Perth Foundation

Congregation of Sisters of Mercy, Perth, founded in 1846from Dublin, Ireland by M Ursula Frayne and six others.

‘On Saturday morning we were up bright and early, for the house was to be blessed, Holy Mass celebrated and the Blessed Sacrament deposited in the little Chapel. From this 17th January, 1846 we date the first foundation of the sisters of Mercy in Australia. On this day the Bishop gave us a sweet little oil painting of the Blessed Virgin and Child of Good Counsel. It was hung over the altar and became, later on, an object of great veneration.’

(M Ursula Frayne)

Founding Story

Shock! Taken aback! Are only two images of surprise that confronted Bishop Brady when he put forward a request for Sisters of Mercy to journey from Ireland to Australia. However, his compelling descriptions of the plight of European children and description of Australian Aborigines and their ‘neglected state’ as well as his desire to bring them the benefits of ‘Christianity and civilisation’ stirred the hearts of the Sisters as they offered wholeheartedly to respond. The community saw this as a mission to the poorest of the poor – they didn’t seem to hear or reflect on the huge change in their personal circumstances nor the poverty they too would face.

Six professed Sisters and one postulant journeying for six months on a cramped barque ‘Elizabeth’ arrived in the Swan River Colony on their Mission – ‘with nowhere to lay their heads’. Ursula Frayne, the leader, and her companions have earned the title ‘Frontier Women’ as their story is told over and over again.

Little did they know that in the first 6 months of 1846 of landing in Australia they would experience a hot summer, open a school, Profess one of their Sisters, another would receive the habit and one of their beloved women would die. They also received a large sum of money from their mother house in Dublin to return to Ireland as it was felt by the Sisters in Dublin this was too strenuous a mission. This they put to good use to further their ministry!

Here was a group of women who had all known Catherine McAuley, foundress of the Sisters of Mercy. It was obvious from their energy, creativity and sheer hard work, that Catherine had taught them much about the Providence of God and leadership. The Swan River Colony was extremely poor. This did not deter these women. ‘Making Do’ is a catch phrase that describes their efforts to establish the mission of mercy, with little in the way of resources.

While the Sisters were establishing the School and offering Education and Religious Instruction to all, in the mainly Protestant colony, they were also concerned with the plight of women who were among the arrival of poor immigrants. Ursula was practical and sensitive and wrote down ‘Rules’ for visiting and assisting the women and children in the nearby home and poorhouse. Visiting the poor in the hospital and the lockup in the centre of the city became a work of mercy that has continued to this day.

Ursula’s words resound today as we reflect on mission, our changing circumstances and on the Providence of God, ‘After this example (completion of a school building) let no one yield to discouragement or be deterred by difficulties from at least attempting good works…’.

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Melbourne Foundation

Congregation of Sisters of Mercy, Melbourne, founded in 1857 from Perth, Western Australia by M Ursula Frayne.

‘We know in whom we trust and we are not disappointed.’

(M Ursula Frayne)

Founding Story

In 1857, at the invitation of Bishop Goold, Ursula Frayne and two other Sisters of Mercy made a foundation from Perth to Fitzroy. They established schools for the poor and a pension school for middle class girls. They also began the work of visitation and assisting the poor and needy, particularly in Collingwood and Fitzroy. In 1861, they took over the management of St Vincent’s Orphanage in South Melbourne and subsequently founded convents in Kilmore (1875), Mornington (1898) and Queenscliff (1901).

Five other Victorian foundations were made from overseas – Geelong (1859), Warrnambool (1872), Bendigo (1876), Yarrawonga (1890) and Mansfield (1891). Two came from interstate – Wodonga (1892) and Mildura (1905) while in Tasmania, Latrobe was founded from Bendigo (1900) and Deloraine from Goulburn (1895). In 1881, a foundation went from Warrnambool to Ballarat. Four years later, it became an independent foundation and the nucleus of the present Ballarat East Congregation.

