Celebration of 100 Years of Compassionate Care: St Clare’s Mercy Hospital St John’s, NL

On Sunday, 22 May, 2022, St Clare’s Mercy Hospital, St John’s, NL, celebrated 100 years of ministry to the sick and vulnerable of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Established by the Sisters of Mercy, today Eastern Health continues our legacy of providing compassionate and caring healthcare services to the people of the province, delivered and supported by almost 500 dedicated staff and health-care professionals at St Clare’s.

“It is a privilege for me to give thanks on behalf of all Sisters of Mercy and our associates as we mark the 100th anniversary of St. Clare’s Mercy Hospital,” said Congregational Leader, Sister Diane Smyth. “I speak with gratitude for all those who shared their gifts, talents, time, expertise and love to ensure that every aspect of human life was cared for – body, mind and spirit. For 100 years St. Clare’s has stood proud of its history and heritage and its standards of excellence.”

Read the press release from Eastern Health to mark the occasion.

To mark the centenary, Eastern Health produced this video of the ritual of gratitude (54.23).

Remembering Catherine McAuley 2019

Sacred Garden at Baggot Street – Holder of Holiness
11 November 2019

This September we joined with many Sisters of Mercy, Associates and others around the world to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of Mercy International. The renovation of our founding house at 64A Baggot Street and its establishment as a Mercy Centre for pilgrimage, heritage, hospitality and spirituality has proven to be a blessing for Sisters of Mercy around the world, for our colleagues and for many of us personally. This year we celebrate twenty-five years! We are definitely an international group connected by our common history, heritage and spirituality!

So now in September 2019, the 192th anniversary of the opening of the House of Mercy, the sacred garden at Baggot Street has been renewed and re-dedicated with blessing and celebration. The presence of so many Sisters of Mercy, Associates and colleagues (in person and via modern technology) was definitely an unprecedented international celebration throughout the Mercy world! We are delighted that Patricia, Monica and Elizabeth had prominent roles in these celebrations!

In 1841 shortly after her death, Catherine McAuley was buried in the convent garden at Baggot Street thus making it sacred and holy ground. The next Sister of Mercy to be buried there, one month after Catherine, was Anne Fleming (Sr. Mary Justina), niece of Bishop Fleming. Anne was in the novitiate at Baggot Street and professed on the same date, August 19, 1841, as Marianne Creedon (Sr. M. Francis), Foundress of the Mercy community in Newfoundland. We know that Francis was present with Catherine in her dying and would have been part of the prayer and burial in that garden as well as the burial of her novitiate companion, Justina Fleming, soon after. Bishop Fleming was in Dublin in November 1841 and we might surmise that he was present at Catherine’s funeral and burial and perhaps, the burial of his niece! Thus the garden at Baggot Street takes on additional meaning and significance to us here in Newfoundland.

We have been offered a virtual visit to the garden:Remembering in the Sacred Garden, Baggot Street in this video:

Let us take a few moments to go to the garden at Baggot Street in Dublin, to think about Catherine McAuley, Justina Fleming and the other sisters buried there. Let us think about the hundreds of Sisters of Mercy buried in sacred grounds around the world. Let us remember them with gratitude and love. Let us remember Associates and colleagues who have died.

Also, on this November 11 we are called to remember men and women who died in the two World Wars! We remember them!
Photos: Anne Walsh

Remembering Catherine McAuley 11 November

Catherine McAuley’s Death  

In the evening of Thursday, November 11, 1841, Catherine McAuley, the founder of the Sisters of Mercy, died of tuberculosis at the Convent of Mercy on Baggot Street, Dublin—the first of twelve convents she had established in the preceding decade. She was surrounded by members of the Baggot Street (editor: including sister Mary Francis Creedon), Booterstown, and Limerick communities, some of whom have left written eye-witness reports.  Mary Elizabeth Moore (1806-1868), superior of the convent in Limerick, wrote ten days after Catherine McAuley’s death to the superior of the Mercy convent in Tullamore (founded in 1836):

She died the Death of the Just. Cautious as she was from       bringing herself into notice unnecessarily in health she was still more so in sickness, waiting on herself even in her last agony, preserving to the last moment the same peace and serenity of mind which so eminently distinguished her through Life . . . . her first and last injunction to all was to preserve union and peace amongst each other . . . .

