Congregation
of the Sisters of Mercy
The Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy was founded by Catherine
McAuley who was born into a wealthy Dublin family in 1778. By the
time she reached adulthood, she had witnessed the death of both parents,
and experienced considerable religious uncertainty and turmoil.
Driven by a deep faith and pragmatic sense of charity, she opened,
in 1827, an institution for unemployed and underprivileged women.
This proved to be the first step towards the foundation, in 1831,
of the Sisters of Mercy, an order now established on every continent.
Catherine McAuley was declared Venerable by Pope John Paul II in 1990.
The Convent of Mercy in Wanstead was opened in response to the invitation
of Father William O' Grady, Parish Priest of St. George's, Walthamstow
to the Sisters of Mercy, Commercial Road, East London who founded
this Convent in Cambridge Park, in 1917. The aim was to provide Catholic
Education for the youth of the parish.
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Current
Sisters of The Convent of Mercy
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A temporary church was also provided in the convent grounds where
Mass was celebrated until the present church was opened in 1928. With
the passage of time the numbers increased within the convent and the
school prospered. Since Vatican II the Sisters' apostolate has diversified.
Today, besides teaching, one finds the Sisters visiting prisons, nursing
in hospices, counselling, catering for the homeless and those in need
both mentally and spiritually.
Please join us in praying for the Beatification of our Foundress.
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Prayer
for the Beatification of
Venerable Catherine McAuley
All merciful Father, your Holy Spirit, breathing in the heart
of your servant, Venerable Catherine, made her alive with love
for the poor, thus revealing in her life the ever-present, self-giving
Christ. Grant, through her intercession, those favours which
will confirm her holiness with the honours of the altar, so
that through her life, ours might be for ever brightened by
that Light which is Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord. Amen.
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Sayings
of Catherine McAuley
'It is a special favour of God to be made the servants of his suffering
poor.'
'By our vocation we are engaged to comfort and instruct the sick poor
of Christ. This is the principal reason why we are Sisters of Mercy'
'One thing is remarkable: no breach of charity ever occurred among
us. The sun never, I believe, went down on our anger. This is our
only boast.'
'You must waste time with people. A good beginning is of great importance.'
'Be ever ready to praise, to encourage, to stimulate, but slow to
censure, and still more slow to condemn.'
'We must not make too many laws. If we pull the strings too tight,
they will break.'
'We should never falter in our confidence that God will make all things
turn to the best.'
'It is God's will that everyone called to His service should be happy.'
'We have one solid hope of happiness in our journeying - we can keep
our hearts fixed on God.'
Copies of a Prayer Leaflet and of a brief Life of our Foundress, Mother
Catherine McAuley will be donated to Our Lady of Lourdes' Church Repository.
Funds from the sale of these will go to towards the financing of the
Church Hall.
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TO PARISH HISTORY