In 1907, most of these houses with the exception of Ballarat (founded from Warrnambool in 1881) amalgamated to form the present Melbourne Congregation, which became a province of the Australian Union of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in 1954 and a member congregation of the Institute of the Sisters of Mercy of Australia in 1981.

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West Perth Foundation

Congregation of Sisters of Mercy, West Perth, founded in 1896 from Perth, Western Australia by M Berchmans Dean.

In the early days, equipment was scarce but we were undeterred. In the spirit of Mother Catherine we walked many miles to visit the sick and sorrowful.

(M Berchmans Deane)

Founding Story

The First Superior of the Sisters of Mercy West Perth was M Berchmans Deane, who was born in Ireland, educated in England and came out to Perth Western Australia to join the Sisters of Mercy at Victoria Square in 1883 at age 20. Five years later at age 25 M Berchmans and M Evangelist John Stewart were asked to open a school in 1888 at the Western edge of the city of Perth where the Church was establishing a new parish to attend to the needs of the people on that side of the city. Such was the verve, enthusiasm and good management of M Berchmans and the sisters who came with her that the school thrived and it was deemed highly propitious to turn the Branch House at St Brigid’s into a new Congregation which happened on the 25th May 1896.

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Brisbane Foundation

Congregation of Sisters of Mercy, Brisbane, founded in 1861 from Dublin, Ireland by M Vincent Whitty and six others.

‘My wish for a Mission is not the feeling of a moment, but the steady desire of twenty years, and the troubles and difficulties of Mission have never lessened my desire to go on one. As to Brisbane, I should like that sort of Mission more than one in large towns such as Sydney or Melbourne.’ (M Vincent Whitty, November 1860)

Founding Story

About 10pm on May 10 1861 the ‘Wonga Wonga’ steamed up the Brisbane River. On board were Sister Vincent Whitty, Sister Catherine Morgan and Novices, Benedict McDermott and Cecilia McAuliffe and Postulant Emily Conlan.When they arrived they were conducted to St Stephen’s Church. Catholic families hastened to the Church to welcome them. Some said later that when they saw the Sisters ‘they could have stayed in the Church all night thanking God’.

No preparations had been made to receive them. They were glad of Father Renehan’s lantern as they trod over the rugged paths of Spring Hill where they found a house which, bare of furniture, served as a shelter for the night. It was not long before the present site of All Hallows’ became the Mother House.

Within the next thirty years the Sisters of Mercy quickly spread to Ipswich, Nudgee, Sandgate, Warwick, Wooloowin, Helidon, Toowoomba, Dalby, Goondiwindi and up the Coast to Gympie, Maryborough, Bundaberg. Autonomous foundations were later established in Rockhampton, Townsville and Cairns. The Sisters opened schools and hospitals and, in the spirit of Catherine McAuley, started homes for people who needed protection, particularly young women.

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Rockhampton Foundation

Congregation of Sisters of Mercy, Rockhampton, founded in 1873 from Brisbane, Queensland by
M de Sales Gorry and eight others.

In 1873, a group of us went with M. Vincent on the foundation to Rockhampton, a 400 mile journey up the coast on the ‘Lady Bowen’. The Parish Priest, Dean Murlay, had found an adobe cottage in Kent Street which M. Vincent described as ‘a perfect little Convent home’.

(M de Sales Gorry)

Founding Story

A sea journey on the ‘Lady Bowen’ along the Queensland coast from Brisbane, brought seven Sisters of Mercy to Rockhampton on 4 August 1873. The shipping manifest listed the names of just several sisters and then made reference to ‘A quantity of extra luggage, Sisters of Mercy’. With their leader, Mother Vincent Whitty, were Sisters M Xavier Kenyon, Benigna Desmond, de Sales Gorry, Beatrice Ryan, Malachy Carroll and a postulant, Bridget Whelan.

