The recent Faith Formation Day for staff was a day to embrace faith, hope and love: the foundations of Christian life and our work. Time was devoted contemplating what respect, justice and compassion can look like, enacting service and hospitality as a community, and reflecting on our connection with the planet as Christian people and our place in the Earth’s challenges.

The day began with a Liturgy to gather us as a community in prayer. The staff then engaged in the practice of Wayapa. This is an Earth connection practice that is based on ancient Indigenous wisdom that focuses on taking care of the Earth as the starting point for creating Earth Mind Body Spirit well-being.

From here, the focus was on the Mercy values of compassion, respect, justice, service, hospitality and courage. These values underpin our work as a community, living and working in the Mercy tradition. As values reflect who we aspire to be, the day was an opportunity to break open what these values mean to us at Damascus in continuing to be a community that encourages each individual to “Be.My.Best”.

A quote from the foundress of the Mercy Order, Catherine McAuley, was highlighted to connect us with our mission: “we stand on the shoulders of those who have gone before us and carry the flame of Mercy for a new time with new needs in a new moment in history”.

In another session, staff explored ways of caring for God’s creation in responding to the challenges of climate and waste management. This was led by Inga Hamiliton from ResourceSmart. As a ResourceSmart school, we will continue to work in partnership to actively make a difference by engaging sustainable practices in our school.

A Mercy Blessing

Mercy

May you meet Mercy each day:

In the light of your heart,

At the hands of your loved ones,

In the eyes of

The stranger and the needy.

And if by chance you do not at first meet it,

Then search your heart for it,

And it will tap you on the shoulder,

A quiet surprise,

A small gesture,

The tender look, given and received

In the encounters of your day.