Our gift as Sisters of Mercy is to know God’s loving kindness and to share it with
others. Our name reminds us that God can be mercy for others through us only when
we open ourselves to receive mercy…
Our charism comes to us through our foundress, Catherine McAuley. Catherine and
her first companions felt themselves called to a new way of practising mercy.
Extract from the Institute Constitutions 1.03
A Call to ‘embrace difference’ and ‘make room for the other’
The 5th Institute Chapter meeting in July 2004 accepted that:
RECONFIGURING is the call of God's Spirit to the Institute at this graced moment in its history.
Sisters of the Institute recognize that
there is an urgent need to respond to the world-wide movement of God's Spirit towards reconciling and embracing difference, replacing fear with hope, suspicion with trust, violence with peace;
we are becoming conscious that we are an organic part of an unfolding universe;
we must charge our lives with a theology of communion and mission.
We believe that the call to reconfiguring
will demand of us creative collaboration, leading to deeper relationships among us, generous sharing of our resources and readiness to make whatever personal and communal changes are necessary;
will enhance our capacity for action for mercy and justice locally and globally, particularly among women;
will determine the way we welcome and nurture new members for the life of our Institute;
holds the potential for us to engage with our diminishment as a way to new life.
We acknowledge that
the call to reconfiguring, with its challenge to 'embrace the other' and to 'welcome difference', makes it imperative for us
to continue to support wholeheartedly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples in their struggle for justice;
to strengthen our commitment to asylum seekers and refugees by supporting them and advocating for policies which are compassionate and just.
Brisbane Congregation
Today the Sisters of Mercy, Brisbane Congregation, continue to be involved in a wide
range of ministries in health, education and welfare (both in Australia and overseas)
as they endeavour to bring God’s mercy into our world. Many of the Sisters work in
education, counselling services, pastoral care, health care, and social justice projects,
with an emphasis on working with the disadvantaged and those in need.
Mercy sponsored ministries include:
Main Building, All Hallows' School, 2005
All Hallows’ School, the oldest secondary school in Queensland for girls, traces its origins back to 1861 – the year the first Sisters of Mercy arrived in Brisbane
Bridgeworks Personnel is a company dedicated to helping people achieve their dreams, providing a range of services in the professional development and employment areas
Earth Link encourages the connectedness of people and Earth through education, spirituality, promoting biodiversity and sustainability, and through action for justice for the Earth
Mater Misericordiae Health Services provide a comprehensive range of public and private health care services within the Mercy and Catholic traditions
Mercy Aged Care Services provides residential and home based care to both religious and women lay residents, and all facilities are accredited by the Aged Care Standards Agency
Mercy Disability Services provide people with intellectual disability with opportunities and support to develop an individual lifestyle within the community
Holy Cross Laundry provides an integrated workplace for people with an intellectual or other disability
Mercy Family Services fosters the well being of children, young people and families in a culturally diverse and changing society
Mercy Place is a conference venue and retreat centre situated in a beautiful, natural environment approximately 15 minutes from the city centre
About MHC
Our gift as Sisters of Mercy is to know God’s loving kindness and to share it with
others. Our name reminds us that God can be mercy for others through us only when
we open ourselves to receive mercy… 