Before returning to Brisbane, M Vincent appointed M de Sales the first Reverend Mother of Rockhampton, a position she held until 1882. At this time, when Rockhampton became a separate diocese and the Sisters of Mercy became an autonomous congregation, M de Sales, with some other sisters, chose to return to Brisbane. It is recorded that Archbishop James Duhig once described M de Sales Gorry as ‘one of the finest women God ever created’.

An Irish sister, M Agnes White, was chosen as the Reverence Mother of the new autonomous Rockhampton Congregation. Together with the benevolent and zealous Bishop John Cani, M Agnes laid deep and secure foundation. For twenty-four years, she held various leadership positions and as an educator, she was well known in many centres as one who did much to raise the standard of education throughout Queensland.

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Townsville Foundation

Congregation of Sisters of Mercy, Townsville, founded in 1878 from Brisbane, Queensland, by M Benigna Desmond and five others.

After a long and hazardous journey we arrived safely in Brisbane on May 24th, 1873, the feast of Our Lady Help of Christians. So far from home, we were feeling the need for her help in our new venture.

(M Benigna Desmond)

Founding Story

In 1878, a Branch House of the Brisbane Congregation was established in Townsville. The first Sisters came from Brisbane at the urgent request of Bishop James Quinn. In 1901 the Townsville group became a self-governing body, a Congregation in its own right and Mother M Benigna Desmond was the appointed Mother Superior.

From the beginning Sisters became involved in education, care of the sick and poor in their homes. As numbers of Sisters increased with an influx of both local and Irish postulants, so too did the works of the apostolate diversify into a ministry base much broader than education and health care. Correspondingly, the number of convents throughout the diocese increased.

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Goulburn Foundation

Congregation of Sisters of Mercy, Goulburn, founded in 1859 from Westport, Co Mayo, Ireland by M Ignatius Murphy and six others.

Founding Story

Frances Murphy was orphaned at a young age and, like Catherine McAuley, grew up in the care of relatives who were not Catholic. She entered the Sisters of Mercy, Westport at the age of 24 and took the name – Mary Ignatius.

As superior of a group of six, she left Westport for Goulburn in 1859. On their way they met Mother Mary Ursula Frayne in Melbourne; travelled on to Sydney; and arrived in Goulburn in October. In Goulburn Fr. Walsh had vacated the four-roomed, dirt-floor presbytery for them. However, it was too small for the six sisters as accommodation and school, so use was made of the stone-built stables as well.

On 12 December, 1862 the new convent was opened free of debt. An orphanage for girls and another for boys; schools and a boarding school were soon opened. The Sisters also visited the women in prison.

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Bathurst Foundation

Congregation of Sisters of Mercy, Bathurst, founded in 1866 from Charleville, Co Cork, Ireland by
M Ignatius Croke and six others

‘They came over the mountains.’

(M Ignatius Croke)

Founding Story

On Monday 22 October 1866 , the ship ‘The Empress’ entered Port Jackson, bringing seven Sisters of Mercy from Charleville, County Cork , Ireland to establish the first Convent of Mercy in the Bathurst Diocese under the leadership of Mother Mary Ignatius Croke. They travelled from Sydney to Bathurst over the Blue Mountains. They came at the invitation of the Right Reverend Dr Matthew Quinn, first Bishop of Bathurst.

Bishop Quinn had a vision of setting up schools as quickly as possible, and of opening boarding schools with reasonable fees, which would provide for the education of children from the vast outback areas of NSW.

By May, 1867, the Sisters had taken into their very limited accommodation their first two orphan girls, and by the end of the next year, the numbers had grown to twenty. They also took over the care of the Infants’ School and the Girls’ Denominational School on their arrival in Bathurst.

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Ballarat Foundation

Congregation of Sisters of Mercy, Ballarat East, founded in 1881 from Warrnambool, Victoria, Australia by
M Agnes Graham and four others.

