Soundings

The Blog of Mercy by the Sea

We at Mercy by the Sea have so much we want to share with you:

Inspiring and transformational quotes, prayers, poems, videos and books we discover or rediscover
Conversations with upcoming presenters
News and events about what's happening at Mercy by the Sea
Resources and thoughts on contemplative prayer, spiritual direction, the second half of life, emerging leadership, creativity, our relationship with nature and much more!

You'll find seasonal photos of the grounds — vegetation, trees and winged and four-legged creatures that make their homes here. We'll capture changes in the light and colors as the seasons change. So bookmark this page and come back regularly. or subscribe to our weekly eNewsletter where these posts will be sent to your email inbox.

Update on Our Labyrinth Restoration Project

The Labyrinth Restoration Project

We wanted to send an update on the Labyrinth Restoration Project (scroll down for pictures). We are so grateful to all those who have given of their time and talents to make the Labyrinth ready for path marking.

Over these months we have shared conversations around materials, shrubbery removal and composting, path marking and Labyrinth programming. All have been filled with care, consideration and good cheer. All have brought us to a place of assuring that our Labyrinth is sustainable and resilient for the next 25 years.

We are ever grateful to our volunteers who painstakingly marked the new path for our brick laying work. Once marked, we were able to walk the Labyrinth for the first time in way that gave us a feel for the completed work.

We now will be working to lay the brick and once laid, we will be spreading a new layer of Stony Creek Pink Granite, the original path material, for our guests to walk on.

The photos below tell the story of the restoration. We have felt your prayers and presence as we have done this work. Thank you for your support throughout this process. We look forward to the day we can invite you to be in the Labyrinth once again.

An estimated 10 tons of excess 3/4 to 1 inch granite chips were removed and reused for drainage management in the wooded area adjacent to the garage.

Hearty volunteers removing granite and leveling Labyrinth.

The Labyrinth is now level.

Volunteers painstakingly laid out stakes and marker twine to provide clarity for brick laying where shrubbery once was.

The Labyrinth before the shrubbery was removed.

The Labyrinth after the shrubbery was removed.

The Labyrinth as the gravel is being removed and relocated.

The final plan to restore the original layout of the Labyrinth.

Thank You For a Wonderful Evening at our Mercy Gathering with Lessons and Carols

Thank you to all who attended and participated in our first, but not last, Mercy Gathering of Lessons and Carols. Over 100 attendees were moved by readings and supporting carols that retell the Christian story of faith from creation to the coming of the Word Incarnate. If you'd like to read through the Lessons and Carols Service with readings and songs, please visit this link.

Thank You! Dining Room Renovation Goal Exceeded

Dear Friends,

It’s not every day I send a message like this.

YOU have met the goal we set!

We are so immensely grateful and overjoyed with your response to our Fall Appeal. The generosity of so many has been overwhelming. Those of us entrusted to care for this sacred space are deeply touched and humbled with your support.

Together, 91 donors gave a total of $112,679 to support the renovation of The Catherine McAuley Dining Room. When we set our goal, we had great hope, but we weren’t prepared for the amazing response from our kind donors. Thank you so much for going beyond the goal of $100,000 shared in September.

We still have many other dreams and hopes for Mercy by the Sea. So, we will gladly welcome any further gifts from those of you who have not donated yet. The invitation to join in this giving opportunity continues. For those of you who have donated, thank you so very much.

Every day, I am taught this lesson again: trust, know, and believe in what is possible. Together, in Mercy, all is possible. Together, let us continue living in the moment of joyful gratitude for the community of Mercy who is choosing to support The Catherine McAuley Dining Room renovation – what a community to be a part of!

With heartfelt gratitude,

Sr. Anne Curtis, RSM
Executive Director

Many donors to the Catherine McAuley Dining Room Renovation campaign have shared their stories of giving:

One such donor thoughtfully gave in honor of our kitchen staff: Chef Joe, Chef Brian, Chef Bill and Gayle, Issac, and Marcie.
Another couple who were tending to their estate plans discerned the fulfillment in giving Mercy a transformational gift during their lifetime that allowed them to witness their gifts impact.
And, another donor shared a memory from her High School days while being on retreat at Mercy and having an inspirational conversation with a Sister of Mercy in the Dining Room.

All together, these donors, and our Mercy community enliven us all.

"It's In Our Nature: A Travel Photography Exhibition" comes to the Mary C. Daly, RSM Art Gallery on January 14, 2024

Beginning January 14, you can experience the travel photography of Rachael McNerney in the exhibit, "It's in Our Nature: A Travel Photography Exhibition". In Rachael's international travels to over 40 countries she convened with nature and captured the inherent beauty of the world in photographs. These images garner appreciation for the creator of earth that provides a marvelous terrain for our adventures through life. When immersed in nature we are able to remember how we are connected to the earth and each other. In this exhibition she aims to show you places you may not have seen yet to inspire you to further explore and appreciate the world around and within you.

The Mary C. Daly, RSM Gallery is fully accessible and conveniently located just inside the main entrance to Mercy by the Sea. The gallery is open to all from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Join Us for an Artist Reception
Meet the artist, Rachael McNerney, and explore the exhibit "It's in Our Nature: A Travel Photography Exhibition" on January 14 from 2-4 p.m. in the Mary C. Daly, RSM Art Gallery.

About the Artist
Rachael McNerney, Director and Herbalist of World Canopy LLC, helps others to heal themselves holistically and bring the world closer to the bounty of wisdom that nature provides. Most of the individuals she works with in her online Clinical Herbalism practice are burnout workaholics knocked down by fatigue and chronic dis-ease. They are usually high achievers who have been doing everything for everyone else for too long, living outside the capacity of their nervous system.

She teaches plant based living and detoxification for recovery from Chronic Active Epstein-Barr Virus, chronic fatigue and adrenal dysregulation. She believes your recovery from any type of illness is fostered by collective effort and empowerment. She knows that healing with plants will help you move beyond emotional and physical distress toward a more energized, balanced, and spiritually aligned self.