About the Institute of Our Lady of Mercy

The Institute of Our Lady of Mercy is part of the worldwide Roman Catholic Apostolic Order of the Sisters of Mercy, founded on 12 December 1831 by Venerable Catherine McAuley in Dublin, Ireland.

Catherine established the Sisters of Mercy to educate and care for poor girls and women and to relieve the sick poor in their own homes. Her motto, “Need is our cloister,” guided the early Sisters as they founded autonomous communities, responding to calls for help with trust, flexibility, and dedication.

The first Sisters of Mercy arrived in England in 1839, establishing a convent in Bermondsey, London, followed by Handsworth, Birmingham, in 1841. These foundations grew rapidly, with new communities responding to local needs across the country. By the mid-twentieth century, the Sisters of Mercy in Great Britain had expanded to include thousands of Sisters and dozens of convents.

In 1983, following guidance from Rome, several federated communities formally merged to create the Institute of Our Lady of Mercy. The Institute continues to grow in identity, collaboration, and commitment to its founding charism, supporting ministries that reflect Gospel values and the needs of the time.

Their ministries today include education, nursing, advocacy, counselling, support for refugees and asylum seekers, and chaplaincy in hospitals and prisons, with international missions in Kenya, Peru, South Sudan, Romania, and beyond.

The Institute maintains the Heritage Centre and Archives to preserve and share their history.