In 1988 Cairns Congregation celebrated the centenary of their foundation from Dungarvan, County Waterford, Ireland. As part of the celebrations, the congregation completed an oral history project, gathering the stories of sisters and residents about the early days in Cooktown, Herberton, Cairns and other locations. The interviews are now held in the ISMAPNG Archives

  McAuley Community Services for Women (McAuley) has recently purchased a new site, with the support of the Sisters of Mercy. This former aged care site will accommodate McAuley’s seven crisis units (with 24×7 support) for shorter term stays and eight new  medium term units. Providing a total of 37 beds for women and children,

The newly published poetry collection titled Being The Bird, by Mary Wickham RSM is now available.   The book can be ordered online from Booktopia, Amazon and the Book Depository, and the recommended retail price is AU$ 24.75. There may some delay with delivery due to Covid realities.   The book contains a large number of previously

    The Season of Creation is  the annual  celebration of prayer and action for our common home. Together, the ecumenical family around the world unites to protect and advocate for God’s creation.   The season starts 1 September, the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, and ends 4 October, the Feast

  In the present situation with the number of virus cases spiralling each day it is almost unbelievable that there have been illegal, unlawful and unjustifiable demonstrations both in Sydney, up north, and in Melbourne protesting against the lockdowns that have been decreed as a precaution to help prevent further infection.   Yes, we do

  Recently, for the Australian Catholic Women’s Consultation, I was privileged to be asked to share my experience of ministry as a woman and what has made that possible. To start with a broad statement, I would like to say that I feel the Holy Spirit has been urging me forward and supporting me from

  There are not too many people who get to say that they joined a novitiate and then soon after they arrived it closed, but this is exactly what happened to Carolyn Nolan RSM, nearly six months after she entered the novitiate for the Sisters of Mercy of Wilcannia – Forbes in 1965.   Carolyn,

  Given how challenging the past twelve months have been for our regions, Mercy Connect was very pleased to receive two Albury Wo­donga Business Awards for the categories of Excellence in Health, Education and Disability and Outstanding Not for Profit Community Organisation.   “These awards provided clear affirmation of how Mercy Connect respond to local

  Sister Wendy Flannery’s recent election as the Australian Vice-President of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF), is just another milestone in her long history of advocating for justice and peace both locally and internationally.   Wendy, who lives in Brisbane, has been a member of WILPF, the first International Women’s peace

  The ISMAPNG archives and heritage collection consists of many dolls of various sizes in an assortment of garments and made from different materials.   Our Grafton collection holds a series of fourteen dolls that are a part of a compilation previously titled ‘The Progression of Adaptions of the Religious Habit’. These dolls are dressed

  On Thursday 15th July, Seville Mercy Conference Centre, Earlville (a suburb of Cairns) welcomed the staff of Our Lady Help of Christians School Earlville to a Mercy Immersion Day.  The aim was to introduce the Catherine McAuley story including watching the movie ‘In God Alone’ then connect it to the local Mercy story and

  Sr Mary Lewis RSM is at the frontline helping refugees and asylum seeker students settle into the Australian education system. At the end of each month, all our Mercy Connect volunteers submit a report to their respective Coordinators giving them an update of how they are going.  Recently, Sr Mary received one moving report