Water Blessing at Canalside: Join the Sisters of Mercy, International Guests, Native Americans and Other Friends

JOIN US IN A WATER BLESSING

Friday, June 23, 2017     Canalside at 10:00AM

More than 300 Sisters of Mercy of the Americas will gather for their congregational Chapter meeting from June 19 – June 29, 2017  at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in downtown Buffalo.  Sisters will be coming from various parts of the US as well as the Philippines, Guam, Argentina, Belize, Chile, Peru, Guatemala, Honduras, Guyana, Jamaica, and Panama. 

To show the Sisters of Mercy commitment to the human right to water, on Friday, June 23, at about  9:15 AM, sisters who are able will participate in a Contemplative Walk down Main St. from the Hyatt to Canalside. They will be led by our Native American friends who will be drumming and chanting. Others who wish to join the sisters can do so anywhere along the Main St. route.

At Canalside at 10 AM they will be welcomed by Lt. Governor Kathy Hochul, Mayor Byron Brown,  and Congressman Brian Higgins’ assistant, Bonnie Kane Lockwood. Brian needs to be in Washington that day.  State Senator Tim Kennedy will also be with us.  All will make very brief remarks about their commitment to care for our Earth and protect our waterways.

Other friends in the Interfaith Climate Justice Community and members of the Climate Justice Coalition will also gather at Canalside to welcome the sisters.

Following short  prayers and readings, our Native American friends will speak briefly about their history with Lake Erie, and with their own water issues. Sisters who have brought water from their bio-regions will come and pour their water into a large container accompanied by sisters in their native costumes and soft drumming by our Native American friends.  They will then sprinkle the blended water over the sisters and  over the area, and then  pour a little into Lake Erie.

The sisters will return to the Hyatt Regency Hotel to continue their deliberations.  The blended water will remain in the meeting room.

CANALSIDE: Metro Rail, Driving Directions and Parking, click here.

MAP: Click Here.

Contact:
Sister Eileen O’Connor   834-9987  eileenoconnor2003@yahoo.com  
or
Paul McQuillen    997-8659   paulmcesq.@nyagv.org