Jubilee Year of Mercy 2016 – 2017 Project to build a mercy memorial CWL Tasmania Jubilee Year of Mercy 2016 – 2017 Project to build a mercy memorial

Works of Mercy Eight works of mercy Feed the hungry Give drink to the thirsty Shelter the homeless Clothe the naked Visit the sick and imprisoned Bury the dead Give alms to the poor Care of the earth Copyright CWL Tasmania 7017

In the Jubilee Year of Mercy, Pope Francis called on Catholics to set up a Monument of Mercy The Catholic Women’s League of Tasmania felt it was important to respond to Pope Francis’ request. Their contribution would be - a memorial built in remembrance of unborn babies lost through abortion. Copyright CWL Tasmania 7017

How did CWL Tasmania go about responding to Pope Francis’ request? A small group of us met over coffee and many conversations later we approached the CWL Executive for approval. We wrote a proposal and submitted it to Archbishop Porteous, armed with his approval we approached Father Terry at St John’s Church Richmond for permission to build the memorial in a garden at St John’s. Copyright CWL Tasmania 7017

Local sculptor Ben Tolhurst …was commissioned to build the memorial – he suggested granite and marble. We set the parameters; Ben guided us and we worked together to refine the details. The sculpture was to be a newborn baby wrapped in a blanket cascading down the front of a plinth, with its tiny head resting comfortably on a small pillow – representing a baby resting in peace and in God’s care. Copyright CWL Tasmania 7017

$$$Fundraising$$$ Thank you to all donors – your generosity allowed us to fulfil a call from Pope Francis to build a Mercy Memorial in Richmond. Copyright CWL Tasmania 7017

The seats form part of the memorial garden. An unexpected but pleasant outcome of the project has been the donation of money to purchase two locally made seats – one in memory of Margaret Sykes who, many years ago, proposed a memorial for children lost through abortion. The other seat in memory of Tasmanian Senator Brian Harradine, a tireless advocate for unborn children. The seats form part of the memorial garden. Copyright CWL Tasmania 7017

From Hastings to Richmond The memorial was loaded onto the back of a truck using a small crane. The precarious 2 hour drive from Ben’s workshop in Hastings to St John’s Church in Richmond was undertaken with great care by Ben Tolhurst and Paul Harvey. Copyright CWL Tasmania 7017

Copyright CWL Tasmania 7017

Your Holy Spirit to renew our love. Watch over the stirrings of Heavenly Father send Your Holy Spirit to renew our love.  Watch over the stirrings of life in the womb and bring it to fruition May it suffer no untimely birth at nature’s whim nor violence at our hands. Let every human life show forth the Creator’s love and strengthen the human family. Made in Your image, let each child thrive and come to fullness in due time. We make this prayer through Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen. Noel Roberts Copyright CWL Tasmania 7017

Blessing of the Mercy Memorial 3rd June 2017 St Blessing of the Mercy Memorial 3rd June 2017 St. John’s Catholic Church Richmond Copyright CWL Tasmania 7017

Memorial Mercy 7th August 2018 Catholic Standard Vol. 3 Issue 7 2017 Read more about the memorial in the Archdiocese of Hobart’s Newsletter – The Catholic Standard Memorial Mercy 7th August 2018 Catholic Standard Vol. 3 Issue 7 2017 Richmond home to Memorial of Mercy for unborn babies. Photo courtesy of The Catholic Standard @2017 Copyright CWL Tasmania 7017