Logo launched for the 200th anniversary of the founding of the first House of Mercy by Catherine McAuley

The official logo for the 200th anniversary of the Founding of Catherine McAuley's First House of Mercy at 64a Lower Baggot Street, Dublin in 1827, has been launched by Mercy International Association(MIA).

The logo was launched online on Tuesday 24th February. The launch events were attended by Members, Sisters, partners in ministry, associates and friends from across the Mercy World.

Commenting on the logo Mary O'Donovan, CEO of Mercy International said: "“The Mercy 200th anniversary logo will sit at the centre of our bi-centenary campaign. The logo celebrates Catherine McAuley's vision of courage, compassion and practical love - a vision that continues to inspire and guide the Mercy World today.

"The logo highlights our heritage and story while renewing our commitment to respond to the needs of our time with confidence and hope. As we mark these 200 years, we also look forward - committed to carrying the spirit of Mercy into the future with faith, generosity and purpose.”

Reactions from the Mercy World

Some of the reactions to the logo are:

"Mercy to the core" - Brenda Dolphin RSM, Postulator for the Cause of Canonisation of Catherine McAuley.

"the logo - especially the presence of the other women with Catherine, reminded me of a passage from The Path of Mercy which describes the women peering out the windows waiting for Catherine to come home from George's Hill." - Sheila Carney RSM, Chair of the Board of MIA

"......the open door, Catherine and her companions, the invitation to come in and be part of Mercy gave me goosebumps.  I think it is a wonderful expression of the past, present and future."

"the logo is it is invitational and very feminine. It is so simple yet so profound."

"The logo is vibrant, clear, striking. Message speaks for itself. Makes me proud to be Mercy. It's modern fresh and eye-catching ."

Logo design

The logo was designed by Padraig McCormack to a brief provided by MIA which was informed by a series of meetings of a 200th anniversary Committee which sat in 2024/2025 and which included a representation from each of the Members of MIA.

The logo as a visual

The anniversary logo is rich in historical and symbolic meaning. Catherine McAuley is pictured as a lay woman, depicted in Mercy blue. Her position just to the front and centre signals her role as founder and her openness to those she served.

Her welcoming gesture reflects the original purpose of the House of Mercy: to provide shelter, education, and dignity to women and children experiencing poverty.

As well as representing a welcoming in, Catherine’s outstretched hand also denotes her sending out too.

There is a beautiful femininity to Catherine especially in her facial features - it is a face expressing kindness and mercy. Catherine was the epitome of kindness and action who saw the poverty around her in Dublin in the 1800s and did something about it.

The two women standing behind Catherine represent her first companions and the communal nature of the Mercy mission, which quickly grew beyond Catherine alone. The women also suggest diversity, continuity, and the unfolding generations of Mercy ministry. The colours of their clothing are bright and vibrant.

The House is represented in the open red doors, with the number 64A clearly visible. The fan light represents the Georgian features of the house.

Logo wording

The wording on the logo is clear so even if you do not know anything about Catherine or what the anniversary is – all the information you need is right there in the logo’s wording.

The words ‘Founding’ and ‘First’ are used deliberately. Founding is more impactful than opening and also acts as a bridge to the significant anniversary in 2031 of the founding of the Sisters of Mercy Congregation by Catherine.

The word first is also a nod to the many houses of Mercy opened across the world in Catherine's name after the first was opened in Baggot Street in 1827.

Versions of the logo

The logo is designed to be used in full colour. There is also a mono version available and a white on colour version available.

The logo will also be available in Spanish.

Use of the Logo

The logo kit with copyright information, brand guidelines and recommended usage, will be available from Mercy International Association in early March.

The logo is copyrighted to MIA and may not be downloaded or reproduced outside of the versions available in the logo kit. The logo may not be downloaded or copied for commercial use.

The logo is designed to be used from March 2026 as we continue the countdown to 24 September 2027, the anniversary date of the founding of the first House of Mercy.

All queries to mercyenews@mercyinternational.ie.