Each week on our website Elizabeth Davis rsm provides a written reflection on the Sunday readings. These reflections contain insights and images, poetry and prose.
Sister Elizabeth’s reflections are published online in the Spirituality section under the appropriate liturgical season. They can be read online or downloaded.
As you journey through Lent to Easter, you might find these reflections a source of inspiration and nourishment and “a light for your path” (Ps 119).
Hope is being able to see that there is a light despite all the darkness (Desmond Tutu)
We all face challenges- as individuals and as communities. We all experience hardship at one point or another. It’s part of being human.
How can we weather the storms and emerge into sunlight? How do we distinguish between Hope and optimism? What tools are available to us to assist us in becoming resilient?
Research has shown that people who are hopeful often cope more effectively with obstacles and challenges.
On Saturday, March 4 from 10:00 am to noon join Tony Bidgood, CSsR and Anne Walsh as, together, we explore what hope is, and ways that we can become practitioners of hope in daily life. To register, please contact Marilyn Stack at marilynstack@gmail.com
The link for the March 4 session is https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87276536555
“Our common home: A guide to caring for our living planet,” is the product of the collaboration between the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development and the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI).
It connects the science of climate change, biodiversity and sustainable resource use with the messages of Pope Francis’s Encyclical Laudato Si’
The booklet, available in five languages, launched on 14 February 2023, distils the science on urgent environmental issues and explains how individuals and communities can take action to build a more sustainable and socially just future..
“Nuestra casa común: Una guía para cuidar nuestro planeta vivo”, es fruto de la colaboración entre el Dicasterio para la Promoción del Desarrollo Humano Integral y el Instituto de Medio Ambiente de Estocolmo (SEI).
Conecta la ciencia del cambio climático, la biodiversidad y el uso sostenible de los recursos con los mensajes de la Encíclica Laudato Si’ del Papa Francisco.
El folleto, disponible en cinco idiomas, lanzado el 14 de febrero de 2023, destila la ciencia sobre cuestiones medioambientales urgentes y explica cómo los individuos y las comunidades pueden actuar para construir un futuro más sostenible y socialmente justo…
A historic deal was reached at the UN Biodiversity Summit (COP15) on Monday, December 19 when 195 countries adopted the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
The aim of this global pact is to halt and reverse the rapid loss of biodiversity by 2030, setting aside at least 30% of the world’s lands, oceans and inland waters for conservation and respecting the rights, roles and contributions of indigenous peoples toward this goal. The Framework designed at COP15 charts a new way forward, a path away from the damaging patterns that led to the destructionof ecosystems and diminishment of species over many decades. Attached is a segment of an article by Brian Roewe, an environmental correspondent with the National Catholic Reporter, on the presence and influence of faith groups at COP15.
El lunes 19 de diciembre se alcanzó un acuerdo histórico en la Cumbre de las Naciones Unidas sobre Biodiversidad (COP15), cuando 195 países adoptaron el Marco Mundial para la Biodiversidad de Kunming-Montreal.
El objetivo de este pacto mundial es detener e invertir la rápida pérdida de biodiversidad para 2030, reservando al menos el 30% de las tierras, océanos y aguas continentales del mundo para su conservación y respetando los derechos, funciones y contribuciones de los pueblos indígenas hacia este objetivo. El Marco diseñado en la COP15 traza un nuevo camino a seguir, un camino que se aleja de los patrones perjudiciales que condujeron a la destrucción de los ecosistemas y a la disminución de las especies durante muchas décadas. Se adjunta un fragmento de un artículo de Brian Roewe, corresponsal medioambiental del National Catholic Reporter, sobre la presencia y la influencia de los grupos religiosos en la COP15.
This afternoon, November 10, 2022, after months of planning and negotiation the sale of the convent at Conception Harbour has been completed! The convent space is now the property of an Artistic group, Perchance Theatre, who were formerly based in Cupids.
The group will set up their theatre on the property (purchased from the Grand Falls diocese). The convent will be used by the group to support their operations and personnel. The group is ecstatic and so grateful. We are grateful that the convent will now be a focus of arts and culture and hopefully bring new life for the communinty of Conception Harbour and surrounding area.
We pray for the group and that this venture will be successful and nurturing to the heart and spirit of many.
