International Women’s Day on March 8 promotes the dignity of all women; it acknowledges the challenges faced by women but also their resilience. What are the challenges confronting women and who will you acknowledge on International Women’s Day? Download some background information and add a comment on the Institute's "Women and Poverty" blog.

Gaye Lennon RSM (Gunnedah), Mercy Works Inc.’s Co-ordinator of Offshore and Indigenous Projects, only started in the newly created role on February 1, but already she has visited Timor Leste to learn more about community development projects supported by the agency.

At the November 2009 Mercy Justice Conference, Professor Tim Flannery suggested various actions to reduce climate change. Cathy Solano RSM (Melbourne), one of the 260-plus delegates who attended the conference, shares an idea for engaging students in reducing electricity usage and lowering greenhouse gas emissions. Download the document and add a comment on the Institute's "Eco-Justice" blog.

“Mission – Our Call to Mercy” was the overarching theme of the month-long initial formation programme for the three Mercy candidates from Papua New Guinea and Australia (Bernardine Kavi, Anne Dooley and Elizabeth Young) and the sisters accompanying them (Cathy Jambet RSM, Anne Ryan RSM, Barbara Broad RSM). Download the report from Kaye Evans RSM (Institute Formation Co-ordinator).

Pat Higgins RSM (Wilcannia-Forbes) celebrated her diamond jubilee and renewed her vows in the presence of many of her sisters of the Wilcannia-Forbes Congregation on the Feast of the Presentation (February 2). Nance Cale RSM (Wilcannia-Forbes) reports.

Writing in the first edition of Mercywords, a new Mercy international e-journal, Irish Sister of Mercy, Helena O'Donoghue RSM says: "The face of ‘An Unsettling God’ (Walter Brueggemann) is emerging out of our very unsettling experiences, and is wooing us to trust in Providence on a different plane, to let ourselves be the handmaids of a Eucharistic God, to be compassionate women of another epoch". Download Helen's article.

Veronica Lawson RSM (Ballarat East) offers a reflection on the readings for the 2nd Sunday of Lent (Year C). To access this reflection, click on "MORE" and then click on the picture of the Bible where you can read the Scripture as well as the reflection.