The Sisters of Mercy of Newfoundland have been busy in preparation for the Rio + 20 meetings. They were one of the Religious Congregations who influenced the Roman Catholic Leaders of Newfoundland and Labrador to produce a brochure giving information on the Rio Conference.
The Director of the Mercy Centre for Ecology and Justice in St Johns, Newfoundland sent the statement prepared through Mercy Global Action Network asking government representatives to advance an ethical and equitable global vision at Rio + 20 and sent also a letter to federal and provincial government party leaders, seven federal elected representatives for Newfoundland and Labrador as well as to several other members of the provincial government one of whom has promised to present the statement and letter to the Conservative Caucus meeting .
On World Water Day the Sisters of Mercy as well as the Presentation Sisters sent letters to the Canadian Ambassador to the UN expressing grave concern about the position Canada was taking against water as a human right.
At various conferences including the Canadian Religious Conference and the Catholic Health Alliance of Canada, Sisters of Mercy raised issues that needed to be supported by the Canadian government at Rio + 20.
On May 21, 2012, praying in song and ritual, the Associates of Marystown welcomed four new members into their Circle of Mercy.Sister Elizabeth Marrie, on behalf of the Leadership of the Sisters of Mercy, received the commitment of Donalda Cheeke, Annette Deveau, Hanna Lambe and Elizabeth Whelan. The new Associates received their Associate pins, Certificates and Mercy Associate candles and were warmly embraced by their Associate friends and their facilitator, Sister Theresa March.
In her opening address to the Associates, Sister Maureen O’Keefe noted that in 1993 the Marystown Associates under the leadership of Sister Margaret Pittman, were one of the first two groups to accept the invitation of the Sisters of Mercy to explore an Associate Relationship with the Mercy Congregation.Like the first four sisters on the Marystown foundation in 1927, the Associates too began as a group of four. And like the sisters before them, they have witnessed additions and departures over the years.
Today,the group of fourteen dynamic women with Sister Theresa as their mentor proudly carry on the Mercy tradition of love and service to one another, their community and beyond.The depth of their commitment and the sincerity of their affection for one another was evident in the sharing of stories that occurred over our traditional “good cup of tea” and copious goodies.
May the spirit of our founders Catherine McAuley, Francis Creedon and Antonio Egan continue to live in our Marystown Associates. And may they continue to enrich their community with the fruits of God’s loving Mercy.
Photograph l-r: Donalda Cheeke, Hannah Lambe, Elizabeth Marrie rsm, Bride Murphy and Annette Deveau.
This year we celebrate 170 years of history and ministry of the Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy of Newfoundland. We have a rich history of dedicated commitment in health care, education, social services and pastoral ministry on the island of Newfoundland, in Labrador, in Peru, in Ontario, Washington, Florida, Ireland and Africa. All of this ‘action’ is rooted in the ‘contemplative’ aspect of the Sisters’ lives, and especially in the lives of the elder Sisters, where they find their source of grace and energy.
The story of the Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy of Newfoundland began when Bishop Michael Anthony Fleming traveled to Dublin, Ireland where he approached Catherine McAuley to request a community of Sisters of Mercy for his island mission. To facilitate his plan, the bishop agreed to send to the convent on Baggot Street a young lady to be trained as a Sister of Mercy so that she could return to Newfoundland and found a Convent of Mercy in St. John’s. The bishop’s choice for this important role was Marianne Creedon, a young Irish lady who had lived in St. John’s since 1833 and who was familiar with the needs of the mission. Catherine McAuley received Marianne Creedon into the novitiate at Baggot Street, and on August 19, 1841, Marianne, now Sister Mary Francis, was professed as a Sister of Mercy. Nine months later, on May 2, 1842, Sister Francis Creedon, accompanied by Sisters Ursula Frayne and Rose Lynch left St. Catherine’s Convent, Baggot Street, and crossed the Atlantic Ocean to form the first community of the Sisters of Mercy in the New World. They arrived in St. John’s, Newfoundland on June 3, 1842. This date marks the establishment of the Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy of Newfoundland.
