Sisters of Mercy of The Institute of Our Lady of Mercy

Our Vision

Inspired and energised by the compassion, courage and vision of our foundress Catherine McAuley, we strive to be the merciful face of Christ in every circumstance of our lives. By our Fourth Vow we are committed to the poor, sick and underprivileged. True to the spirit and example of Catherine our primary focus is on the welfare of women and children.

We emulate Catherine’s trust in the providence of God and her deep intimacy with him. “Our personal and communal way of life is discernment sustained by an attentive, honest search for the will of God in tune with the gospel and the needs of the contemporary world” Constitution 3.

The Institute is one of three strands of the mercy family in Great Britain. It is formed from the union of twenty autonomous Congregations and was formally recognised as a Religious Congregation of Pontifical Rights in November 1983. Currently there are three hundred and forty eight Sisters ministering from seventy-five sites in Britain. Sisters also work in Peru, Kenya, Rome and Romania.

The purpose of the amalgamation was to foster unity of spirit and purpose, pool resources, broaden our horizons and to enable those who felt called to move into new ministries among the marginalised sectors of our society.