In 1881 a group of us made a foundation to Ballarat and I was chosen as leader. In Ballarat East, we received wonderful support from generous parishioners and soon built a fine Convent with a school attached.

(M Agnes Graham)

Founding Story

Five Sisters of Mercy came to Ballarat East on January 10, 1881 and this was the beginning of the Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy Ballarat East.

The journey started when, under the leadership of Mother Philomene Maguire and her assistant, Sister Agnes Graham, a group of seven Sisters left London on February 7, 1872 en route to Geelong where there was already a Mercy Convent.

After some time in Geelong, Mother M. Philomene and her community of seven left for Warrnambool, the place chosen for a new foundation. In Warrnambool the Sisters worked hard, conducting both a day school and a boarding school. Other young women soon joined the community.

The Warrnambool Sisters had the same vision as Catherine, so as soon as they were able, they decided to open a house in Ballarat. The founding sisters in Ballarat were M. M. Agnes Graham, her sister, Sr. M. Philomene Graham, Sr. M. Joseph Howard, Sr. M. Xavier Flood and Sr. M. Brigid Cousens.

Within a short time of their arrival, the Sisters were responsible for the local primary school, St. Alipius’ and for a secondary school, later to become Sacred Heart College. In 1884 some changes occurred. The communities of Warrnambool and Ballarat East became independent of each other and Mother Mary Agnes Graham was appointed first Superioress, July 5, 1884.

By 1887, when the Ballarat East community numbered sixteen, they responded to a request for a Mercy foundation at Colac and Mother Agnes Graham again established a new community who became immediately involved in the primary and secondary schools, as well as giving religious instruction in neighbouring country districts.

Within two years of its foundation, Colac became independent of Ballarat and Mother M. Agnes remained in Colac until her death on December 7th 1894. On June 20, 1890 Sr. M. Xavier Flood was appointed Superioress of Ballarat East and the Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy continued to grow and flourish.

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Singleton Foundation

Congregation of Sisters of Mercy, Singleton, founded in 1875 from Ennis, Co Clare, Ireland by M Stanislaus Kenny and ten others.

Without counting the costs they undertook daunting tasks and never gave in, despite difficulties and misunderstandings … Mercy spread throughout the Hunter Valley and as far as New Zealand.

Founding Story

Over one hundred and thirty years ago, a group of courageous, dedicated young women led by M Stanislaus Kenny made the journey from Ennis, Ireland to Singleton in the Hunter Valley at the invitation of Bishop Murray. On their arrival in Singleton on 31 August1875, Parish Priest Father Fontaine handed over his two-roomed Georgian cottage with its recent two-storey extension as a permanent home for the Sisters.

A transcript accounting the foundation and expansion of the Sisters of Mercy, Singleton, written in 1893 by M Stanislaus, says that: ‘they immediately commenced their work at the girls’ school, at the same time opening a High School for the higher Branches.’ Sewing, painting, drawing music and other fine arts were taught to the young ladies. This was to be the beginning of a ministry in education that was to last even to the present day.

The Sisters also commenced ministry of care for the orphans, and the visitation of the sick and the poor. The Spirit of Catherine McAuley seen in these founding Sisters, challenged and inspired local women to join their ranks, such that in 1893, M Stanislaus would write: ‘The grain of mustard seed has now increased from ten to over seventy’. By the end of the 1880s, ten branch Convents and schools had been established from Newcastle to Gunnedah. Travel and communication would further isolate the women, but their daring and determination called them to meet the needs of the country folk.

By the end of the century, the Sister had founded four Congregations, Gunnedah, Broken Hill, Reefton (NZ) and Dunedin (NZ). Yet again, the Sisters generously left the familiar in active concern for the poor and needy, encouraged by Catherine McAuley’s vision.

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Gunnedah Foundation

Congregation of Sisters of Mercy, Gunnedah, founded in 1879 from Singleton, NSW, Australia by M Aloysius O’Driscoll and four others.

