Sisters of Mercy Foundation Day December 12

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The Sisters of Mercy Community all over the world celebrates December 12, remembering the first Foundation Day in Ireland.

On December 12, 1831, Catherine McAuley, Anna Maria Doyle and Elizabeth Harley professed vows as the first Sisters of Mercy in Dublin, Ireland. Catherine had struggled with the decision to found a new religious order. She was firm that the Sisters of Mercy should be "unenclosed and uninhibited" in their work on the streets of Dublin. The vows Catherine professed that day expressed the deep confidence in God’s merciful providence that had brought her to this moment:

“I, Sister Catherine McAuley, called in religion Mary Catherine, do vow and promise to God perpetual Poverty, Chastity and Obedience, and to persevere until the end of my life in the congregation called of the Sisters of Mercy, established for the visitation of the sick poor, and protection and instruction of poor females…”

Catherine grew to rejoice in the gift of apostolic zeal and generosity called forth by foundations. We celebrate them and all the founders of Mercy communities throughout the world.

The prayer most associated with Catherine is her suscipe which follows:

Suscipe (sung or spoken)

My God, I am yours for time and eternity.
Teach me to cast myself entirely into the arms of
your loving providence with the most lively, unlimited
confidence in your compassionate, tender pity.
Grant me O most merciful Redeemer that whatever
you ordain or permit may be acceptable to me.
Take from my heart all painful anxiety;
suffer nothing to sadden me but sin;
nothing to delight me but the hope of coming to the possession of you,
my God and my all, in your everlasting kingdom. Amen.

For a Foundation Day prayer service click here:

http://www.mercyworld.org/_uploads/_cknw/files/Foundation%20Day%20Prayer%20Service%20in%20pdf.pdf

 
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