During the first eleven months of the new mission, the Sisters of Mercy visited the sick and the poor in their homes. On December 12, 1842, the Sisters moved from their temporary home, the bishop’s residence, to their new convent on Military Road. This was the first Mercy Convent in the New World. On May 1, 1843, Our Lady of Mercy School, Military Road, was formally opened.
On May 21, 1922 a twenty- three bed hospital was opened in what had formerly been a residence for working girls on the corner of Lemarchant Road and St. Clare Avenue.
The hospital was part of the vision of the Archbishop of St. John’s, E.P. Roche, who invited the Sisters of Mercy to take leadership in the administration of the hospital and in the nursing care of the people who came to them for medical attention.
History
May 21, 2012 is the anniversary of the opening of St. Clare’s Mercy Hospital in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. Over those ninety years the hospital has grown from a twenty-three bed building where men, women and children were cared for to a sprawling seven-storey complex that provides the best of modern medicine, total care of body, mind and spirit, and the highest calibre of care and compassion for 207 adults.
Celebrations
In order to celebrate its ninetieth year a number of events had been planned. A celebration of the Eucharist on May 14 by Archbishop Martin Currie was the opening event. In her reflection during the liturgy Sister Elizabeth Davis, Congregational Leader of the Sisters of Mercy spoke of St. Clare’s being a ‘place of healing’, a ‘holy place’ and a ‘place where God’s mercy endures forever’. She reminded us of the words of Archbishop Roche at the opening of the new hospital in 1939 when he said “Verily, my dear Sisters, the acorn has developed into a mighty oak; the tiny grain of mustard seed has grown, as we hoped it would, into a mighty tree.” Cake and refreshments were provided to all staff and visitors on May 22 in the hospital cafeteria with entertainment by the Celtic Fiddlers.
Staff were treated to a visit from "The Spirit of St. Clare’s" on May 28. Sister Dolorosa Brennan dressed in the traditional habit (white for hospital) of the Sisters of Mercy. She greeted staff, patients and family members and gave them a pin that was struck to commemorate the anniversary. Later in the Fall there will be a special public lecture to commemorate St. Clare’s 90 years.
Vision and Mission
The Sisters of Mercy have been dedicated to the care of persons who are sick, with a special care for those who are dying. Many Sisters and those who collaborated with them over the years have provided thousands of years of care and compassion. Many men and woman are graduates of the St. Clare’s School of Nursing. They along with the current staff and volunteers have imbibed the spirit of the founders of St. Clare’s down through the years and continue to heal those who seek care. They continue to live out the values of care, compassion, excellence, integrity, and mercy.
Messages to: Diane Smyth rsm – Manager Pastoral Care and Ethics, Eastern Health
Sandy Pond, once a pristine, beautiful lake on the Avalon Peninsula of Newfoundland, Canada, now lies within the boundaries of one of Newfoundland and Labrador’s largest industrial sites.
The VALE nickel processing facility is under construction now at Long Harbour, Newfoundland. The Federal Government of Canada has given VALE, and other mining companies, permission to use healthy bodies of Canadian freshwater lakes and ponds as “tailings impoundment areas” for toxic waste. They achieved this because of a loophole, known as Schedule 2, in the Metal Mining Effluent Regulation (MMER) of the federal Fisheries Act.
In March 2010 the Sandy Pond Alliance launched a legal challenge against the Federal Government of Canada to declare Schedule 2 in violation of the federal Fisheries Act.
The Mercy Centre for Ecology and Justice is part of the Sandy Pond Alliance, a coalition of concerned citizens fighting to protect Sandy Pond. The Alliance includes the Council of Canadians, Mining Watch, Nature Canada, the Newfoundland and Labrador Natural History Society, Sierra Club Atlantic, and scientists and activists in Newfoundland who are concerned with the imminent destruction of Sandy Pond.
