2005), 32-33.
Sydney

Carolyn Nolan RSM and Nance Cale RSM

2. Lyndell Hagan RSM and Caitlin Pfafflin

3. Caroline Ong RSM, Faith Jones RSM and Valda Dickinson RSM

4. Moira, Jenny Ryan RSM, Carmel Daly RSM and Johanna Conway RSM

Johanna Conway RSM and Caroline Ryan RSM

Beryl Amedee RSM and Joyce Vella RSM

Beryl Amedee RSM, Joyce Vella RSM and Carla Jansen RSM

Maryanne Loughry RSM and Virginia Bourke

Symposium attendee and Margaret Harper RSM

Berneice Loch RSM, Margaret Sheppard RSM and Madeline Ducket RSM

Emma Llewellyn, Marea Roberts RSM and Anne McGuire RSM

Jenny Ryan RSM, Anne McGuire RSM and Caroline Ong RSM

Bernadette Mansour RSM, Lyndall Hagan RSM, Caitlin Pfafflin and TrIsh McDermott RSM

Mary Pat Garvin RSM and Mary Louise Petro RSM
Melbourne
June Rohan RSM, Mai Nguyen-Doan RSM and Nola Morrissy RSM

Theresa Dennis RSM and Mary Nuttall RSM

Kathryn Orfini and Trudy Keur RSM

Barbara Bolster RSM

Mary Pat Garvin RSM

Helen Owens RSM and Margaret Richmond RSM

Ada Jarni and Anila Isaac RSM

Anna Duble RSM and Felicia Holland RSM

Patrice Orchard RSM, Jean Walton RSM and Michelle Goh RSM

Margaret Sheehan RSM and Marie Ralph RSM

Eileen Ann Daffy RSM and Trish Mahony RSM

Helen Duffy RSM and Julie O’Brien RSM

Martin Day, Julie O’Brien RSM and Nola Morrissy RSM

Karon Donnellon RSM, Mary Racja and Trish Schofield
Adelaide

Marg Adams RSM and Mary Pat Garvin RSM

Tess Flaherty RSM and Anne Tormey RSM

Josie Weatherall RSM, Cynthia Griffin RSM and Kathryn Travers RSM

Anne Tormey RSM, Paddy McEvoy and Pat Fox RSM

Peter Mercer and Mary Mutlow RSM

Lyn Beck RSM and Ilsa Neicinieks RSM

Ruth Egar RSM and Mary Pat Garvin RSM
Brisbane

Mary Pat Garvin RSM unwrapping gift Sue Smith RSM in background

Mary Pat Garvin RSM receiving gift from Pauline Smoothy RSM

Some of the participants applauding

A group of participants

Catherine Reuter RSM welcoming everyone

Barbara Bolster RSM, Mary Pat Garvin RSM, and Catherine Reuter RSM

Prayer Focus Space showing sculpture of Catherine McAuley at All Hallows
Thank you to Barbara Broad RSM, Bev Strong RSM, and Margie Abbott RSM for taking the photos at each event.’
Messages to Institute Communication