Mercy Charism

The Sisters of Mercy were founded by Catherine McAuley in Dublin, Ireland in 1831.

Catherine McAuley opened the House of Mercy in Dublin in 1827. Catherine McAuley’s outreach was to all in need, but she had a special regard for girls and young women of the poorer classes who were frequently exploited and rarely had access to education. She established twelve Mercy foundations in Ireland and two in England and at the time of Catherine’s death there were 150 Sisters of Mercy.

The Sisters of Mercy came to Australia in 1846.

The Mercy charism is rooted in compassion, justice, and a deep commitment to serving those who are poor and vulnerable. It also reflects a strong dedication to education and healthcare. This spiritual focus shapes the values, priorities, and everyday actions of Mercy ministries, guiding their mission and service.

To learn more about Catherine McAuley, Mercy Partners has published a book exploring the Mercy charism, Be as Shining Lamps – Preserving, Nurturing, Reimagining the Mercy Charism, please click below.

The Mercy ministries entrusted to Mercy Partners are:

All Hallows’ School

The Sisters of Mercy begin teaching in the Dean’s cottage next to the Cathedral of St Stephen and establish the first secondary school for girls in Queensland.

All Hallows’ School in Brisbane was founded by the Sisters of Mercy in 1861. The Sisters began teaching in Dean’s Cottage beside St Stephen’s Cathedral, establishing Queensland’s first secondary school for girls. The foundation was led by Mother Mary Vincent Whitty, who arrived in Brisbane from Ireland with five other Sisters of Mercy at the invitation of Bishop James Quinn.

All Hallows’ School was entrusted to the care of Mercy Partners by the Brisbane Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy on 23 April 2013.

Monte Sant’ Angelo Mercy College

Monte Sant’ Angelo Mercy College in North Sydney was founded in 1875 by Mother Mary Ignatius McQuoin, foundress of the Sisters of Mercy North Sydney. Having arrived in Sydney from Liverpool, England, on 15 November 1865, she quickly set about educating the poor and marginalised and established other ministries in the Mercy tradition.

Monte Sant’ Angelo Mercy College was entrusted to the care of Mercy Partners by the Sisters of Mercy North Sydney on 7 November 2023.

Holy Cross Services

Holy Cross Services in Brisbane traces its origins to 1889, when Mother Mary Vincent Whitty of the Sisters of Mercy established Holy Cross Laundry in Wooloowin. Its mission was to support disadvantaged members of the community through meaningful employment while providing a high-quality laundry service.

Holy Cross Services transferred canonical governance from Mater Misericordiae Ltd to Mercy Partners on 1 March 2021.

Our Lady of Mercy College Parramatta

Our Lady of Mercy College Parramatta was established in 1889 by the Sisters of Mercy, who travelled from Callan, Ireland, to found a new Mercy community in Parramatta. The pioneering group was led by Mother Mary Clare Dunphy, while Mother Mary Alacoque Kavanagh served as the College’s first Principal.

Our Lady of Mercy College Parramatta was entrusted to the care of Mercy Partners by the Sisters of Mercy Parramatta on 18 October 2021.

St Patrick’s College Townsville

St Patrick’s College Townsville was established in 1905 by the Sisters of Mercy, who recognised the importance of providing an education for young women in the Mercy tradition. Mother Agnes Goggin played a pivotal role in the College’s foundation and the development of the Sisters of Mercy ministry in Townsville.

St Patrick’s College Townsville was entrusted to the care of Mercy Partners by the Sisters of Mercy Townsville Congregation (now incorporated into the Institute of Sisters of Mercy of Australia and Papua New Guinea) on 18 November 2011.

Mater Misericordiae

Mater Misericordiae—now known simply as Mater—was founded in 1906 by the Sisters of Mercy in Brisbane, Queensland. The first Mater hospital opened in a private residence named Aubigny at North Quay, beginning with just 20 beds and staffed by five Sisters and two lay nurses.

Throughout the first half of the 20th century, the Sisters of Mercy continued expanding their healthcare mission across Queensland to meet growing community needs. During this period, several Mater hospitals were established across the state, including:

• Kenmore House was purchased and opened as the Mater Misericordiae Hospital Rockhampton on 14 November 1915.
• The Sisters of Mercy purchased the Ormond Private Hospital in May 1927 and renamed it Mater Misericordiae Hospital Mackay.
• On 16 March 1945, the Sisters acquired the Lister Hospital, founding what became Mater Hospital Townsville.
• The Mater Hospital Bundaberg was founded by the Sisters of Mercy in July 1946.  It originally served as a hostel for young women in 1941 before becoming a hospital.

