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