Dear People of Rockhampton Catholic Diocese

As our sisters have lived in your diocesan parish communities for one hundred and thirty-eight (138) years, I am writing to tell you about an important development for Sisters of Mercy of Australia and Papua New Guinea and to ask your prayers for our future.

Some of you may be aware that, for many years, but particularly since 2005, the seventeen independent Australian Congregations of Sisters of Mercy and the Autonomous Region of Sisters of Mercy in Papua New Guinea (PNG) have been searching for the best way to nurture our unity and to strengthen our capacity for engaging in God’s mission of mercy.

The search has involved much prayer, frequent theological reflection on the social needs of our time, careful study of the life and ministry of our founder, Catherine McAuley, and her vision for religious life, and several comprehensive consultations in which all sisters were encouraged to participate.  Eventually, it led us to the point where fourteen of the congregations - including my own Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy Rockhampton, as well as  the autonomous region of PNG, decided to ask the Holy See for permission to relinquish our independence and to come together as one new congregation.

Rome granted this permission in July, to become effective at the commencement of the first chapter of the new congregation on December 12, the 180th anniversary of the founding of the Sisters of Mercy in Ireland.  The new congregation will be known as Institute of Sisters of Mercy of Australia and Papua New Guinea (Institute).

In forming the Institute, each of the fifteen groups will cease to be a separate canonical and legal entity and its sisters will become full members of the new Institute with all the rights and responsibilities of professed Sisters of Mercy.

Within the Institute, every sister will belong to a community which takes in a wide geographical area.  Initially, there will be six communities throughout the country and in PNG.  For the most part, sisters will remain living and ministering where they are now, however, being a member of the one Institute means they can easily move across communities whenever necessary.

The Institute will be governed by a leader and council who will be elected by the chapter.  They will be based in Sydney at the Institute’s headquarters which will be the former Convent of Mercy, Stanmore.  Their day to day work of leadership will be shared with the community leaders and much of the business of the Institute will be administered through Mercy offices in Melbourne, Newcastle and Rockhampton.

As you would appreciate, this change in our way of being is quite radical and exciting but it has not been without anxiety, grief and some very hard questions.  However, it is true to say that the sisters have involved themselves wholeheartedly in its preparation and are anticipating the new Institute with deep trust in God’s providence and hope that it will enable our small part in God’s mission of Mercy to flourish into the future.

The foundation of the new Institute will be celebrated with a Eucharist in Saint Mary’s Cathedral, Sydney, at 2.00 pm on December 18.

On behalf of the Sisters of Mercy of Rockhampton and all the other sisters in Australia and PNG who are coming together as one in our new Institute, may I ask for your prayerful support these days and in the coming weeks and months.

Sincerely in Christ,

Sr Berneice Loch rsm,
Congregational Leader

Our congratulations and warmest best wishes to Sr Berneice who has since been appointed as leader of the new Institute of Sisters of Mercy of Australia and Papua New Guinea.