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 Nearly two
centuries ago, a young Irish woman was moved to respond to the suffering
and poverty she witnessed around her. Catherine McAuley, foundress of the
Sisters of Mercy, devoted her life to ministering to Dublin's poor, sick
and uneducated. In doing so, she established a heritage of care giving and
commitment that continues today in Sisters of Mercy religious communities
throughout the world.
Catherine was born
in 1778 to a Catholic family and was left an orphan and penniless at an
early age. Adopted by a wealthy, Protestant couple that had no children of
their own, Catherine could have been a leader in high society. Instead,
she spent her time seeking out the poor who lacked education, physical
care and religious belief.
At the age of 36, Catherine became sole heir of a vast fortune. Her one
aim in life was to use her wealth to alleviate the ills of the poor and to
assist them in realizing their true potential. Catherine began her work by
building the "House of Mercy," a shelter for abandoned and
abused women and children from Dublin's slums.
Catherine McAuley established a heritage of care giving and commitment
that continues today in Sisters of Mercy ministries throughout the world.
When she died in 1841, there were 14 Mercy foundations in Ireland and
England.
Today, the Sisters
of Mercy are 20,000 members strong. They operate schools and
hospitals in Australia, England, Ireland, India, South Africa, the United
States and other countries. In this country, the Sisters sponsor more than
75 healthcare facilities, 15 colleges and several elementary and secondary
schools.
The Sisters came to
Oklahoma to continue the work of Mercy in 1884, traveling by schooner
across the prairie to Indian Territory. In 1904, they laid the cornerstone
for Mount St. Mary's High School in Oklahoma City. In 1947, they began
their healthcare ministry with the purchase of Oklahoma City General
Hospital and renamed it Mercy Hospital. Memorial Hospital in Ardmore
became a part of the Sisters of Mercy Health System in 1996. |