How It All Began
In May of 2009, the local Chapter of the Council of Canadians organized the Sandy Pond Picnic to bring attention to the issue of the intended destruction of Sandy Pond by the Brazilian mining company Vale Inco as part of their Long Harbour Nickel Processing Plant development. On Friday, May 8, 2009, nearly 20 people visited Long Harbour and trekked into Sandy Pond. After that event several people including activists, academics and community members decided to meet regularly to discuss possible ways to prevent the destruction of Sandy Pond.
Our Mission
1.To protect and conserve Canadian waters and their ecosystems; and
2.To take appropriate actions to assist the Alliance in fulfilling its purpose, including promoting and recommending laws and policies, and informing and engaging the public; and
3.To join and/or co-operate with other organizations or institutions with similar purposes.
Sister Mary Tee RSM, coordinator of the Mercy Centre for Ecology and Justice in St. Johns, Newfoundland serves on the Board of the Sandy Pond Alliance. This Board is still working to save Sandy Pond. In the event that construction on the nickel processing plant may proceed too quickly to save Sandy Pond before a successful ruling on the legal challenge is obtained there is still the hope of saving other bodies of fresh water from a similar fate by changing the law.
Mary Tee rsm recently visited Sandy Pond and was interviewed for “The Current” on CBC radio.
In February and March, 2012 the Sisters of Mercy of Newfoundland marked three major events in the life of the Congregation, the Mercy Sisters in Peru and in the life of three wonderful women, their communities, families and friends.
On February 5 Alita Sanchez Sanchez, from Monsefu renewed her vows as a Sister of Mercy, her third year in preparation for permanent commitment.
On March 1 Maria Elizabeth Galan Fiestas from San Jose on the coast of Peru was received as a postulant in the chapel at the house in Ichocan, Peru. Nine Sisters of Mercy of Newfoundland were present with Maria for her reception as a Postulant, a period of discernment leading to the time of Novitiate.
On March 3, we celebrated the first profession of Rosali Esperaza Vargas Mendoza whose home community is LaGrama in the Andes. These three women are journeying through the various stages of the formation program of new members to full incorporation as Sisters of Mercy. They bring new life and great hope to the Sisters of Mercy, to the church and to the people of Peru. The reception of a postulant and the renewal of vows usually take place in a simple ceremony. The First Profession of Vows is celebrated more publicly and with special ceremony.
Rosali celebrated her First Profession in her home pueblo of LaGrama in company with Sisters, her family and friends. Thirty-five friends travelled to Ichocan, some travelled for two nights by bus from the coast, Lima and northern Peru. Among these were twenty-three sisters of Mercy and our new postulant, Maria, all who minister in various regions of Peru. Others were friends and colleagues of Rosali from Lima, Puerto Eten, Reque and Monsefu where Rosali has ministered. Padre Lucho Santamaria, a longtime friend of our sisters from the coast presided and gave a wonderful homily; he was joined by Padre Walter Cruz, pastor of neighboring San Marcos. All these travelers enjoyed the hospitality and accommodations and then a special meal at our Ichocan sisters` community before going to LaGrama for the Eucharist.
The people of the pueblo and all the guests filled the Church in LaGrama with a spirit of joy and great participation. A delicious meal of cardero (lamb) was prepared by the LaGrama catechists and served with the help of parishioners from Ichocan to over a hundred guests in the lovely adjoining Parish Centre. A classmate of Rosali’s was MC at the lively dance that followed with all forms of dancing. Rosali expressed her joy in making her first profession in these words, “With great joy, I give thanks to God for fixing God`s gaze on me. I celebrate the mercy and fidelity of God expressed together with our pueblo. With profound love, I say ‘Yes’ to this call that allows me to share with joy the Reign of God. Thank you to my family, community, friends and my pueblo for accompanying me on this very special celebration”.
We all rejoice deeply in the treasure of hope and blessing celebrated in the generous commitment of Alita, Maria and Rosali. We ask God’s continued grace in their lives, and in the life of the Sisters of Mercy and of the Church in Peru.
The Sisters of Mercy of Newfoundland and all Sisters of Mercy in Peru rejoice this day!
