E te Atua aroha o nga mea katoa
God, great lover of all that lives;
Your mercy extends to Earth’s end.
And nothing lies beyond the sweep of your gaze
From the confines of our comfort zones,
Save us from thinking the blessings we have by birth and chance, are ours by right.
Expand our horizons with the impulse of your love.
As we commit ourselves to act locally, show us the global impact of what we do.
Inspire us to stretch our tent pegs to make space for those at the margins.
Remind us that Mercy’s special gift is the energy to embrace and befriend and to welcome those who are excluded.
Open our hearts to those who wait to come in.
Mauri ora. Amen.

E te Atua Atawhai huhua, God of unbounding mercy,
You who ignite the flames of love and justice,
kindle in us a new spark of mercy.

May the spirit of Catherine McAuley guide our hearts,
that we may serve with aroha,
walk with justice,
and embrace all with compassion.

Bless our hands for the work ahead,
our voices for truth,
and our hearts for the mission of Mercy,
today and always.

Āmene.

E te Atua o te aroha,
Ko koe te puna o te atawhai,
Ko koe te marama e arahina nei mātou.
Whakawātea ō mātou ngākau kia rongo mātou ki tōu Wairua Tapu,
Kia whirinaki mātou ki a koe i tēnei mahi rangatira.

God of love,
You are the source of mercy,
The light that guides us.
Open our hearts to hear your Holy Spirit,
That we may trust in you in this important work.

Bless our gathering today.
May our decisions be filled with wisdom and compassion,
So that we serve with justice and aroha,
Honouring the legacy of the Sisters of Mercy,
And walking together in te Wairua o te Atawhai.
Āmene.

E te Atua, kaihomai i te ora
In every age you have inspired some to be leaders, innovators, groundbreakers.
As we begin our hui today, we remember Catherine McAuley,
And the courageous bold women who first brought her vision and legacy to Aotearoa.

As we recall our Mercy tūpuna, who came here with large hearts and few resources,
Always ready to divide in order to share, we ask that you empower us in our turn,
Not to do what they did then, but to act as they would if they were here now.

May that same spirit of Mercy be at work as we meet here today,
Enabling us to read the signs of our times and listen deeply,
So that your wisdom can take root in our imagination and our hearts,
As we walk forward into tomorrow’s mission, led by your light.

Āmene

Adapted from Inoi Taketake: Prayers for Stepping Forward by Ngā Whāea o Aotearoa Tiaki Manatū

E te Atua o te aroha,

We gather in this space today, grateful for the whenua beneath our feet,
Rich with the stories of tangata whenua, and of all who now call Aotearoa home.

In your mercy, meet us here.
As we open this meeting, we seek not just clarity of mind, but also softness of heart.

We call upon Mercy to be a bridge, a bridge between generations, between cultures, between communities.
Help us to stand in the in-between places with grace, listening more than we speak,
May we be people who lift the mana of others, not lower them in judgment or assumptions.

May our decisions be rooted in justice, our words carried with humility,
and our plans sown with seeds of peace for tomorrow.

In this land of maunga and awa, help us be like the waters, always moving forward,
Reflecting the sky above and the land beneath our feet.

Bless this hui, unite us in Spirit and lead us forward in Mercy.

Āmene

E te Atua o te aroha, God of mercy and creation

We pause in this moment to acknowledge you, present in the breath of wind,
in the flowing waters, in the richness of the earth, and in the beating heart of all creation.

Teach us, to walk gently upon this land.
May we be stewards, not merely owners; nurturers, not takers, and 
bridge builders between the world as it is, and the world as it could be.

In this meeting, may our words be wise, our hearts open, and our decisions shaped by compassion
for the whenua, the moana, and all who dwell within and upon them.

Call us back to mercy, mercy for the land, mercy for the waters, mercy for one another,
And especially mercy for the generations yet to come.

May your Spirit guide us as we work together for the healing of our common home.

Āmene

E te Atua Atawhai,

As we gather at this table, we pause to acknowledge your presence among us
In every voice, every vision, every hope we hold for the future.

We give thanks for the trust that has been placed in us,
And for the call to serve with both courage and humility.
In this moment of planning, may we not only look ahead with purpose, but also inward with hope.

Guide us to pursue not only what can be measured, but what truly matters.
May our decisions reflect justice, our dialogue reflect mana,
and our vision be wide enough to include the voices of the vulnerable and those most impacted.

In all we shape today, may we remain faithful to our mission,
Responsive to the needs of our time, and grounded in the values that sustain us.

Āmene.

Manaakitia tēnei hui
Manaakitia tēnei rōpū
Manaakitia tēnei whānau Atawhai
Tae noa ki tēnei kaupapa
Arahina ngā kōrero
Arahina ngā pātai
Arahina ngā ture nei
Kia puta ai te māramatanga.
TĪhei Mauri Ora!

Bless this meeting
Bless this group
Bless this Mercy family
As we come together for this gathering
Guide the discussion
Guide the questions
Guide the intent
So that we may move onwards to greater understanding
The breath of life is alive!