. . . . About five in the evening she asked for the candle to be placed in her hand.

We commenced the last prayers . . . .

When we thought the senses must be going and that it might be well to rouse attention by praying a little louder, she said: No occasion, my darling, to speak so loud, I hear distinctly. In this way she continued till 10 minutes before 8 when she calmly breathed her last sigh.

I did not think it possible for Human Nature to have such self-possession at the awful moment of Death but she had an extraordinary mind in Life and Death. (Letter to Mary Ann Doyle, 21 November 1841)

 

A Place of Pilgrimage: The Grave of Catherine McAuley

The earth grave in which the coffined body of Catherine McAuley was buried on November 15, 1841, is now sheltered by the small stone oratory built over the site in 1910     (Neumann, ed., Letters, 47). Of all the venues of pilgrimage at Mercy International Centre,

Catherine’s grave is the most frequented and the most profoundly reverenced. Here people stand, alone or in groups, in the early morning, during the day, or at twilight. Here they sense the presence of the God in whose providence Catherine McAuley had such great confidence. Here they sing hymns or pray silently or aloud in her spirit, sometimes using the words of her own “Suscipe”:

My God, I am Thine for all eternity; teach me to cast my whole self into the arms of Thy Providence with the most lively unlimited confidence in Thy compassionate tender pity.

Grant, O most Merciful Redeemer, that whatever Thou dost ordain or permit may always be acceptable to me; take from my heart all painful anxiety; suffer nothing to afflict me, but sin; nothing to delight me, but the hope of coming to the possession of Thee, my God, in Thy own everlasting Kingdom. Amen. (Limerick Manuscript)

In this spirit pilgrims to Catherine McAuley’s grave privately ask her to intercede for them and then confidently abandon their needs to God. Sometimes they leave flowers, candles, or handwritten notes; sometimes they take photographs. Always they depart with peace and gratitude for this experience.

Mary Sullivan rsm

 

Celebrating Fifty Years- St. Clare’s Auxiliary

On 23 October 2017 more than one hundred guests gathered at Government House in St. John’s, NL to mark the 50th Anniversary of the founding of the St. Clare’s Mercy Hospital Auxiliary.

Their Honours Mr. Frank and Patricia Fagan were hosts in the beautiful and historic residence of the Lieutenant Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador.  Former Presidents of the Auxiliary, past and currents members as well as a number of Sisters of Mercy and other friends were in attendance.  Refreshments were graciously served by Government House staff.   Guests and Governor Fagan and his wife mingled about the grand reception rooms.

The Governor spoke for a few minutes to commend the group on reaching this milestone and to thank them for the wonderful work that the Auxiliary  members have done and continue to do on behalf of those who seek health and healing at St. Clare’s.  With grace and hospitality he welcomed everyone to Government House and invited them to explore the rooms and enjoy the beauty and history of the building.

Sister Elizabeth Davis, Leader of the Sisters of Mercy, spoke a few words of greeting to the auxiliary and thanked them for their dedicated and generous service to St. Clare’s and to the patients and families who come there.

Then an address was given by Mrs. Joan Parker Crosbie,  the first President of the Auxiliary:

Your Honours, Mr. and Mrs. Fagan, Sisters of St. Clare’s, President of the St. Clare’s Auxiliary, Auxiliary Past Presidents of the Auxiliary and friends:

It is hard to believe that it was fifty years since the beginning of the auxiliary.  It was a very humble beginning but the enthusiasm of all the members was great.  I would be amiss if I didn’t mention all the encouragement we received from Sister Mary Aidan, Sister Fabian and all the Sisters. The auxiliary reminds me of the proud oak tree that grows from a tiny acorn.