On March 1, 2012 Maria Elizabeth Galan Fiestas was welcomed into the Postulancy Program, a serious first step in her discernment process and in her incorporation as a Sister of Mercy. The ceremony took place in the newly renovated chapel at the sisters’ residence in Ichocan, Peru. There were nine Sisters of Mercy of Newfoundland present with Maria for this special moment in the life of our Congregation. Sister Elizabeth Marrie, member of the Leadership Team, travelled from St. John’s to be present for this event. Maria will begin the Novitiate phase of her religious formation now in Lima with other women from the Mercy world in Peru.
St. Patrick’s Mercy Home Opens Palliative Care Room
June 20, 2011: St. John’s, NL – St. Patrick’s Mercy Home today announced the official opening of its newly renovated palliative care space during a special Blessing and Celebration Ceremony. The two-year renovation project has been a priority of the Administration and Board of Directors of St. Patrick’s Mercy Home.
The Creedon Family Room is a space dedicated to the needs of a resident in the final stages of life, providing care that is both competent and compassionate. It will also provide a quiet space for family members to be present with their loved one in comfort and convenience.
“It is a privilege to be a part of this dedication,” said Joan Marie Aylward, Executive Director, St. Patrick’s Mercy Home. “This room will be a beautiful enhancement to the lives of families and residents at such an important time.”
The room is named in memory of Sister Francis Creedon, founder of the Sisters of Mercy in Newfoundland. Sister Francis came to St. John’s with two other companions from Dublin, Ireland on June 3, 1842 and established the first Mercy foundation in the New World. Sister Francis visited the homes of the sick and dying of St. John’s and cared for victims of the cholera epidemic which occurred in 1854.
”The Sisters of Mercy have been committed to special space for palliative care services since they first established the Palliative Care Unit at St. Clare’s Mercy Hospital in 1979,” said Sr. Elizabeth Davis, Congregational Leader for the Sisters of Mercy. “We are delighted that St. Patrick’s Mercy Home has now found dedicated space for palliative care to continue the strong support the staff and volunteers have always given to dying residents and their families. May all residents who die in this space know dignity and peace as they spend their last days on this earth here with their loved ones.”
St. Patrick’s Mercy Home Foundation provided the funding for the furnishing of the room. A generous bequest was also made on behalf of Mary and Helen Flynn, two former residents of St. Patrick’s.
On Friday, July 28, 1893, the SS Harlow docked in Sandy Point on Newfoundland’s west coast. On board were Bishop Michael Francis Howley, Vicar Apostolic of St. George’s, four Sisters of Mercy from Providence, Rhode Island – Sisters Mary Antonio Egan, Mary Corsini Dempsey, Mary Veronica Payne, Mary Sylvester Carver – and Mrs. Henrietta Brownell, their friend and sponsor. Bishop Howley must have been beaming with delight as he escorted his missionary band down the gangplank to the crowds of people waiting on the dock. His dream and that of his predecessors was finally being realized. The west coast of Newfoundland had its first community of nuns.
Sisters with Mrs Brownell
The Evening Telegram of August 13, 1893 describes in glowing terms their arrival at “the beautiful and picturesque settlement of Sandy Point”. An excited and enthusiastic crowd, salvoes of guns, arches, wreaths and flags and addresses of salutation made the event lively, colourful and welcoming. This was obviously an occasion of great joy, anticipation and celebration for the people of Sandy Point.
What must the new Mercy community have been feeling as they landed in this strange, new place? The excitement of a new venture – most likely; the sense of being welcomed into people’s hearts – surely; the shiver of anxiety in the face of the unknown – perhaps; the shock of reality as they looked around them – likely.
Though Sandy Point was at this time a bustling port, it lacked any of the amenities to which the sisters had been accustomed in Providence, Rhode Island. The political and economic difficulties associated with the French Shore kept this area largely undeveloped until the early part of the twentieth century. When the sisters had time to look around, they would have seen rough paths instead of roads, crude shelters for most of the homes and many other signs of poverty and neglect. But they did not seem to be dismayed, and from the very beginning they set about meeting the people, visiting the sick and preparing for the opening of school. They had come to help effect change, and they kept looking forward, seeing what could be done and taking steps, however small, towards making it happen.
