“Stories from the Mercy World” is a new communications venture of the Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy, Western Province in Ireland.  In it, six Mercy Sisters tell their life stories, drawing on their experiences as teachers, social workers, historians, doctors and counsellors.  These are stories of hope and perseverance in which the Sisters speak about how the Mercy charism has been a touchstone for their journeys and how they embraced new ways of living their vocations in the 21st century.

The five videos are as follows:

• Marian Dolan – Marian Dolan spent the greatest part of her life ministering in Kenya. Starting as a Medical Doctor, and then a Surgeon, her career began in a bush hospital in the isolated area of Mutomo. It continued in the Mater Misericordia Hospital in Nairobi. To view Marian’s story, please click here.
• Máirín Ni Mhurchú – Máirín Ni Mhurchú has a colourful life story. Her passion is the Universe Story. This has led to her involvement in the ongoing life at An Gáirdín, Organic Garden and Ecology Centre; support for Green Sod Land Trust, and her dedication to the vital area of Biodiversity. To view Máirín’s story, please click here.
• De Lourdes Fahy – De Lourdes Fahy comes from the area of Kiltartan, Co Galway, where W. B. Yeats was a familiar sight. She shares how she came to develop Genealogy services for the people of South Galway, whereby families can trace their roots to post famine emigration. She loved her long teaching career and had great success with students in the realm of public speaking. To view De Lourdes story, please click here.
• Margaret Hale – Margaret McHale shares what drew her to Social Work. She tells of her involvement with teenagers in Ballina, and how her heart was touched during her post-apartheid experience in South Africa. Margaret has been working for the past twenty years with the Traveller Community in Castlebar. To view Margaret’s story, please click here.
• Attracta Canny and Dolores Duggan – Hope House is an addiction centre in Foxford, Co Mayo. Attracta Canny and Dolores Duggan share how their lives in Mercy led them to following providence, in opening this vital service. They speak about the need for early intervention in the treatment of addiction, as well as the present demands due to the COVID pandemic. To view their story, please click here.

Suzanne Ryder rsm

Suzanne Ryder, Communications for Western Province engaged in a question and answer session for Global Sisters Report about the process of making the podcasts.  She says “We hope that these stories will endure and will have something to say in the future, as well as now.”  To read the question and answer session, please click here.

Communications