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Young Mercy Leaders' Pilgrimage
The Young Mercy Leaders programme commenced in 2011 with the visit of Mercy secondary school and college students from across the globe to Mercy International Centre to experience together the riches of the Mercy story before returning to daily life better equipped to be leaders in their schools and world.
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The programme was such a success that it is now being offered annually with secondary school and college programmes being offered separately in alternate years.
Inquiries to: Caroline Thompson - Head of Heritage & Sprituality, Mercy International Association.
2026 PILGRIMAGE
Tuesday 28th July - Friday 31st July 2026.
The 2026 Pilgrimage is for young people who are in Third-Level education at College/Universitiy and in the approximate age bracket of 18-23 year olds.
The 2026 event takes place in Dublin based at the House of Mercy opened by Catherine McAuley in 1827. The Programme will be be spread across four days with keynote speakers, small group discussions and workshop activities. Sessions will highlight stories of Mercy, provide leadership formation opportunities, and present Mercy initiatives across the globe.The programme fee is €295 per student. This is an early-bird offer which will expire on 28th February 2026.
For more information and to register for the pilgrimage please email: info@mercyinternational.ie.
Download the YML 2026 Pilgrimage Flyer here.
Previous Programmes
2025 PILGRIMAGE
Comms Crew share their experiences of the Young Mercy Leaders Pilgrimage in Dublin.
click here
2019 PILGRIMAGE
Access the accounts of each day's activities from the links below:
Day 1: Fifth Biennial Pilgrimage for Young Mercy Leaders (secondary) Now wonderfully Underway
Day 2: 'Mercy Begins with Me' T-shirt Day
Day 3: Keynotes, Workshops and Céilí Night
Day 4: The Last Day
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2018 PILGRIMAGE
Access the accounts of each day's activities from the links below:
Day 1: The Pilgrimage for aged 18+ Young Mercy Leaders Has Begun!
Day 2: Day 2 of YML Pilgrimage: Another Great Day was had by all!
Day 3: Day 3 of YML Pilgrimage: And the Sun Came out!
Day 4: A Fitting Conclusion to a Wonderful Week
2017 PILGRIMAGE
2017: Secondary/second level Students. Arrival & Registration
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2016 PILGRIMAGE
2016: College Students and Young Adults. Welcome and Opening Ritual
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2015 PILGRIMAGE
2015: Secondary School Students. Welcome and Day One
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2014 PILGRIMAGE
Video: 'Mercy Beckons a New Generation' 2014 (07:45)
During the 2014 Young Mercy Leaders Pilgrimage for University Students and Young Adults, Sheila Carney rsm, Special Assistant to the President at the Mercy Centre for Service in Carlow University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, travelled with a group of students to Catherine's House at Baggot Street, Dublin, Ireland. The group spent time exploring Catherine's House and finding out about her life, her work and about the person of Catherine.
The group revealed that being at Baggot Street was an experience like no other, where they discovered that Catherine was woman who experienced many struggles and yet had wonderful determination, never taking no for an answer. Having spent time in Catherine's places and spaces, the students expressed their desires to carry forward her dream of compassion, of service and of Mercy.
Reports on the 2014 College Students & Young Adults Programme
Reports from the 2014 College Students & Young Adults programme can be accessed below. These give an overview of each day's activities and an insight into the responses from the participants.
2013 PILGRIMAGE
Video: 'Fan Into a Flame’ 2013 (32:06)
'Fan into a Flame' was filmed during the Young Mercy Leaders Pilgrimage, held in Baggot Street in August 2013 when over 100 young people from Mayo to Belize and Melbourne to New Jersey, gathered in Dublin to undertake a journey of self-discovery and of leadership, inspired by Catherine McAuley, foundress of the Sisters of Mercy.
Reports on the 2013 Secondary Schools programme
Reports from the 2013 Secondary Schools programme can be accessed below. These give an overview of each day's activities and an insight into the responses from the participants
2011 PILGRIMAGE
Video 'Home of Mercy' 2011 (17:22)
This 17 minute video captures highlights from the various keynote presentations, rituals, workshops, and theatrical performances; talent show acts of the Melbourne Congregational Schools, and high school students Ryan Boulton-Lear (Liverpool, Great Britain) and Katie Kavanagh (Athy, Ireland); and interviews with participants from four USA universities and four high schools in Aotearoa New Zealand, Australia, and Ireland.
Reports from the 2011 Secondary Schools programme give an overview of each day's activities and an insight into the responses from the participants