The school at Sandy Point was small and roughly built, vastly different from the stately, well-equipped academies the sisters had left behind in Rhode Island.
When school opened in September, about fifty children came, most of whom were poorly fed and poorly clad, and lacking in any basic knowledge of the faith.
From the beginning there was a language barrier that made instruction difficult on both sides – the sisters’ strange accent and the patois used by the children.
What must it have been like for these sisters to try to cultivate a love of learning in children who were hungry, tired and listless? Can we imagine what they were faced with as they trudged through mud-paths, braving the sharp winds of Bay St. George to visit the sick and poor in their homes? Did they ever long for the conveniences they once took for granted – things that would make life so much easier.
This new set of circumstances in which the sisters now found themselves must have called forth from each of them great compassion, generous flexibility, a keen sense of humour and a deep commitment to the call to mission. What stories they must have shared as they gathered at nightfall in the lamplight – or were they too tired to share at all? Did the glorious sunsets so characteristic of the West, lift their hearts? What were their thoughts as they watched the ebb and flow of the tides on the Sandy Point sandspit? Did they speak to one another about who and what they missed, what they loved, what they hoped for, what they feared …
Henrietta Brownell and Sr Antonio
The leader of this pioneer missionary group was Sister Mary Antonio Egan, a woman of culture and refinement and an excellent educator, described in the Annals of St. George’s as “one of the ablest teachers in the country.” As early as April of 1894, the convent school treated the people of Sandy Point to a concert, which The Evening Telegram described as being “of superior quality” and in which the musical portion of the program was managed by Mrs. Brownell. Indeed because of the sisters’ concern for an all-round education for the children and the generous sharing of Mrs. Brownell’s musical abilities, music became the hallmark of the convent school.
In 1899, with the coming of the railway the Sisters moved to St. George’s, and the new St. Michael’s Academy opened. Under the wise and efficient leadership of Sister Mary Antonio and her competent and dedicated staff, the school flourished, and before long St. Michael’s became known for its broad-based curriculum and innovative teaching practices. In 1900 St. Michael’s welcomed its first two resident students, and the fledgling community also began to attract new members. Drawn to the flame of Mercy, these young women brought generous hearts and ready hands to expand and enrich the mission entrusted to the pioneer sisters.
The story of the St. George’ s foundation is the story of courageous women, women grounded in faith, steeped in a sense of mission, committed to bringing about God’s reign wherever and however they could, all the while strengthened by the mission itself and by the love and support of the people they had come to serve. This, of course, did not mean that the difficulties of daily life in their new homeland did not affect them, discourage them at times or cause them to question their choices. They were human and, like us, had to deal with life as it unfolded each day, both with its predictabilities and its surprises. Sister Mary Antonio and her sisters have left us a rich heritage, a heritage shaped by vision, passion, compassion and dedication. We are immeasurably blessed by the life and ministry of these great women of Mercy, who illuminate the pages of our Mercy story.
by Charlotte Fitzpatrick,rsm
El viernes 28 de julio de 1893, el SS Harlow atracó en Sandy Point, en la costa oeste de Terranova. A bordo iban el Obispo Michael Francis Howley, Vicario Apostólico de St. George’s, cuatro Hermanas de la Misericordia de Providence, Rhode Island – las Hermanas Mary Antonio Egan, Mary Corsini Dempsey, Mary Veronica Payne, Mary Sylvester Carver – y la Sra. Henrietta Brownell, su amiga y madrina. El obispo Howley debía de estar radiante de alegría mientras escoltaba a su banda misionera por la pasarela hasta la multitud que esperaba en el muelle. Su sueño y el de sus predecesores por fin se estaba haciendo realidad. La costa oeste de Terranova tenía su primera comunidad de monjas.
