The Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of

Mercy Mercy (Middle English, from Anglo-French ''merci'', from Medieval Latin ''merced-'', ''merces'', from Latin, "price paid, wages", from ''merc-'', ''merxi'' "merchandise") is benevolence, forgiveness, and kindness in a variety of ethical, relig ...

(''Congregatio Sororum Beatae Mariae Misericordiae'' (

lat Lat or LAT may refer to: Places * Lat, Fuman, village in Gilan Province, Iran * Lat, Rasht, village in Gilan Province, Iran * Lat, Mazandaran, village in Iran * Lat-e Disar, village in Mazandaran Province, Iran * Lat, Qazvin, village in I ...

)), (''Zgromadzenie Sióstr Matki Bożej Miłosierdzia'' ( pol)) - was founded by Mother Teresa Eva Potocka (1814–1881) in

Warsaw Warsaw ( pl, Warszawa, ), officially the Capital City of Warsaw,, abbreviation: ''m.st. Warszawa'' is the capital and largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the River Vistula in east-central Poland, and its population is officia ...

, Poland on November 1, 1862. This was the first "Mercy House". The order uses the abbreviation ''O.L.M.''

History

Origins and development of mission

Mother Teresa Ewa, née

Countess Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility.L. G. Pine, Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty'' ...

Potocka of the Sułkowska (family)

princes A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary title, hereditary, in some Euro ...

, after eight months of practice in the House of Mercy in the

Laval Laval means ''The Valley'' in old French and is the name of: People * House of Laval, a French noble family originating from the town of Laval, Mayenne * Laval (surname) Places Belgium * Laval, a village in the municipality of Sainte-Ode, Luxem ...

(France) returned to Poland and – at the invitation of Archbishop Zygmunt Szczesny Feliński – took over the shelter (''Dom Schronienia'' pol) in Warsaw for girls failed morally. November 1, 1862 Archbishop Feliński dedicated a chapel and a house for girls. That date was adopted as the date of creation'' 'the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in Poland. In 1878 there was a connection to the assembly on the

and obtaining a decree authorizing the activities of the Papal Order. The order has been self-sufficient since 1922. In communist times, the 1962 Polish government nationalized operations conducted by the congregation.

Faustina Kowalska

In August 1925, in the religious house in

Helena Kowalska, later Saint Faustina began her

postulancy A postulant (from la, postulare, to ask) was originally one who makes a request or demand; hence, a candidate. The use of the term is now generally restricted to those asking for admission into a Christian monastery or a religious order for the pe ...

and on April 30, 1926 took her perpetual vows and became a member of the Congregation.

Congregation

Congregation in Poland

Congregation in USA

In 1986, Cardinal

Bernard Law Bernard Francis Law (November 4, 1931 – December 20, 2017) was an American cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church, known largely for covering up the serial rape of children by Catholic priests. He served as Archbishop of Boston, archprie ...

during the pilgrimage to the Shrine in Kraków-Łagiewniki, asked Mother General, Sr. Paulina Słomka, to send several sisters to Boston to create a community of Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy. The three sisters came to Boston on September 15, 1988, where he set up temporarily at the convent in Our Lady of Czestochowa parish. It was the first international meeting house that was founded outside of Poland. October 10, 1993 moved to a permanent house at the Neponset Ave. in

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

.International house in Boston
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References

External links

Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy
1862 establishments in the Russian Empire Catholic female orders and societies Christian organizations established in 1986 {{RC-society-stub