We had a great time starting the auxiliary and many new friendships were formed.  We had a shower and members brought things to sell in the gift shop.  We had a Ball at the Old Colony Club and an auction during the Ball.  I only remember one item (to be auctioned) and that was Ray Guy’s salt and pepper cap.  The paper from inside the rim was missing as he got short-taken out in the woods.  Then there was the Sale of Work.  We took our knitting needles, sewing machine and all Sisters joined in.  They also made the wonderful fudge, which was the first thing to sell out.

I am now at an age that memories are important.  I must say that my memories of St. Clare’s Auxiliary are very happy and proud ones.  I never could imagine that it would grow to the size that it is today.

Congratulations to all the members over the 50 years that have made the auxiliary what it is today.

Appreciation to Governor Fagan was expressed by Leslie Darraugh, current President of the Auxiliary.  Some photos were taken of many of the previous presidents who were in attendance.  It was the end of a lovely and memorable event.

Mrs. Joan Parker Crosbie
Lt. Governor Frank and Mrs. Patricia Fagan
Auxiliary Presidents
Beautiful Decor of Government House

Celebration of 100 Years: Presence of Sisters of Mercy on Bell Island

On Monday evening we attended a most impressive celebration on Bell Island at the invitation of St. Michael’s Parish.  Exactly one hundred years ago, on 19 September 1917, four Sisters (Sisters Mary Consilio, Mary Cecily O’Reilly, Alphonsus McNamara and Mary Aloysius Rawlins) crossed the Tickle and founded our community at the Front.

The people of St. Michael’s Parish invited any Sisters who could attend to join them for Mass, dinner and music. Twenty-one of us joined them for the special evening.

(Going around the table beginning on left)  Srs. Charlotte Fitzpatrick, Maureen Lawlor, Eileen Penney, Barbara Kenny, Rosaline Hynes, Ruth Beresford, Marcella Grant, Sheila Grant, Theresa Boland, Rosemary Ryan- 10 of the 21 Sisters who attended.

The crossing on the new ferry, the Legionnaire, was beautiful – calm and sunny.  The Archbishop and eight priests joined us for the trip.  We were met at the ferry by several Knights of Columbus who offered us drives if needed.  We went directly to Church and joined the parishioners and many others who had come back home for the occasion.

The bell, used at the original St. Michael’s Church and preserved by St. Michael’s High School, was relocated to the grounds of the modern St. Michael’s Parish Church (build on the site of the Immaculate Conception Church after it had burned to the ground).  Archbishop Currie blessed the bell, rang it and then invited a small choir from St. Michael’s School to lead us in O Canada and the Ode to Newfoundland. The bell has so much significance in joyfully in linking our built heritage with the geography of this Island.

We then went into the Church for Mass at which the Archbishop presided.  The sanctuary was lovely, adorned by a single vase of red roses and new white altar cloths with gold embroidery.  The School choir joined the adult choir to lead us in song.  Members of the parish led the Liturgy of the Word.  The Archbishop, in his homily, recalled some of our history on Bell Island right up to the present day with a special mention of Sister Phyllis’ pastoral presence.  He reminded us that the Ode to Newfoundland was sung for the very first time at the opening of the first Catholic school on the Island in 1901!

Parish hall beautifully prepared for the celebration
Display: Timeline showing some of the events
of the past 100 years

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Read more about the wonderful celebrations on Bell Island. Download the report here

From the Postulator to the Mercy Family Worldwide

The Mercy Family has been asked by the Postulator for the Cause of Catherine McAuley’s Canonisation, Sr Brenda Dolphin, for continued support of prayers for a diocesan inquiry into an alleged miracle of healing through Catherine’s intercession. The task of the Postulator is to guide the case (cause) for canonisation through the processes required.


In October a diocesan process of inquiry will begin in Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA to gather materials about an alleged healing through Catherine’s intercession. It is hoped that the proceedings will be finished in November.

Sr Brenda writes: ‘This is the first time we have proceeded to a diocesan inquiry and while we cannot be certain that this will lead to beatification we continue to keep faith and trust in the power of God and the intercessory power of Catherine McAuley.’

