Press Releases30 Mar 11

Mothers' Union All Ireland Spring Council meet in Armagh

In lovely Spring sunshine on Saturday 26th March 2011 representatives from All Ireland Mothers’ Union visited Armagh for their Spring Council meeting in Church House.

After a welcome from the All Ireland President Mrs. Ruth Mercer, representatives reported on the work within Mothers’ Union both at home and overseas. 

Current projects include:

Financial and prayerful support for the Overseas Literacy and Development fund and Relief Fund.

Making a difference – keeping informed about the work in Ireland on Fair Trade products, Child poverty, marriage, parenting courses, Women’s Aid and human trafficking.

Working with local hospitals to provide Snugglies for neo-natal wards as an additional mattress for premature babies, baby grieving gowns and toilet bags for emergency admissions.

At 12 noon members of Council and invited guests adjourned to St. Patrick’s Cathedral for Eucharist. At this service the Archbishop, the Most Revd. Alan Harper OBE. commissioned four of the five new members of Trustees:
Mrs. Norma Bell  - All Ireland Vice-President for Finance and Central Services
Mrs. Margaret Schutz  - All Ireland Vice-President for Action and Outreach
Mrs. Hazel Sherlock as All Ireland Vice-President for Marketing
Mrs. Jean Fox – All Ireland Vice-President for Faith and Policy
Mrs. Margaret Mahon as All Ireland Union Co-ordinator for Finance and Central Services

The Preacher was Bishop Ken Clarke, Bishop of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh and the Mothers’ Union Central Chaplain.

Bishop Ken in his talk referred to Lent as the “Season of the Shack”. Lent is a time for searching, honesty and transparency.  He referred to the story of Joseph in Genesis, who despite being rejected by his brothers when he was young welcomed them to Egypt with no thoughts of revenge or no hint of hatred.  Instead he welcomed them with a new heart and rivers of forgiveness.  Bishop Ken then challenged the members of Council and guests if we were availing of the opportunity to plunge to the depths in order to reconnect our hearts and renew our relationship with God.

After a buffet lunch we welcomed our Guest Speaker Revd. Liz McElhinney who spoke on our Mothers’ Union theme for 2011 Faithful Relationship.  Liz compared relationships to an onion, with its many layers.  We had to learn to share, experience problems but more importantly to work together with God at many different levels   She used examples from Ezekiel to illustrate a number of relationships and finished with the words ”The God who is here”.  He is always with us.

After summing up, Mrs. Ruth Mercer closed the meeting with prayer.