History of the Convent
In 1869 the first convent was built (a replica of the convent in Brigus). Three young women, Sisters Mary Michael Gertrude Moore, Mary Theresa Slattery, and Mary De Sales Meehan came from Mercy Convent in St. John’s to found the first community of Sisters of Mercy, Conception Harbour. These three young women were born in Ireland and came to Newfoundland in their late teens or early twenties to join the Congregation. In subsequent years other Irish girls and local born girls joined the Conception Harbour convent.
The first convent building was replaced by a new one in 1931. Since 1869, 106 Sisters of Mercy have lived in the convent, taught in theschools in Conception Harbour, and later in Brigus, Avondale and Holyrood. Throughout the years the Sisters visited people in their homes and were engaged in various parish and community activities. As was the custom in early years (prior to the amalgamation of the Mercy Convents in 1916) a cemetery was located near the convent where five Sisters of Mercy have been buried. The headstones bear the names: Sisters M. deSales Meehan (1885), M. Gertrude Moore (1891), M. Agnes Banks (1893), M. Philomena Leamy (1893) and M. Cecilia Joy (1910), all Irish-born, except Sr. Cecilia.
On February 2, 2022 Sisters Geraldine Mason and Ellen Marie Sullivan closed the doors of the convent marking the end of the ministry of the Sisters of Mercy in the Conception Harbour area and the end of a dedicated ministry to the people and community. On September 18 the three last sisters to reside in the convent, Sisters Geraldine, Ellen Marie and Ruth Beresford were invited by the pastor, Fr. Thomas Offong, to a Eucharistic liturgy followed by a reception to mark this ending. Other sisters and many people of the local areas joined in the celebration of gratitude and appreciation. The Mayor of Conception Harbour presented the sisters with a framed print of the local area called The Pool.
There is sadness and loss for the Sisters, for the people of Conception Harbour and the surrounding communities, for the Parish of St. Anne and the Renewal Centre in the closing of the convent after more than 150 years of life and ministry, church and community involvement. There is deep loss at the heart of the community of a presence that has been part of the lives of many men, women and children over many generations. The spirit of the Sisters of Mercy lives on in the lives of those whom the sisters have touched through education, music, drama, and spirituality and at the most sacred moments of their lives. Now new and exciting reality, based in the convent space and surrounding property, will arise in Perchance Theatre to bring new life to the community in art, music, drama and social consciousness.
About Perchance Theatre
The three-storey convent has today been purchased by an artistic group, Perchance Theatre. Under the direction of Danielle Irvine, the
Perchance Theatre produces and presents classical theatre with a focus on well known William Shakespeare. For years Perchance has offered elaborate, artistic and dynamic performances in their outdoor stage in Cupid’s built in the style of Shakespeare’s Globe theatre. Perchance has also performed their plays or elements of their plays around the province and conducted workshops in drama and culture in various locations in the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Watch some of their past performances
Perchance has chosen a new site for their home base on the Sisters of Mercy Convent property in Conception Harbour. People will now easily attend their new theatre centre by land and by sea – able to dock their boats at the nearby, Conception Harbour marina!
Moving Into the Future
The Sisters of Mercy formally leave Immaculate Conception Convent, Conception Harbour, with gratitude and pride in the rootedness of faith and culture of the people. We rejoice in the new life of the arts, music, drama, pathos and humor that will be brought to the stage and the community involvement of Perchance Theatre. We rejoice that this new location will be “home” to some of the most talented men, women and youth of our province and beyond. We are grateful that Perchance Theatre will enable the legacy of the Sisters of Mercy in education, in arts, social and cultural values to live on.
We pray that this new future will be a blessing for all, and especially for the community of Conception Harbour and surrounding communities. We wish Perchance Theatre and its members every blessing for growth and success in their gift to our society and culture.
Esta tarde, 10 de noviembre de 2022, tras meses de planificación y negociación, ¡se ha completado la venta del convento de Conception Harbour! El espacio del convento es ahora propiedad de un grupo artístico, Perchance Theatre, que anteriormente tenía su sede en Cupids.
El grupo instalará su teatro en la propiedad (adquirida a la diócesis de Grand Falls). El convento será utilizado por el grupo para apoyar sus operaciones y personal. El grupo está eufórico y muy agradecido. Estamos agradecidos de que el convento sea ahora un foco de arte y cultura y esperamos que traiga nueva vida a la comunidad de Conception Harbour y alrededores.