She then continues: ‘We are very grateful to each and every one of you for the constant support of your prayers and for the marvellous way by which you give witness to Catherine McAuley’s fame for holiness which is very evident and continues to spread to so many places throughout the world.’

The Sisters of Mercy Newfoundland thank you for the support of your prayers for this inquiry.

We invite you to post a prayer in our online chapel

Download and share this invitation for prayer support:

English: A4 Paper Size (PDF); US Letter Size (PDF)

Spanish: A4 Paper Size (PDF); US Letter Size (PDF)

21st General Chapter Sisters of Mercy of Newfoundland, 20 – 28 July 2017

For nine days we have met as a community holding accountability for our life in Mercy for the past four years and imagining the unfolding of our life in Mercy over the next four years. Contemplation has been the thread weaving the texture and the colour through our days together. Our profoundly centering logo has drawn us time and again into deeper contemplation as we endeavoured to explore the depths of our motto “Mercying into the future. .  . Misericordiando hacia el futuro. . .”

Two images, one from the logo and one from the motto, now invite us into the living out of our Chapter Statement.  In the logo, the simple panes of the side panels (not the ornate decoration of the earlier drafts) remind us of a time in Catherine’s life when she was uncertain, seemingly out of her depth and without the security of her faith tradition.  We are told that, denied the right to have access to any Catholic symbols or rituals, in her ingenuity she found the Cross in the window panes and door panels and the intersecting branches of trees on the lawn. I see six such crosses in the side panels of our logo – how many do you see?  In a postmodern world, in what familiar yet unexpected places will we find the Creating One, the Risen One and the Spirit of peace and justice?

The time has also come to look at the three dots embedded in our motto.  These three dots, a punctuation mark known in English as an ellipsis, are at the end of the quotation in English and in Spanish and are the link between the two phrases.  There is an invitation to graceful movement inherent in this punctuation mark – it suggests the unfinished thought, the slight pause, the intentional silence, the echoing voice.  In these coming four years, let us attend to those unfinished thoughts, let us respect the slight pauses, let us become calm in the intentional silences, and let us delight in the echoing voices.

During our Chapter days, we heard the echoing voices of four profound phrases: Who we love transforms us ~ Where we live reshapes us ~ How we create remakes us ~ What we choose changes us.

-Reflections given by Elizabeth Davis, rsm on the closing of the 21st General Chapter of the Sisters of Mercy of Newfoundland.

Cait Wims rsm, translator Chapter centerpiece

Foundation of Mercy in Newfoundland

What must have gone through the heart and mind of Marianne Creedon when Bishop Fleming asked her if she would return to Ireland to train as a Sister of Mercy!  “Go back to Ireland; enter the convent? Come back to St. John’s and start up a convent here?”  What must the bishop be thinking!!

Life was fairly comfortable now in St. John’s and Marianne had settled in well.  Her family and friends were here and she was teaching and serving the sick and the poor in various ways.  At the age of 21 she had earlier faced the unknowns of life in her move to St. John’s in 1833: the loss of what was secure and familiar in her home with the Nugents in Waterford, the risk and suffering of crossing the ocean to a new land, the leaving of all that was familiar.

Now, what was Bishop Fleming asking of her?  What was God asking of her?

The thoughts of returning to Dublin may have been exciting for the young woman; but the long voyage over the north Atlantic ocean!  This would indeed be a challenge!  Then there was the excitement of a new challenge to join a certain Catherine McAuley in a brand new religious order, an order different from other orders in Ireland.  Weren’t the Sisters of Mercy called the “walking nuns” because they visited the poor and the sick in their homes and in the hospitals?  Is God calling her to something new,  again?

