This Friday, 24 September, is celebrated as Mercy Day, a special day for Mater as we honour the heritage of the Sisters of Mercy and the ethos of compassionate care to which they dedicated their lives.
In the lead up to Mercy Day, we pay tribute to the hard work, commitment and devotion of the Sisters and those who, in recent years, have followed their lead. Those in Mercy communities have an imperative to live the values of Catherine McAuley, foundress of the Sisters of Mercy, and continue to make a positive difference in the lives of many.
Catherine gave hope to others by educating young women with little to no futures, and providing comfort and healing to the sick, and peace and accompaniment to the dying. Her Sisters battled cholera epidemics, poverty, famine and the effects of war.
When they came to Australia, they faced isolation, harsh conditions, limited resources and the constant challenges of offering vulnerable people comfort and hope. Yet through all this, the imperative to continue this work was life-changing for many.
Today, as a Mercy organisation, Mater continues the Sisters’ commitment to providing compassionate care and meeting unmet need in the community, including enabling the best possible start for mothers and babies; investing in critical ground-breaking research; providing excellence in cancer care; supporting adolescents and young adults struggling with their emotional health; advocating for vulnerable refugee communities, the homeless and Aboriginal and Torres Strait people. Recently, Mater People have been integral to successful vaccination rollouts, quarantine programs and assisting Afghans as they flee escalating conflict.
We witness the outstanding way Mater People live in the spirit of Mercy every day by living Catherine’s vision for everyday people to care for those in need.
Finally, we invite you to take a moment to watch this video in which Mater's Acting Chief of Mission, Alanna Jacoby reflects on the Mater Values and how we can all show practical Mercy in simple, everyday ways.