El Evening Telegram del 13 de agosto de 1893 describe en términos elogiosos su llegada al “hermoso y pintoresco asentamiento de Sandy Point”. Una multitud excitada y entusiasta, salvas de cañones, arcos, coronas y banderas y discursos de saludo hicieron que el acontecimiento fuera animado, colorido y acogedor. Evidentemente, fue una ocasión de gran alegría, expectación y celebración para los habitantes de Sandy Point.
¿Qué debió de sentir la nueva comunidad de la Misericordia al aterrizar en este extraño y nuevo lugar? La emoción de una nueva aventura, seguramente; la sensación de ser acogidos en el corazón de la gente, seguramente; un escalofrío de ansiedad ante lo desconocido, tal vez; la conmoción de la realidad al mirar a su alrededor, probablemente.
Aunque Sandy Point era entonces un puerto bullicioso, carecía de todas las comodidades a las que las hermanas estaban acostumbradas en Providence, Rhode Island. Las dificultades políticas y económicas asociadas a la Costa Francesa mantuvieron esta zona en gran parte sin desarrollar hasta principios del siglo XX. Cuando las hermanas tuvieron tiempo de mirar a su alrededor, habrían visto senderos escabrosos en lugar de carreteras, toscos refugios para la mayoría de los hogares y muchos otros signos de pobreza y abandono. Pero no se amilanaron y desde el principio se dedicaron a conocer a la gente, visitar a los enfermos y preparar la apertura de la escuela. Habían venido para contribuir al cambio y seguían mirando hacia delante, viendo lo que se podía hacer y dando pasos, por pequeños que fueran, para conseguirlo.
La escuela de Sandy Point era pequeña y de construcción tosca, muy diferente de las majestuosas y bien equipadas academias que las hermanas habían dejado atrás en Rhode Island.
Cuando la escuela abrió sus puertas en septiembre, acudieron unos cincuenta niños, la mayoría mal alimentados y mal vestidos, y carentes de cualquier conocimiento básico de la fe.
Desde el principio hubo una barrera lingüística que dificultaba la instrucción por ambas partes: el extraño acento de las hermanas y el patois utilizado por los niños.
¿Cómo debió de ser para estas hermanas intentar cultivar el amor por el aprendizaje en niños hambrientos, cansados y apáticos? ¿Podemos imaginar a qué se enfrentaban cuando caminaban por senderos de barro, desafiando los fuertes vientos de la bahía de San Jorge, para visitar a los enfermos y a los pobres en sus casas? ¿Alguna vez anhelaron las comodidades que antes daban por sentadas, cosas que les harían la vida mucho más fácil?
Las nuevas circunstancias en las que se encontraban las hermanas debieron de suscitar en cada una de ellas una gran compasión, una generosa flexibilidad, un agudo sentido del humor y un profundo compromiso con la llamada a la misión. ¿Qué historias habrán compartido cuando se reunían al anochecer a la luz de la lámpara, o estaban demasiado cansadas para compartirlas? ¿Las gloriosas puestas de sol, tan características del Oeste, elevaban sus corazones? ¿Qué pensaban mientras observaban el flujo y reflujo de las mareas en el arenal de Sandy Point? ¿Hablaron de lo que echaban de menos, de lo que amaban, de lo que esperaban, de lo que temían?…
La líder de este grupo misionero pionero era la hermana Mary Antonio Egan, una mujer de cultura y refinamiento y una excelente educadora, descrita en los Annals of St. George’s como “una de las profesoras más hábiles del país”. Ya en abril de 1894, el colegio del convento obsequió a los habitantes de Sandy Point con un concierto, que El Evening Telegram describió como “de calidad superior” y en el que la parte musical del programa fue dirigida por la señora Brownell. De hecho, gracias a la preocupación de las hermanas por la educación integral de los niños y a la generosa aportación de las habilidades musicales de la Sra. Brownell, la música se convirtió en el sello distintivo de la escuela del convento.