Bishop Fleming must have seen great potential and giftedness in Marianne.  He must have had great trust in her leadership, her ability and her faith.  He knew of her skill to nurture the spiritual, intellectual, artistic and social life of the Catholic population in St. John’s and beyond.  Catherine McAuley, too, must also have had deep trust in Marianne and guided her to completion of her novitiate at Baggot Street where she made religious profession as a sister of Mercy in August 1841.  There seems to have been an agreement with Catherine that Marianne, now Sister Mary Francis, would return to Newfoundland to found there the Sisters of Mercy.  Likely Catherine McAuley would have accompanied the founding group but she was too sick and died a few months later.  Catherine’s successor, Sister Mary dePazzi upheld the foundress’ commitment to Newfoundland.    Francis Creedon, Rose Lynch and Ursula arrived in St. John’s on June 3, 1842 to establish the first foundation outside of England and Ireland.

Marianne was home, now as a Sister of Mercy.  She, Rose Lynch and Ursula Frayne  immediately took up the works of Mercy.  The three founding sisters opened a school on Military Road in May, 1843 and continued to visit the sick poor in their homes.  By the middle of November that same year Sisters  Rose and Ursula had returned to Ireland leaving Francis and a newly professed Mary Joseph Nugent in St. John’s to carry on the mission.  So thanks to these two the Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy of Newfoundland continued to grow and to flourish.  This is our story!   June 3 is our foundation day!

The Forgotten Graveyard

The first Sister to enter our Congregation in Newfoundland and also to be the first Sister to die in Newfoundland was buried in what has come to be known as “The Forgotten Graveyard.” A number of our Sisters gathered with members of the Benevolent Irish Society (BIS) and other community members on Saturday, May 28, 2016 to dedicate a plaque in memory of the first Catholic graveyard in St. John’s as well as to honour the memory of Sister Mary Joseph Nugent. This plaque has been installed on the stone wall near the bottom of Long’s Hill.

The Forgotten Graveyard, located on the grounds on which the Kirk now stands and extended to Queens Road and west to Long’s Hill, opened in 1811 but was no longer in use by 1849. In those years over 400 people were buried there.

A fire in 1846 caused extensive damage to the graveyard. Then the typhus epidemic, which broke out in June 1847, saw many Irish people buried there – including our Sister Mary Joseph Nugent who died on June 17, 1847 having contracted typhus as she ministered to the people who were sick and dying from this terrible epidemic.  Fear that the town’s water would be  tainted from the disease caused the graveyard to be closed and Catholics began to be buried in the recently opened Belvedere Cemetery.

The Great Fire of 1892, which destroyed most of St. John’s, did further damage to the Long’s Hill Graveyard since much of the debris from the fire was dumped on the site. At that time, many bodies were moved from there to Belvedere Cemetery.  In speaking to the gathered group at the BIS event on Saturday, Larry Dohey, from The Rooms, noted that not all of the bodies were removed from Long’s Hill. Later, one of us asked him if the bodies not moved were those who had died from the 1847 typhus epidemic. And he replied “yes”. 

Now that the BIS has brought forward the knowledge of the “Forgotten Graveyard” there is a further desire to re-establish the area as a sacred space. Mr. Bruce Templeton spoke during the ceremony on behalf of The Kirk. He told the gathering that he first heard of the Forgotten Graveyard from Sister Patricia March! He further explained that when you step out of the Kirk you are actually in the graveyard.  Mr. Templeton finished his remarks by saying that the people of The Kirk and the BIS are planning to go further in making the area a sacred space once again.

 

Re-membering Catherine McAuley

St. John’s Newfoundland and Labrador

On the eve of the anniversary of the death of Catherine McAuley, 11 November, ten women named Catherine gathered with the community of St. Joseph’s Convent to remember Catherine McAuley.

In order to celebrate the 174th anniversary of the death of Catherine McAuley, the six sisters of St. Joseph’s community on Signal Hill, St. John’s invited women they knew and who had the name Catherine to a reflection and a cup of tea.  After they were welcomed each spoke of her name and its significance.  The stories were varied and some humourous – a great way to get to know each other!

Then we reflected with the help of a slideshow and songs on the life of Catherine McAuley.  We prayed for various needs in our world and ended with the video of the Circle of Mercy.  Following our reflection and prayer, the group went to the dining room for a good cup of tea.

It was a lovely evening that was enjoyed by all present- the guests seemed reluctant to leave and hoped for a similar event next year!