Newsletter

Over three days, Bethany Johnston 11C and Hannah Kennedy 10B, participated in the Mercy Education Young Leaders Pilgrimage. This event was held at various venues starting at Mary Immaculate College, Fitzroy, then at Our Lady of Mercy College, Heidelberg, as well as being accommodated by Holy Cross Centre, Templestowe.

This bi-annual event strengthens the links between Mercy Education school staff, students and Mercy organisations. The theme of the conference was ‘Living Mercy Today’ and had a focus on justice as well as reconnecting after COVID.

There were several schools represented at the event including those from our host schools as well as St Aloysius College (Adelaide, SA), Marist Regional College (Burnie, Tas), Sacred Heart College (Geelong and Kyneton), Mount Lilydale Mercy College (Lilydale), St Francis de Sales (Mount Barker) and Mercedes College (Springfield, SA).

As part of the pilgrimage, students and staff listened to the stories of Ursula Frayne a Sister of Mercy, who opened the first Mercy school in Perth and also established the ‘Academy’ in Fitzroy, where a chapel in her memory was built. Pilgrims were given the opportunity to tour the Chapel and visit Ursula’s resting place under the Celtic cross.

There were also several presentations from guest speakers including Sr Cathy Solano RSM who spoke about interculturality and stories of encounter – linking it to our shared Mercy Ethos.

The opportunity to connect with other Mercy Education schools brings growth in our understanding of our traditions, of where we have travelled from, as well as shared discussions of how we might live out the legacy of our founders, in our journey forward in ‘living Mercy’ today.

Michael Chesser, Director of Catholic Mission & Mercy Ethos