Chastity/Celibacy

Religious chastity is an all-consuming response to the love of Jesus Christ. We give our life-giving capacities to him and put ourselves at the service of others. As we love Jesus Christ with our whole hearts, we are freed to reach out in love to many, especially those in need. We do not marry and we live in community with other Sisters of Mercy.

We pray to God for the strength to live this way of life and to accept the gift of consecrated chastity which has been given to us. The faith and friendship of our sisters in community help and support us in this.

Poverty

Jesus Christ became poor for our sake and as Sisters of Mercy, we freely choose to imitate Jesus in this. We hold community goods in common, depending on the Congregation for our needs and we share what we have with those who are in need. We give whatever we earn through our work, to the Congregation. Our Mercy expression of poverty challenges us:
To be generous with our time and talents
To be open to other ideas and ways
To be willing to change and adapt
To be free to go where we are needed and sent
To accept success or failure, plenty or want
To treat with care things we possess in common
To review our lives in the light of poverty
To be aware of our own poverty
And to receive in simplicity from others.

Obedience

Jesus Christ became obedient unto death and as a sacrifice of love, we freely dedicate our wills to God in Christ, that his will may be done through us.

Through our vow of obedience, we commit ourselves to obey our leaders and the constitutions (rules) of our Congregation. We accept these constitutions as our way of life and our Book of Life, after the Gospel.