Our founding orders

The Sisters of Mercy and

Catherine McAuley​

​At St Brendan’s Primary School, we recognise and pay tribute through our charism to the Sisters of Mercy who founded our school over 100 years ago; 1902. The sisters of Mercy were gracious in their gift of education for all. This gift was personified by its founding sister, Catherine McAuley. ​

​As a Catholic Primary School founded by the Sisters of Mercy, we are proud inheritors of the legacy, vision and practice of Catherine McAuley.​​

The Order of the Sisters of Mercy was founded in Ireland in 1831 by Catherine McAuley. Catherine was an extraordinary woman of deep faith and trust in God. She died in 1841, a mere 10 years after founding the Order. The Order focused on improving the wellbeing of poor women. Initially she welcomed these women and girls into her home where she provided them with accommodation, education and health services. The Sisters later became known as the 'walking nuns' as they visited the poor and sick in their homes. The Sisters of Mercy continue to provide educational, health and wellbeing services today.​

Catherine said, "The Lord and Master of our House and Home is a faithful Provider. Let us never desire more than enough —He will give that and a blessing."​

​In 1846, the first foundation in Australia was made in Perth. In July 1891, descending from Carrick-on-Suir, County Tipperary, a convent at Mansfield was established. From that foundation, a branch house was opened in Lilydale in 1896.​

Sisters of Mercy in Australia​

In 1846, the first foundation in Australia led by Ursula Frayne was made in Perth. In 1857, Ursula travelled to Melbourne to establish the first foundation of the Sisters of Mercy in Victoria. Today there are over 1000 Sisters of Mercy in Australia who work in education, health, social welfare and parish work as well as on the Mission in Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippines, New Guinea and Africa.​

Saint Brendan’s Primary School is focused on building an environment that reflects our Mercy heritage. The Mercy Sisters were the original caretakers of our school and provided a rich education for the children of Shepparton from 1902. ​

​The Mercy Sisters were founded by Catherine McAuley, whose qualities included compassion, humility, friendliness, prayerfulness, a strong sense of giving, courage, sympathy, peacefulness, gentleness and love. She was a strong advocate for women in her day. Above all, Catherine encouraged and lived a life of charity.​

​'Mercy is showing God’s loving kindness and compassion to all.'​

It is love in action. ​

​The Mercy qualities of welcome, justice, inclusivity, compassion and service, especially to those in need, are the hallmarks of our Mercy charism and are expressed through our words, actions, and relationships.​

​​Visible Signs of our Mercy Charism ~ The Mercy Cross​

The original Mercy Cross was designed by Catherine McAuley herself - a dark background with a white cross in the middle.​

​The Mercy Cross that we see today still has a white cross in the middle of a dark coloured cross. Catherine chose the cross to be the symbol of the Sisters of Mercy because of her deep love for Jesus.​

​You may have noticed that the Cross does not have the figure of Jesus on the Cross. This is because Catherine believed that each Sister of Mercy places herself on the Cross to be like Jesus.​

​Sisters of Mercy all around the world wear this cross so we can recognise who they are.​

​Throughout the school, the Mercy Cross holds a place of prominence—from our administration office to each classroom prayer space. Our Mercy Learning Centre proudly bears the name of our founding order, with a larger Mercy Cross displayed in each of the two amphitheatre areas. The main glass doors to the building have the Celtic Cross embossed on the glass, a beautiful reminder of our Irish heritage.​​

​Our Brass statue of Catherine McAuley surrounded by children​

Our school courtyard displays a prominent marker of our Mercy charism, reminding the students, staff and families daily of our founding orders.​

​Our brass statue of Catherine McAuley has a beautiful story. Catherin McAuley is the foundress of the Mercy orders in Ireland and she had a wonderful vision of love and compassion for all children, especially children who were marginalised and when she began her orders, she wanted her sisters to go out and be a witness to the teachings of Christ and to reach out to children all around the world and from all walks of life . ​

​So how does this relate to our statue? You will notice Catherine is not in her original habit, we did this intentionally so the students could see her as a regular, modern day Catherine who, if she was living today would look like this holding the hands of children that represent some of the different cultures within our school today. ​

This is what Catherine would have been very proud of, to know we are an inclusive Catholic Mercy school teaching students from all different backgrounds.​

​In 2010, the principal of St Brendan’s Primary School, Julie Cobbledick, sat with the artist and looked at pictures of students that were represented within our school community and this is what the artist worked with to create this wonderful modern day sculpture of Catherine McAuley and students from diverse backgrounds. ​

​The children in this statue are ​depicted from students who were ​actually at the school at that time.​ This beautiful piece of artwork sits​ proudly in our courtyard and ​greets us daily, overseeing our​ ‘work and play’.​

Sister Catherine McAuley, Founder of the Sisters of Mercy,

with children from St. Brendan’s Primary School.

~ Blessed by Fr Joe Taylor - 2017 ~