Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy
Encyclopedia
The Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady
Blessed Virgin Mary (Roman Catholic)
Roman Catholic veneration of the Blessed Virgin Mary is based on Holy Scripture: In the fullness of time, God sent his son, born of a virgin. The mystery of the incarnation of the Son of God through Mary thus signifies her honour as Mother of God...

 of Mercy
Mercy
Mercy is broad term that refers to benevolence, forgiveness and kindness in a variety of ethical, religious, social and legal contexts.The concept of a "Merciful God" appears in various religions from Christianity to...

 (Congregatio Sororum Beatae Mariae Misericordiae (lat
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...

)), (Zgromadzenie Sióstr Matki Bożej Miłosierdzia (pol
Polish language
Polish is a language of the Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages, used throughout Poland and by Polish minorities in other countries...

)) - was founded by Mother Teresa Eva Potocka (1814–1881) in Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...

, Poland on November 1, 1862.
This was the first "Mercy House". The order uses the abbreviation O.L.M.

Origins and development of mission

Mother Teresa Ewa countess Sułkowska princes Potocka after eight months of practice in the House of Mercy in the Laval
Laval, Mayenne
Laval is a commune in the Mayenne department in north-western France.It lies on the threshold of Brittany and on the border between Normandy and Anjou. Its citizens are called Lavallois.-Geography:...

 (France) returned to Poland and at the invitation of Archbishop Zygmunt Szczesny Feliński she took over shelter (Dom Schronienia pol
Polish language
Polish is a language of the Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages, used throughout Poland and by Polish minorities in other countries...

) in Warsaw for girls failed morally. November 1, 1862 Archbishop Feliński dedicated a chapel and a house for girls, and that date shall be adopted as the date of creation 'the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in Poland.
In 1878 there was a connection to the assembly on the Laval
Laval, Mayenne
Laval is a commune in the Mayenne department in north-western France.It lies on the threshold of Brittany and on the border between Normandy and Anjou. Its citizens are called Lavallois.-Geography:...

 and obtain a decree authorizing the activities of the Papal Order. From 1922 Order works themselves.

In communist times, the 1962 Polish government nationalized company conducted by the congregation. Some of them were converted to"Caritas
Caritas (charity)
Caritas Internationalis is a confederate of 164 Roman Catholic relief, development and social service organisations operating in over 200 countries and territories worldwide....

", sisters took care of children affected by the reduced efficiency of mental illness and women.

Faustina Kowalska

In August 1925, in the religious house in Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...

 Helena Kowalska, later Saint Faustina
Mary Faustina Kowalska
Maria Faustina Kowalska, commonly known as Saint Faustina, born Helenka Kowalska was a Polish nun, mystic and visionary...

 began her postulancy and on April 30, 1926 took her perpetual vows and become a member of the Congregation.

Congregation in USA

In 1986, Cardinal Bernard Law during the pilgrimage to the Shrine in Kraków-Łagiewniki, asked Mother General, Sr. Paulina Słomka, to sent several sisters to Boston to create a community of Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy. The three sisters came to Boston on September 15, 1988, where he set up temporarily at the convent in Our Lady of Czestochowa parish. It was the first international meeting house that was founded outside of Poland. October 10, 1993 moved to a permanent house at the Neponset Ave. in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...

.

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