Hello to the Institute for American Indian Studies

This week at Mercy by the Sea we had a wonderful visit with staff from the Institute for American Indian Studies. The timing of the gathering touched me as we celebrate our Irish heritage. In the Mercy world we honor our founding roots from Ireland and touch into the gifts of ancestors.

 

Sitting together, hearing the stories of our friends, we recalled that the land we inhabit at Mercy by the Sea is the territory of the Hammonasset and Quinnipiac peoples. We thank them for their stewardship of this sacred land and are stirred to be conscious of and uphold our responsibility in caring for what has been entrusted to us. This connection to land is deep in the Celtic tradition as well.

 

Land was understood to be a place of revelation and encounter with the Creator. Certainly, the beauty of the land and sea where we reside brings us into holy connection with the Divine.

 

We are reminded of our commitment to the Critical Concern of “responding more deeply to reverence Earth and working toward the sustainability of all life”. This honors the legacies we have been blessed with as we listen to the voices of our Indigenous brothers and sisters, to the very land itself and our Celtic heritage.