‘In effect, she (M Aloysius O’Driscoll) said to us: “Go your ways; your way is not our way, but give us your children and together with them and through them we shall strive for a better way”.’

(Layman of the era)

Founding Story

On 24 September 1887 four Sisters and one postulant were ‘given to Gunnedah’ by the Singleton Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy to form the nucleus of a new Congregation dedicated to the empowerment of young people to transform their world at a time when few people were confident to raise their voices to promote the values of mercy and justice. Led by M Aloysius O’Driscoll, Sr. Mary Benignus Healy, Sr. Mary Tereesa Broderick, Sr. Mary Magdalen Tobin and a postulant, Isabella Smart, were welcomed to Gunnedah.

Of Mother M Aloysius a layman of the era wrote:
‘She came to us in our hour of need. Things were not well – much indeed quite wrong with us. Remote from the large centres, we had grown to disregard the important conventions of civilization, and in our pastimes were fast reverting to the primitive. Surely no plastic material for the lofty idealist to work upon! But her faith was great, her hope high and her courage undaunted. Gifted with a rare discernment and an all patient tact, she was no disturber of the peace.’

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Wilcannia Foundation

Congregation of Sisters of Mercy, Wilcannia-Forbes, derived in 1932 from an amalgamation of other foundations:

• Bathurst to Cobar, NSW in 1884 by M Ursula Huggard;
• Albury to Deniliquin, NSW in 1887 by M Bridget Hilley;
• Singleton to Broken Hill, NSW in 1889 by M Josephine Callen; and
• Yass to Wilcannia, NSW in 1890 by M Paul Fielding.

I taught in Singleton and Morpeth until we set off for Broken Hill in February, 1889. What a journey we had, the six of us; first by boat to Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and then, by several train-links, we eventually reached Broken Hill where we were welcomed by Bishop Dunne and many parishioners.

(M Josephine Callen)

After a very long journey, interspersed with storms, overcrowding and sickness, we were delighted to see Sydney’s beautiful harbour. On we travelled, arriving in Yass on 29th December, 1875.

(M Paul Fielding)

An appeal came in 1887 from the people of Deniliquin for Sisters who, as well as providing religious and secular education, would minister to the temporal and spiritual needs of the poor and visit the hospital and the gaol.

(M Bridget Hilley)

Founding Story

The Congregation of Wilcannia-Forbes began with four original foundations. The first was in 1884 from Bathurst to Cobar (M Ursula Huggard) and then to Bourke (M Vincent Sheehan). In 1887 Deniliquin (M Brigid Hilley) and subsequently Balranald were founded from Albury. Broken Hill (M Josephine Callan) was founded in 1889 from Singleton, opening the way for the establishment of houses in Brighton and Mt Barker in South Australia and Condobolin and Mathoura in New South Wales. The last of the four foundations was from Yass to Wilcannia (M Paul Fielding) in 1890 and from there to White Cliffs.

Amalgamations began as early as 1892 with Bourke and Cobar. Then in 1923 the Bourke and Wilcannia cluster amalgamated, establishing Parkes in the central west of New South Wales as the head house. These were joined by Deniliquin in1929 and Balranald in 1930. A major amalgamation took place in 1932 with the merge of all the houses from the original four foundations and the houses that had been subsequently established from them.This group became the Sisters of Mercy Wilcannia-Forbes and the head house and novitiate were established in Broken Hill where they remained until 1948 when both were transferred to Parkes. In December 1999 the Congregation centre was relocated to Allawah in Sydney.

In 1954 the Congregation became a Province of the Union of Sisters of Mercy of Australia and in 1981 with all the Mercy Groups in Australia it became one of the seventeen congregations in the Institute of Sisters of Mercy, Australia. At its 2010 Chapter the Sisters of the Congregation voted unanimously for the Congregation to join the new Institute, wholeheartedly affirming the call of the 6th Institute Chapter, ‘Longing for God’s Mercy’.