Rezamos por el grupo y para que esta empresa tenga éxito y nutra el corazón y el espíritu de muchos.
Historia del convento
En 1869 se construyó el primer convento (una réplica del convento de Brigus). Tres mujeres jóvenes, las Hermanas Mary Michael Gertrude Moore, Mary Theresa Slattery y Mary De Sales Meehan vinieron del Convento de la Misericordia en St. John’s para fundar la primera comunidad de Hermanas de la Misericordia, Conception Harbour. Estas tres jóvenes nacieron en Irlanda y llegaron a Terranova al final de la adolescencia o al principio de los veinte años para unirse a la Congregación. En los años siguientes, otras jóvenes irlandesas y nacidas en la región se unieron a las Hermanas de la Misericordia de Conception Harbour.
El primer edificio del convento fue sustituido por uno nuevo en 1931. Desde 1869, 106 Hermanas de la Misericordia han vivido en el convento, han enseñado en las escuelas de Conception Harbour, y más tarde en Brigus, Avondale y Holyrood. A lo largo de los años, las Hermanas visitaban a la gente en sus casas y participaban en diversas actividades parroquiales y comunitarias. Como era costumbre en los primeros años (antes de la fusión de los conventos de la Misericordia en 1916), cerca del convento había un cementerio donde están enterradas cinco Hermanas de la Misericordia. Las lápidas llevan los nombres Hermanas M. deSales Meehan (1885), M. Gertrude Moore (1891), M. Agnes Banks (1893), M. Philomena Leamy (1893) y M. Cecilia Joy (1910), todas nacidas en Irlanda, excepto la Hna. Cecilia.
El 2 de febrero de 2022 las Hermanas Geraldine Mason y Ellen Marie Sullivan cerraron las puertas del convento marcando el fin del ministerio de las Hermanas de la Misericordia en el área de Conception Harbour y el fin de un ministerio dedicado a la gente y a la comunidad. El 18 de septiembre, las tres últimas hermanas que residieron en el convento, las hermanas Geraldine, Ellen Marie y Ruth Beresford, fueron invitadas por el párroco, el padre Thomas Offong, a una liturgia eucarística seguida de una recepción para celebrar este final. Otras hermanas y muchas personas de la zona se unieron a la celebración de gratitud y reconocimiento. El alcalde de Conception Harbour obsequió a las hermanas con una lámina enmarcada de la zona local llamada The Pool.
El cierre del convento tras más de 150 años de vida y ministerio, de compromiso eclesial y comunitario, supone una tristeza y una pérdida para las hermanas, para la gente de Conception Harbour y de las comunidades vecinas, para la parroquia de Santa Ana y para el Centro de Renovación. Hay una profunda pérdida en el corazón de la comunidad de una presencia que ha formado parte de la vida de muchos hombres, mujeres y niños a lo largo de muchas generaciones. El espíritu de las Hermanas de la Misericordia sigue vivo en las vidas de aquellos a quienes las hermanas han tocado a través de la educación, la música, el teatro y la espiritualidad y en los momentos más sagrados de sus vidas. Ahora una nueva y excitante realidad, basada en el espacio del convento y la propiedad circundante, surgirá en el Teatro Perchance para traer nueva vida a la comunidad en arte, música, drama y conciencia social.
Sobre Perchance Theatre
El convento de tres plantas ha sido adquirido hoy por un grupo artístico, Perchance Theatre. Bajo la dirección de Danielle Irvine, el
Perchance Theatre produce y presenta teatro clásico centrado en el conocido William Shakespeare. Durante años, Perchance ha ofrecido representaciones elaboradas, artísticas y dinámicas en su escenario al aire libre de Cupidos, construido al estilo del teatro Globe de Shakespeare. Perchance también ha representado sus obras o elementos de las mismas por toda la provincia y ha dirigido talleres de teatro y cultura en diversos lugares de la provincia de Terranova y Labrador.
Perchance ha elegido un nuevo emplazamiento para su sede en la propiedad del Convento de las Hermanas de la Misericordia en Conception Harbour. A partir de ahora, la gente podrá acudir fácilmente a su nuevo centro teatral por tierra y por mar, pudiendo atracar sus barcos en el cercano puerto deportivo de Conception Harbour.
