Mass of Remembrance at St. Teresa’s Church, Clarendon Street, Dublin

June 30, 2006

On a very sunny Wednesday afternoon in Dublin this week (June 28th), over 150 Sisters of Mercy and friends gathered at St. Teresa’s Church, Clarendon Street to continue the celebrations for our 175th anniversary year as a congregation. This gathering was for a Mass of Remembrance at the church where the first 13 Sisters of Mercy who died in Dublin are buried in the crypt underneath the altar.

Fr Jim Noonan ODC blessing the meeting room

June 28th was chosen as a day to remember the Sisters who have gone before us because it is the date when the Caroline Murphy died. She had joined the community at Baggot Street before the congregation was officially founded. Catherine McAuley, Anna Maria Doyle and Elizabeth Harley were away at the Presentation Convent at George’s Hill making their noviciate at the time.

A comfortable cup of tea at St Teresa’s

The focus of the Mass of Remembrance was not only to remember the Sisters who have spent their lives in Mercy but also the long-standing friendship and gratitude we have had over the years with our Carmelite brothers. This began in Catherine’s time as Rev. O’Hanlon, ODC served as Confessor for the young Mercy community. The Carmelite community was kind to the Mercy community and offered space in the crypt of their church for the burial of the 13 Sisters. They also supplied vestments and altar breads for the early community on Baggot Street.

Sisters of Mercy and friends at St Teresa’s

On Wednesday, Sr. Caitlín Conneely, RSM, Director of Mercy International Centre welcomed those who attended the Mass and publicly thanked Fr. Jim Noonan, ODC, Prior of the Clarendon Street community for the support of the Carmelites over the past 180 years. Fr. Jim and Sr. Mary Sullivan offered reflections on the significance of the day. Following the Mass, participants enjoyed refreshments in a parish meeting room before they were led down to another meeting room adjacent to the crypt which Fr. Jim blessed and dedicated to the memory of Catherine McAuley. Sr. Caitlín then presented a photo of Catherine and Suscipe to be hung on the wall in the room. The day was a joyous celebration of lives lived in Mercy.

Caitlin Conneely rsm presenting the framed image
of Catherine and copy of the Suscipe, now hanging in the meeting room.