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Parramatta Foundation

Congregation of Sisters of Mercy, Parramatta, founded in 1888 from Callan, Co Kilkenny, Ireland by M Clare Dunphy and eight others.

We did our best to overcome the tension and the deprivation and God blessed our work, mainly teaching and visitation.

(M Clare Dunphy)

Founding Story

In 1888 Cardinal Moran invited Sisters of Mercy from Callan, Ireland to set up a foundation in Parramatta. M Clare Dunphy was the leader of a group of nine sisters who responded. M M Clare did not volunteer to go to Australia, but said ‘will go if sent’! She wept and kissed the door step of Callan convent as she left. From then on she embraced the mission whole heartedly especially the poor, sick, and marginalised.

The foundation sisters’ keenness for mission is reflected in their chronicle which records the first 3 days in Parramatta thus:

• December 8, 1888: Dr O’Haran celebrated the first Mass and blessed the Convent under the invocation of the Immaculate Conception.
• December 9: a few children for Catechism, then visitation to the Old Men’s Infirmary.
• December 10: Opened St Patrick’s Primary school with 59 children.

In a letter to Callan, Cardinal Moran, while acknowledging that teaching would be the most necessary work for the present, wrote that the Sisters who were coming ‘need not be alarmed lest they would not have enough to do’. How true were his words!

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Cairns Foundation

Congregation of Sisters of Mercy, Cairns, founded in 1888 from Dungarvon, Co Waterford, Ireland by
M de Sales Meagher and five others.

To go from Dungarvan, County Waterford, to an Australian diocese four times the size of Ireland – that is what we were asked to do!

(M. de Sales Meagher)

Founding Story

The Most Reverend John Hutchinson OSA, Vicar-Apostolic of Cooktown, saw an urgent need in the thriving gold-mining township to have religious women staffing the Catholic school. He invited the Sisters of Mercy in Dungarvan, Ireland, to fill that role. While the entire community of Sisters there volunteered, five Sisters were selected – M de Sales Meagher, Sr. Mary Evangelist Morrissey, Sr. Mary Rodriguez Sheehy, Sr. Mary Josephine Jones and Sr. Mary Joseph McGrath. They sailed from London on the ‘SS Liguria’ and at Sydney boarded a small coastal steamer, the ‘Elamang’, which arrived in Cooktown on June 24th, 1888.

The building that was to become St Mary’s Convent of Mercy and Boarding School was still under construction when the Sisters arrived. The grandest building in Cooktown when it opened in May 1889, St Mary’s thrived under the care of the Sisters, taking both boarders and day scholars. The Sisters regarded education as an important priority for young women, and set high goals for academic achievement.

Fully appreciating that these founding Sisters would be facing isolation in an independent foundation on the other side of the world, the Dungarvan community chose them with care, thus demonstrating the practicality for which Sisters of Mercy are well-known. Each of the five Sisters was skilled in a specific area – management (M de Sales), financial administration (M Josephine), music (M Joseph) education (M Evangelist) and domestic organisation (M Rodriguez).

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North Sydney Foundation

Congregation of Sisters of Mercy, North Sydney, founded in 1865 from Liverpool, England by M Ignatius McQuoin and three others

‘What a favour then to be called to follow in His footsteps, even at a distance, as we do in the service of the poor, sick and ignorant: as we do in our duties as Sisters of Mercy.’

(M Ignatius McQuoin, North Sydney 1884)

Founding Story

The Sisters of Mercy, North Sydney Australia were founded by Mother Ignatius McQuoin in 1865. Mother Ignatius (Elizabeth) was born in London in 1819 and entered the Sisters of Mercy, Liverpool in 1848.

