A catch up with MIA's new CEO Mary O'Donovan

Our new CEO Mary O'Donovan has just marked her first two months with Mercy International Association.

We caught up with her to find out a little bit more about her and how she is settling in at Mercy International Centre (MIC).

We asked her about her favourite room in 64a Lower Baggot Street.

Mary has also shared some updates on staff changes, the timeline for the closure for refurbishment of MIC and she highlights some of the upcoming events at Mercy International Centre.

Read her piece below:

When I told my mother that I was taking on the role of CEO at Mercy International Association, she was genuinely delighted.  My career has taken me to some far-flung places over the years and my mother is fond of saying that her knees are ‘worn out’ praying for me. 

She was taken out of school at age 13 to go to work, so when it came to educating her children and me being the only girl, she was absolutely determined that I should go to school, and on to university.  Sometimes I fought her in my eagerness to finish with the books and get out there, but on reflection, it was my education that widened my horizons and opened the door to the world for me.  

Catherine's House

It seems fitting that my favourite place in Catherine’s house is what is now known as the International Room. Now used for programmes, training and gatherings of the Mercy World, many Mercy eNews readers will already know that the International Room was Catherine’s first purpose-built classroom.  I love that in building the first house of Mercy, Catherine McAuley, ever practical, placed the schoolroom up a level, and filled it with tall windows to draw in every beam of light from the often overcast Dublin sky. 

These days the room is where people gather from all over the Mercy world for meetings, programmes, formation and leadership.  I love it as I walk up the corridor, pause outside the door at Catherine’s room and hear voices and laughter coming from within.  And then the door opens and the light hits you.  It’s an experience that probably hasn’t changed much in almost 200 years.      

Mercy Welcome, Hospitality and Charism

It is a privilege to be in this role of CEO at Mercy International Association.  I get to welcome inspiring and inspired people almost every day, online through our many networks and channels, and in person here at Mercy International Centre.

As many readers will know, Patricia O’Donovan rsm is my predecessor in the CEO role, and she has also been driving the Opening Doors work in the last few years.   Patricia and Margaret Daly rsm who oversees our heritage and spirituality programmes at MIA have been central to my induction and settling in period.  In these short weeks they have introduced me to the Mercy World, sharing ways in leadership, programmes and formation resources, and have been teaching me about the heritage and charism of Catherine McAuley. 

Both Patricia and Margaret will be leaving MIA this month as they have been appointed to leadership roles in the Southern Branch (Ireland).  They won’t be far away – Cork is relatively close in the Mercy World after all – and they will be returning regularly to MIC over the summer to deliver programmes to our booked national and international visitors.   

Summer at MIC and closure for refurbishment

Our summer will see us welcome more visitors to MIC including the Young Mercy Leaders' Pilgrimage in July. We will round off the summer with the Mercy Emerging Leaders Fellowship (MELF) Cohort 4 immersion and graduation in August, and then the house will close from September to May 2026 for some much needed TLC and careful refurbishment.   

My next few months will certainly be interesting! 

But as they say, when one door closes another opens, and so Margaret and Patricia’s departure opens up roles at MIA in heritage, programmes and opening doors.  Even while MIC is closed, we will deliver online engagement and programming, and we will be working hard to serve the Mercy world with resources, virtual tours, communications and updates throughout. 

Mercy Global Action

Mercy Global Action will be unaffected by the house closure and will continue delivering our considerable work in justice and leadership development.  After all it is not just the place, but the people who keep the doors open literally and virtually. 

An invitation to the Mercy World

My conclusion here is therefore an invitation.  Please spread the word far and wide that MIA is seeking suitably skilled and passionate individuals to join our small team.  Our work and our task ahead is varied and international and for some part of the coming year will be fully remote.  The roles in heritage, programming and opening doors will be advertised at the end of May, but in the meantime, I am happy to have a chat. I’m always happy to chat!  My door and my ears are open! 

I look forward to seeing and meeting you over the coming months and wish everyone a happy month ahead!

Mary O'Donovan, CEO

April 2025