In the United States, the first community of Sisters of Mercy was established in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1843 followed by Providence, Rhode Island in 1851. In 1868, the English community established houses in Shrewsbury and Guernsey. In 1860, St Catharine's Convent was founded in Edinburgh. Sisters from Limerick opened a house in Glasgow in 1849. The sisters arrived in Perth, Australia in 1846, and in 1850, a band from Carlow arrived in New Zealand. In May 1842, at the request of Bishop Fleming, a small colony of Sisters of Mercy crossed the Atlantic to found the congregation at St. The convent was designed in the 'Gothic Style' by Augustus Pugin, his first purpose-designed religious community building. Mother Mary Clare Moore was appointed Superior. McAuley opened the first Convent of Mercy in England at Bermondsey on 19 November 1839 for the education of children and the visitation of the poor, sick, and needy. They were called upon by bishops in several major epidemics of cholera to nurse people in homes and in the public hospitals. The Sisters offered free schools for the poor, academies for the daughters of the rising middle class, and “houses of mercy”, providing shelter for poor youth and women in Dublin and other cities who were in danger of being exploited. ![]() In the 10 years between the founding and her death on 11 November 1841, McAuley had established additional independent foundations in Ireland and England: Tullamore (1836), Charleville (1836), Carlow (1837), Cork (1837), Limerick (1838), Bermondsey, London (1839), Galway (1840), Birr (1840), and St Mary's Convent, Birmingham (1841), and branch houses of the Dublin community in Kingstown (1835) and Booterstown (1838). In 1839 Mary Francis Bridgeman professed her vows and joined the Order.Įxpansion Mercy Convent, Templemore, County Tipperary ![]() On 12 December 1831, Catherine McAuley, Mary Ann Doyle, and Mary Elizabeth Harley professed their religious vows as the first Sisters of Mercy, thereby founding the congregation. While they were in training, Miss Frances Warde managed the affairs of the Baggot Street house. Augustine, seemed best adapted for the training of the first novices of the new congregation and Miss McAuley, Miss Elizabeth Harley, and Miss Anna Maria Doyle began their novitiate at George's Hill, Dublin, on 8 September 1830. The Presentation Sisters, whose rule was based on the Rule of St. This combination of the contemplative and the active life necessary for the duties of the congregation called forth so much opposition that it seemed as though the community, now numbering twelve, must disband but it was settled that several of the sisters should make their novitiates in some approved religious house and after their profession return to the institute to train the others to religious life. On the Octave of the Ascension 1829 the archbishop blessed the chapel of the institution and dedicated it to Our Lady of Mercy. It was deemed better to have this congregation unconnected with any already existing community. The associates unanimously decided to become religious. The position of the institute was anomalous, its members were not bound by vows nor were they under a particular rule.Īrchbishop Murray asked the Sisters of Mercy to declare their intentions as to the future of their institute, whether it was to be classed as a religious congregation or to become secularized. She was, moreover, desirous that the members should combine with the silence and prayer of the Carmelite, the active labors of a Sister of Charity. In 1828, Archbishop Daniel Murray advised Miss McAuley to choose some name by which the little group might be known, and she chose that of "Sisters of Mercy", having the design of making the works of mercy the distinctive feature of the institute. Gradually the ladies adopted a black dress and cape of the same material reaching to the belt, a white collar and a lace cap and veil. There was no idea then of founding a religious institution McAuley's plan was to establish a society of secular ladies who would spend a few hours daily in instructing the poor. She was assisted in the works of the house by local women. The Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy began when Catherine McAuley used an inheritance to build a large house on Baggot Street, Dublin, as a school for poor girls and a shelter for homeless servant girls and women. Main article: Catherine McAuley Founding
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