Mercy Foundation Day: Celebrating Nearly Two Centuries of Service

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December 12, 2018

On December 12, Mercy recognizes Foundation Day of the Sisters of Mercy. On that day in 1831, Catherine McAuley, Mary Ann Doyle and Elizabeth Harley took vows to become the first Sisters of Mercy and thus began a religious community dedicated to serving the poor, sick and uneducated.

Today, the Mercy that McAuley and “the walking Sisters” inspired is guided by the same philosophy to bring care where it’s needed most. Thanks to new and emerging technologies, Mercy's clinical teams can now serve more people where they are — in their homes, schools and workplaces.

Read the Story of Mercy

The mission started by one woman is now 250,000 strong.

Tour the House of Mercy

You don't need a ticket to Ireland to see where it all began.

Prayer for Mercy Foundation Day

An archived prayer from the Sisters of Mercy

Mercy: Worthy of the Name

The Mercy story begins at an unlikely time in an unlikely place with an unlikely woman. Thanks to Mercy Founder Catherine McAuley and the Sisters of Mercy, today more than 250,000 people in hospitals, schools and community programs worldwide carry on the mission of Mercy. To learn more about Catherine and the Sisters of Mercy, watch the video, click or download the story below, “Her House of Mercy Made Works of Mercy Possible,” or take a tour of the first House of Mercy, which opened Sept. 24, 1827, in Dublin, Ireland, and remains open today.