Hacia el futuro
Las Hermanas de la Misericordia dejan formalmente el Convento de la Inmaculada Concepción, en Conception Harbour, con gratitud y orgullo por el arraigo de la fe y la cultura del pueblo. Nos alegramos de la nueva vida de las artes, la música, el teatro, el pathos y el humor que se llevarán al escenario y de la implicación de la comunidad en el Perchance Theatre. Nos alegramos de que esta nueva ubicación sea el “hogar” de algunos de los hombres, mujeres y jóvenes con más talento de nuestra provincia y de fuera de ella. Estamos agradecidas de que el Perchance Theatre permita que el legado de las Hermanas de la Misericordia en educación, arte, valores sociales y culturales siga vivo.
Rezamos para que este nuevo futuro sea una bendición para todos, y especialmente para la comunidad de Conception Harbour y las comunidades vecinas. Deseamos al Perchance Theatre y a sus miembros todas las bendiciones para que crezcan y tengan éxito en su don a nuestra sociedad y cultura.
The Church has been celebrating the World Day of Migrants and Refugees (WDMR) since 1914
September 25 is a day set aside by the Church to reflect on the plight of migrants and refugees. The theme for this year is Building the Future with Migrants and Refugees, a theme which takes on particular meaning in today’s world. Pope Francis’ message for this occasion can be found here
This year’s theme also has particular relevance in the current Canadian context. More than 500,00 people are living and working in Canada without status or in precarious situations.
The Canadian government is looking to implement a program to grant permanent resident status to those people, who were the backbone of our workforce during the Covid 19 crisis. If this program is adopted by Parliament in its Fall session, the lives of all these people would be changed considerably.
Let us pray that this may be so …
More information and resources to mark this day can be found here
La Iglesia celebra la Jornada Mundial del Emigrante y del Refugiado (JMR) desde 1914
El 25 de septiembre es un día reservado por la Iglesia para reflexionar sobre la difícil situación de los migrantes y los refugiados. El tema de este año es Construir el futuro con los migrantes y los refugiados, un tema que adquiere un significado especial en el mundo actual. El mensaje del Papa Francisco para esta ocasión se puede encontrar aquí
El tema de este año también tiene especial relevancia en el contexto actual de Canadá. Más de 500.000 personas viven y trabajan en Canadá sin estatus o en situaciones precarias.
El gobierno canadiense está estudiando la posibilidad de poner en marcha un programa para conceder el estatus de residente permanente a estas personas, que fueron la columna vertebral de nuestra mano de obra durante la crisis del Covid 19. Si este programa es aprobado por el Parlamento en su sesión de otoño, la vida de todas estas personas cambiaría considerablemente.
Recemos para que así sea…
Puede encontrar más información y recursos para celebrar este día aquí
Women at the Newfoundland and Labrador Correctional Centre are playing a role in making life a little brighter for children as far away as Peru by providing teddy bears to those who have been affected by natural disasters, famine and other tragedies. The women have been busy creating small, knitted teddy bears under the supervision of staff and the assistance of Sister Alicia Linehan of the Sisters of Mercy.
The pastor, Fr. Pat Power, and parishioners of Sts. Peter and Paul Parish, Bay Bulls expressed gratitude and appreciation to Sister Patricia Gallant and to the Sisters of Mercy in the Eucharistic celebration of July 24, 2010. Over thirty sisters joined the worshipping community for the special event. 
Patricia retired this year from teaching in the schools attended by children from Bay Bulls. She is the last Sister of Mercy to teach in the school system in Newfoundland, at least at this point in time. Since 1842 when the first Sisters of Mercy arrived on this island from Dublin, education was one of the dominant ministries of Sister of Mercy. Patricia’s retirement from her position marks the end of an era.
In his few words John O’Brien, a parishioner, thanked Sister Patricia for her ministry in the school and in the parish community of Bay Bulls. He thanked the Sisters of Mercy, especially those who ministered in Bay Bulls since 1921 when St. Patrick’s Convent was founded there.
Sisters Ann Normore and Patricia Gallant continue to reside in Bay Bulls and continue to minister there in various areas, especially in the music ministry of the parish. Sister Elizabeth Davis received a plaque of appreciation and in turn said a few words of gratitude emphasizing the faithful support and collaboration of the people of Bay Bulls. She also thanked the people for the gift of so many of their women who became Sisters of Mercy.
A pleasant and generous table, full of delicious food, had been prepared and served after Mass in the adjoining hall.