These early developments formed the foundation for Mater’s transformation into a statewide healthcare network dedicated to compassionate, person‑centred care. In the 21st century, this growth continued with the opening of several new Mater hospitals including:

• In September 2000, the Mater Private Hospital Redland opened its door to support the Bayside community.
• The Mater Private Hospital Springfield opened in 2015 and in 2026 the campus expanded to include the Mater Hospital Springfield.
• On 1 August 2026, Mater successfully completed its acquisition of the Gold Coast hospital from Healthscope and is proud to operate the facility as Mater Private Hospital Gold Coast.

Mater Misericordiae Rockhampton, Bundaberg and Mackay regional hospitals were entrusted to the care of Mercy Partners by the Sisters of Mercy Rockhampton Congregation (now incorporated into the Institute of Sisters of Mercy Australia and Papua New Guinea) on 12 October 2011.

Mater Misericordiae Townsville hospitals were entrusted to the care of Mercy Partners by the Sisters of Mercy Townsville Congregation (now incorporated into the Institute of Sisters of Mercy Australia and Papua New Guinea) on 18 November 2011.

Mater Misericordiae South-East Queensland hospitals were entrusted to the care of Mercy Partners by the Sisters of Mercy Brisbane Congregation on 23 April 2013.

Mercy Health and Aged Care Central Queensland

Mercy Health and Aged Care Central Queensland trace its origins to the ministries of the Sisters of Mercy, who established a foundation in Rockhampton on 4 August 1873 under the leadership of Mother Mary Vincent Whitty. Over the following decades, the Sisters expanded their mission throughout Central Queensland, establishing ministries in education, healthcare and community welfare. In 1940, the Sisters were given a small private hospital in Rockhampton by Bishop Hayes to be used as an aged care facility. Re-named Bethany in 1941, it has ministered to the needs of the aged community through to the present.  Furthermore, to address growing community need, Mercy Health and Aged Care Central Queensland opened Mercy Haven, a new 90-bed residential aged care facility, in July 2025.

Mercy Health and Aged Care Central Queensland was entrusted to the care of Mercy Partners by the Sisters of Mercy Rockhampton Congregation (now incorporated into the Institute of Sisters of Mercy of Australia and Papua New Guinea) on 12 October 2011.

Mercy Community Services North Queensland

Mercy Community Services North Queensland traces its origins to the ministries of the Sisters of Mercy in North Queensland. Loreto Nursing Home was established near Saint Patrick’s Convent in Townsville to care for ageing and frail Sisters of Mercy. In the early 1980s, the facility was expanded to provide licensed accommodation and care for women from the wider Townsville community, marking the beginning of its broader aged care ministry.

Mercy Community Services North Queensland was entrusted to the care of Mercy Partners by the Sisters of Mercy Townsville Congregation (now incorporated into the Institute of Sisters of Mercy of Australia and Papua New Guinea) on 29 November 2011.

Mercy Foundation

The Mercy Foundation was established in Sydney in 1990 by the Sisters of Mercy North Sydney. Inspired by the vision and legacy of Catherine McAuley, the Foundation was created to continue the Sisters’ commitment to social justice and support for people experiencing poverty and disadvantage.  Sr Josephine Byrnes (Congregational Leader at the time) and Sr Joanne Kirk were the two sisters most involved in setting up the Foundation.

Mercy Foundation was entrusted to the care of Mercy Partners by the Sisters of Mercy North Sydney on 20 February 2025.

Mercy Community Services South East Queensland

Mercy Aged Care Services initially operated from Emmaus at Nudgee and Holy Cross at Wooloowin.  The Sisters of Mercy Brisbane Congregation established the Nudgee site in 1867. The site, originally covering about 1000 acres, was used as an orphanage for almost 130 years.  An aged care building, Emmaus, was opened at Nudgee in 1972, initially as a care facility for older members of the Congregation. The cottages were opened for residential care in the period between 1994 and 1997.

Mercy Aged Care Services was formally established in 1993 to manage the aged care facilities and programs operated by the Congregation. An advisory board (and subsequently a Governing Board) was also established.  The service, now operated by Mercy Community Services SEQ, continues to provide residential and home care to religious women and men, as well as lay residents.

Mercy Community Services SEQ was entrusted to the care of Mercy Partners by the Sisters of Mercy Brisbane Congregation on 11 April 2018.