Today, December 12, is the 180th Anniversary of Catherine McAuley’s founding of the Sisters of Mercy. The Sisters of Mercy actually grew out of Catherine McAuley’s innate compassion for others, instilled in her from childhood by her father.
It was her compassion that led her In 1803 to live in the home of William and Catherine Callaghan as a companion to Mrs. Callaghan. So great was Catherine’s devotion to others that the Callaghans grew to love her as a family member. On their passing, Catherine inherited their fortune: about £25,000.
With such a substantial inheritance, she could have mingled among the high society of Dublin. Instead, Catherine used her inheritance to lease property in a Dublin neighborhood to build a house for the spiritual, educational and social needs of women and children. Catherine’s goal for serving women was foremost in her ministry. She firmly believed that women were the nurturers, the givers and the builders of society, and therefore, the world depended upon women’s knowledge and leadership to maintain a strong society. She is quoted for her concern for the academic, social and spiritual development of women: “Let us fit the young women for earth without unfitting them for heaven.”
It was not her intention at first to form a religious order. Her commitment to service of the poor and the enthusiastic engagement of two other women in service led her to the prayerful decision that a religious community would provide a strong framework for continuing the mission. Under the guidance of the Presentation Sisters of Dublin, Catherine and her two associates founded the Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy on December 12, 1831.
When she died in 1841 there were 150 Sisters of Mercy. Shortly thereafter, small groups of sisters left Ireland at the invitation of bishops to serve the poor in points worldwide. Today, as the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, the community serves the poor in North, Central and South America, Guam and the Philippines and the Caribbean.
Sister Mary Justine Sabourin writes in “Risk & Hope” that the original amalgamation of the Sisters of Mercy in the United States occurred in 1929, resulting in a union of 45 communities. Originally part of the province of Cincinnati, the Detroit Province was formed in 1940. Many activities were undertaken for the education of women in Michigan, but it was shortly after the formation of the Detroit Province that Mercy College developed.
The Sisters of Mercy continue to enrich the lives of students at the University of Detroit Mercy, serving in the College of Health Professions, McAuley School of Nursing, College of Engineering, School of Architecture and University Ministry. Sister Marie Henderson has created a bronze image of Catherine McAuley that captures at once Catherine’s determination, courage, dignity, spirituality, and peacefulness — all characteristics she modeled for women of the ages. you can read Sister Henderson’s story at http://mcauleyimages.com/