En 1899, con la llegada del ferrocarril, las hermanas se trasladaron a St. George’s, y se abrió la nueva Academia de St. Bajo la sabia y eficiente dirección de la hermana Mary Antonio y su competente y dedicado personal, la escuela floreció, y en poco tiempo St. Michael’s se hizo famosa por su amplio plan de estudios y sus innovadoras prácticas docentes. En 1900 St. Michael dio la bienvenida a sus dos primeras estudiantes residentes, y la incipiente comunidad también comenzó a atraer a nuevos miembros. Atraídas por la llama de la Misericordia, estas jóvenes aportaron corazones generosos y manos dispuestas a ampliar y enriquecer la misión confiada a las hermanas pioneras.
La historia de la fundación de San Jorge es la historia de mujeres valientes, mujeres cimentadas en la fe, impregnadas de un sentido de la misión, comprometidas a llevar el reino de Dios dondequiera y comoquiera que pudieran, siempre fortalecidas por la propia misión y por el amor y el apoyo de la gente a la que habían venido a servir. Esto, por supuesto, no significaba que las dificultades de la vida cotidiana en su nueva patria no les afectaran, les desanimaran a veces o les hicieran cuestionarse sus decisiones. Eran humanas y, como nosotros, tenían que enfrentarse a la vida tal y como se desarrollaba cada día, tanto con sus previsiones como con sus sorpresas. La Hermana Mary Antonio y sus hermanas nos han dejado una rica herencia, una herencia forjada por la visión, la pasión, la compasión y la dedicación. Somos inconmensurablemente bendecidas por la vida y el ministerio de estas grandes mujeres de la Misericordia, que iluminan las páginas de nuestra historia de la Misericordia.
On June 9, 2011 the newly-renovated chapel of St. Clare’s Mercy Hospital was re-opened following closure for renovations. The event was set within a context of praise and gratitude and was attended by many guests, staff and volunteers at the hospital.
Following a welcome by Sister Diane Smyth, manager of pastoral care and ethics, there was a short overview of the history of the chapel. The reading chosen for the occasion was taken from Revelation 21:1-3. The assembly responded with the singing of Psalm 84 “How lovely is Your dwelling place, O Lord of Hosts.” Sister Elizabeth Davis, Congregational Leader, gave a beautiful reflection on the sacredness of space, noting how the chapel at St. Clare’s has been such a source of blessing over the past sixty years. Since the chapel is dedicated to Our Lady of Mercy, the soloist gave a lovely rendition of Schubert’s ‘Ave Maria’. A reception followed during which guests, staff and volunteers could reminisce and simply marvel at the beauty of the place.
The original chapel opened in 1950. Unique features of it are 14 beautiful stained glass windows designed by Earley, Dublin, marble sanctuary, altar, tabernacle and altar rail, all donations from various individuals of the area.
St. Clare’s community is pleased to see the chapel in use again. May it continue to be a place of blessing for all, a place of worship, solitude, reflection and prayer.
The story of the Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy of Newfoundland began when Bishop Michael Anthony Fleming traveled to Dublin, Ireland where he approached Catherine McAuley to request a community of Sisters of Mercy for his island mission. To facilitate his plan, the bishop agreed to send to the convent on Baggot Street a young lady to be trained as a Sister of Mercy so that she could return to Newfoundland and found a Convent of Mercy in St. John’s. The bishop’s choice for this important role was Marianne Creedon, a young Irish lady who had lived in St. John’s since 1833 and who was familiar with the needs of the mission. Catherine McAuley received Marianne Creedon into the novitiate at Baggot Street, and on August 19, 1841, Marianne, now Sister Mary Francis, was professed as a Sister of Mercy. Nine months later, on May 2, 1842, Sister Francis Creedon, accompanied by Sisters Ursula Frayne and Rose Lynch left St. Catherine’s Convent, Baggot Street, and crossed the Atlantic Ocean to form the first community of the Sisters of Mercy in the New World. They arrived in St. John’s, Newfoundland on June 3, 1842. This date marks the establishment of the Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy of Newfoundland..jpg)
tude, reflection and prayer.