Originally, Mother Mary Ignatius and her two companions, a professed Sister and a delicate Novice were to go to Bathurst New South Wales, but whilst they were on their voyage to Australia, Bathurst was made a separate diocese and the Sisters of Mercy from Charleville were invited to minister there. Upon Mother Ignatius’ arrival, she was invited by Bishop Bede Polding to make a foundation in his Sydney diocese. The Sisters were housed for some weeks in a small cottage until suitable accommodation was found. After a short period, when the situation proved to be extremely difficult, Mother Ignatius’ companions decided to leave and she was left on her own. However, assistance and support came from Mother M Vincent Whitty of Brisbane, and gradually, with much perseverance, the community increased.

St Patrick’s Church Hill was where the Sisters settled and began teaching and administering a Home for young women in need of care and employment. In 1874 at the request of Archdeacon Rigney, some of the Sisters went to serve in the parish of Parramatta. For fourteen years the Sisters lived and taught in sub-standard conditions. The Sisters were eventually replaced by the Sisters of Mercy from Callan, Kilkenny in 1888.

By 1875 the Sisters from Church Hill had crossed the Sydney Harbour by ferry to its northern side and Mother Ignatius established a boarding school for girls. Eventually the convent and college were named Monte Sant’ Angelo and the convent became the Mother House and Novitiate for this group of Mercy Sisters.

Many other convents were established in various suburbs of Sydney in the ensuing years, the Sisters teaching in primary and secondary schools on Sydney’s north shore, inner city and some southern and eastern suburbs. As the population spread the sisters followed. In 1897 an orphanage on the outskirts of the city of Waitara was established. A hospital was founded in 1906 at Crow’s Nest near North Sydney and in 1907 at Brooklyn on the Hawkesbury River, the sisters opened a Home where they cared for young children and adolescents. St Patrick’s Commercial College was opened in 1928.

The North Sydney Congregation continued to maintain wide ranging ministries based on the solid foundations laid by Mother Ignatius.

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Grafton Foundation

Congregation of Sisters of Mercy, Grafton, founded in 1884 from Bermondsey, England by M Stanislaus Simson and eight others.

Grafton was very different from London! At night the only noises were cows, dogs and frogs.

(M Stanislaus Simson)

Founding Story

The Grafton Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy was established on 24th January, 1884, when nine women arrived, from the Mother House in Bermondsey, England. Three cultures were represented in this group: English, Irish and Scot. The sisters moved into the present convent in 1884. This building has functioned as the Mother House of the Grafton congregation.

In February 1884 the local primary school became the sisters’ responsibility. A secondary school, which included a music academy, was also established. St Mary’s College opened as a boarding and day school in 1929. The Sisters soon extended their role in education throughout the Clarence Valley and in later years on the Richmond, the Nambucca, the Macleay, the Kyogle shire, the Coffs Harbour region and also at Sydney in Stanmore.

Other places where the sisters ministered were Papua New Guinea, Zimbabwe, Nhulunbuy, Vietnam, Pakistan, Kenya, Pakistan Balgo and at Baggot Street in Dublin.

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Adelaide Foundation

Congregation of Sisters of Mercy, Adelaide, founded in 1880 from Buenos Aires, Argentina by M Evangelista Fitzpatrick and eleven others.

‘Off we set in 1856, full of hopes and fears but trusting in Providence.’

(M Evangelista Fitzpatrick)

Founding Story

The Adelaide Congregation was founded in 1880 when on the 3rd May, twenty-four sisters expelled from Argentina arrived in Adelaide via Ireland at the invitation of Bishop Reynolds. Their leader was Mother Evangelista Fitzpatrick. Twelve went to Mt Gambier with Mother Baptist MacDonnell and later six of the total group returned to Buenos Aires in 1890. We are not only indebted to them for our foundation but also later for the legacy of Sister Cecilia Cunningham’s parents, which bequeathed us our Angas Street Chapel at St Aloysius College. It is good to see the connection maintained as now bi-annually students from St Aloysius College visit Buenos Aires and sponsor projects in the poorer barrios there.

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