Mary Reynolds, rsm Executive Director Mercy International Association Catherine McAuley A Woman Who Made Mercy a Verb

Mercy as a force that binds us, compels us, and enables us to love one another more fully Mercy-ing

Why Education was so Important to Catherine?  Political decision to keep Irish ignorant  Transformation of Society  Empowerment of people, especially women

Early Involvement Gatehouse at Coolock

Baggot Street  Emphasis on excellence & relevance  Setting up of various types of schools  Relationship with Church & State

Catherine’s Vision To bring freedom & better quality of life to the poor To lead all in her care to a deeper faith in Jesus Christ To regenerate Irish Society by preparing young people for responsible adult living

Catherine’s Theology and Philosophy of Education  Service of others, especially the poor, is service of Christ  Teaching is a vocation to be faithfully discharged  A love for the students and zeal for their development  Example is the greatest form of teaching  Confidence in God in discharging this work of Mercy

Catherine’s Approach  Inspirational  Collaborative  Participative  Innovative

Values in Mercy Education modelled on Catherine  An integrated education that develops the whole person  Compassionate concern for the poor  Dedication to Excellence  Commitment to Community Building

The Characteristics of a Mercy Inspired Education ~ Wholistic and Integrated “Fit the Children for earth without unfitting them for heaven”

The Characteristics of a Mercy Inspired Education ~ Wholistic and Integrated  Forming the young person ~ a truly mature and rounded, talented & creative human person  The reality in which that person is called to live ~ transient & intransient  Empowering young person to engage the realities of their life & world with freedom & responsibility  Not just knowledge but wisdom  Formation & Information

The Characteristics of a Mercy Inspired Education ~ Compassionate concern for the Poor

The Characteristics of a Mercy Inspired Education ~ Compassionate concern for the Poor “If our education is really ‘education that makes a difference, That ‘leads the way’ We have to enable students to assess their world, Both its raging possibilities and its limitless brutalities, As well as simply to function in it. They must leave us able and willing To envision something better for the world Than power and profit at any cost. They must have the skills to question its assumptions About Darwinian economics and biological stereotypes Rather than simply accept them. They must have the commitment to question its social axioms Rather than simply comply with them”. Joan Chittiser

The Characteristics of a Mercy Inspired Education ~ Catherine offered a vision of an alternative society Mercy Schools must:  Be open, accessible & inclusive of all without discrimination  Welcome the poor, the marginalized, the stranger  Educate the poor & marginalized  Teach students to critique the causes of poverty & marginalisation at local & global level  Be “free and friendly spaces where we reach out to strangers and invite them to become friends”  Promote awareness & an understanding of our responsibility for our impoverished world  Look at a new challenge of poverty among young people including poverty of a lost sense of meaning in life, of resignation or indifference and a lack of a coherent idea

The Characteristics of a Mercy Inspired Education ~ Committed to Community Building Catherine connected the rich to the poor, the educated and skilled to the uninstructed, the influential to those perceived as of no consequence, the powerful to the weak’

The Characteristics of a Mercy Inspired Education ~ Catherine offered a vision of an alternative society  We belong to one another ~ have a social responsibility for each other & for our world  We belong to the earth ~ have an ecological responsibility to respect the life of nature  Mercy schools are called to create community in the school ~ that values co-operation over competition, collaboration over individualism  Environments shape & express community spirit and values ~ the importance of the symbol system of the school is important  Liturgical, prayer & worship life of the school ~ expresses the reality of the community of the school  Our schools must form links with the local faith community of parish & Church

The Characteristics of a Mercy Inspired Education ~ Catherine offered a vision of an alternative society  Our schools must open outwards to those outside the school community  We must teach our students to respond to the pain of the ‘broken world’  Our schools need to create communities that have a passion for truth, for justice, for honesty for decency & solidarity  We must foster a desire to live in reverent relationship with all of creation, a respect for life and a care for the earth

The Characteristics of a Mercy Inspired Education ~ Excellence

The Characteristics of a Mercy Inspired Education ~ Excellence Excellence is a school committed to  The quality of teaching and learning  Updating of its structures and skills to fit evolving needs  Ongoing reflection and review of itself

Catherine: Embracing her Vision & Living her Mercy Dream Catherine had a Vision and a Dream. We have the privilege of knowing it. We have the responsibility to understand it. We have the duty to protect it. We have the honour of living it.

What encouraged you in this morning’s presentation? What challenged you? Reflection