Maz Clyne sm,  Unit Leader, writes:

 

On a typical Autumn day bright with the low sunshine of the time of year twenty four Sisters gathered in Nympsfield for our Unit Assembly led by Fr Des Hanrahan SM on the theme of:

 

‘Mercy and faithfulness have met: Justice and Peace have embraced’ 

(Psalm 84.10)

 

Using as resource material the recent publication ‘Weaving a Mantle of Mercy’ by Francois Drouilly SM Des developed the idea of the Mantle of Mercy first reminding him of the visual representation clearly set in stone on the front of Notre Dame Church Leister Square which displays an image of Our Lady with open mantle gathering together the crowd, people of every race, culture and language.   The image of Mary sheltering all of humankind under her cloak is the figure of divine mercy, covering all our frailties and protecting us, despite our inconsistencies and despite the times we fall.

Fr Des’s input was interwoven with reference to Pope Francis’s Year of Mercy theme and also with references from Marist origins reminding us of Colin’s insistence on mercy as one of the foundation stones of the Society which tells us that it is under the mantle of Mary people find, rediscover God’s mercy—the kinder we are the nearer we come to the mercy of God.

Our focus for the day led us to a worthwhile afternoon spent in group reflection, focussing on specific concrete issues needing to be addressed at this time by Unit Leadership in consultation with membership in order to nurture our Marist life and mission.