Our Story

The first Mercy Foundation in Nigeria was founded by the Mercy Sisters, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford, Ireland in response to an invitation from Bishop P Dalton OSA.  In October 1969, four sisters, Philomena Kelly, Mary Jo Sheehy, Mary Flynn (from Dungarvan Community) and Emmanuel Ahearne (from Waterford Community) went to Yola, Adamawa State in Northern Nigeria.  Initially their work included secondary education, young catholic students (YCS), charismatic renewal, catechist training, work with women, home, hospital and prison visitation.

In 1970, two of this pioneering group opened another community and started a clinic in Bare, a village about fifty miles from Yola.  This community closed in 1990 due to lack of personnel.

The second foundation was from Strabane Sisters of Mercy, Co. Tyrone to Minna, Niger State in Northern Nigeria.  In 1975, Srs. Sheila McDermott. Margaret Burke and Susan Lynch replaced the St. Louis sisters in the apostolate in that diocese.  As in Yola, the sisters were involved in education, catechetics, work with women and visitation.

Lagos was founded in 1986 by the sisters from the Armagh Diocese.  The sisters were invited to Lagos by Archbishop Okogie specifically to set up St. Leo's Parish Catholic school and a clinic.  The first sisters were Vina Leonard, Maureen Walsh, Josephine Byrne RIP, Carmel Lowe and Helena Doherty.  Later the sisters became involved in a wide range of ministries like development work, leadership training, basic christian communities, facilitation and parish work.  Sadly, once again the sisters had to withdraw from lagos because of shortage of personnel in 1998.

The three groups began to meet together in 1987.  In 1993, in conjunction with the Diocesan Leadership Teams in Waterford, Derry and Armagh, they formed one unit in Nigeria.  In November 1994, after the first Congregational Chapter, the sisters in Nigeria voted to be attached to the Northern Province in Ireland.  The first Regional Assembly was held in January 1996.

The sisters currently work in both Minna and Yola.

Nigerian Statement

Aware that it is God who calls us, and animated by Catherine McAuley's passion for the poor, we find ourselves challenged to continue to situate our mercy way of life within the context of the total community of life on the planet.

We call ourselves to continue to live more deeply into the unfolding journey of reclaiming our spirituality of Justice and Mercy:

• conscious of the paces and places to be reverenced and respected
• delighting in, and celebrating the creativity and diversity of, the Universe and
• embodying a feminine non-violent way

so that we can become Formation Communities where the Mercy Charism is awakened and nurtured in African people who will continue the unfolding journey into the future.

Lessons in Primary Healthcare, Yola, Nigeria