History

The Institute of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas is a Catholic women’s religious congregation of over 4,000 members. Though Sisters of Mercy serve in many parts of the world, members of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas primarily live and serve in Central, North and South America.

The Sisters of Mercy Mid-Atlantic Community is one of six Communities of The Sisters of Mercy, a Roman Catholic religious order, that comprise the Institute of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas. The Mid-Atlantic Community was established on January 1, 2007, with the uniting of the regional communities of Brooklyn, Dallas, Merion, New Jersey and New York.

The stories of the former regional communities are rich and diverse; the heritage and charism of Mercy are common to all. Catherine McAuley founded the Sisters of Mercy in Dublin, Ireland, in 1831 to serve the poor, sick and ignorant. The seeds of Mercy planted by Catherine McAuley sprouted quickly and Mercy foundations were established worldwide.

In 1843 Frances Warde, one of the first Sisters of Mercy professed by Catherine McAuley, established in Pittsburgh, PA, the first of many foundations in the United States. In 1848 the Loretto Foundation was established, which later gave rise to the Dallas Community. Foundations first established in Philadelphia, PA (1861) and Bordentown, NJ (1873) became the Merion and New Jersey foundations, respectively. Sister Agnes O’Connor came to New York City from Dublin in 1846 to establish the first Mercy foundation in New York. Sisters from New York City established a new Mercy community in Brooklyn in 1855.

Visits to Mid-Atlantic Community ministry websites will reveal that some current ministries of the Sisters of Mercy have unbroken histories that date to the original foundations. Others are of more recent origin.

Mercy Volunteer Corps members and hundreds of Mercy Associates join the Sisters of Mercy in reaching out to serve people who are poor, sick and uneducated. Mercy ministries are enriched by the gifts of countless co-workers and supported by the generosity of numerous benefactors.