In 2025, Cohort 2 of the MMC Middle Leaders’ Program began with a 2-day residential at St John of God Conference Centre, Shoalwater Bay, south of Perth. We welcomed participants from MercyCare and are grateful to Courtney Barnard, then in the role of Mission and Strategy Project Lead, Early Learning Services, at MercyCare, for sharing insights after reflecting on her mini-project.
We should be shining lamps
This project highlighted Catherine McAuley’s legacy, acknowledging the journey and responsibility we have all been left to continue. We brought to fruition a popular quote from Catherine, “We should be shining lamps giving light to all around us”, with the appropriate symbolism of a lantern. As a middle leader, part of my role is to uphold MercyCare’s values and demonstrate mission in action across the services we offer.
As ‘Mercy Week’ was approaching, we wanted to acknowledge and represent Catherine’s impact, which is felt by all within MercyCare. The idea of the shining lamps stemmed from the reflection to close Day 3 of our residential stay. As we lit candles and reflected, it connected us, across Ministries, on our common journey. The idea of all sites having their own lantern to light, on Mercy Day, with Catherine’s quote, would connect us all, near and far, working together, to achieve a common goal, regardless of location, sector or hierarchy.
The process began by sharing the idea with our Executive Director of Mission Ethos, followed by many conversations about the logistics of bringing the idea to fruition across many sites. Lanterns and lamps were ordered, and communications, explanations and posters were circulated and communicated to all leaders across MercyCare. Displays were set up across all sites, with posters acknowledging the quote – and including the added ‘voice’ symbolism, an addition to ‘head, heart, hands’ which was also inspired from the residential stay workshops.
Sites shared photos of their set-ups; families and clients were invited to engage in a reflection and to draw on the ‘hands of hope’, writing and sharing what brings them hope.
Below are some completed photos of the focus areas set-up across our MercyCare services.
Outcomes of the Mini Project:
The project was extremely successful and well received by sites. Aligning it with Mercy week, a standing event, ensured that the understanding, purpose and “why” was clear. At times these symbolic actions can be seen as “just another thing”, so it was important for us to communicate, and align this seamlessly to something within MercyCare that already serves a purpose. At MercyCare, it’s often thought that directorates work quite separately, so being able to light a lantern, to connect us all, in our common journey, a reminder of why we are all here, on a day such as Mercy Day, was felt by many, including our services up North in Broome and Derby. These lanterns continue to shine today, reminding us of the shared connection that unites MercyCare services both near and far.
My biggest personal learning was that my Middle Leadership role can have and does have more of an impact on others than I often care to admit. Not just this project, but the process allowed me to reflect on the legacy we’ve been left, how we can uphold and continue this, and the importance of connection, regardless of where we work or what area of work we are in. We are all connected, through effective communication, bringing meaning and purpose to what we already do, supporting the impact and outcomes we hope to achieve.
Professionally, I learnt the power of shared symbolism. Small gestures can make a big difference in the way people perceive and feel connection. Intentional actions to make connections help to strengthen our values in action and our mission alignment to one another at work. It reminds us why we are here and helps to create a sense of belonging in a workplace – which is something often lost within culture.
For more information, please email Courtney Barnard.