The Mercy That Found Me: Living the Charism of Catherine McAuley

By Ingrid Robinson, Mission Coordinator, Sisters of Mercy of Jamaica

My introduction to Mercy was neither direct nor obvious. For many years, I knew the Sisters of Mercy Jamaica only through friends who were Mercy novices at the time. Yet I never fully understood their mission, their spirit, or the profound impact they had on the lives of so many—and would later have on mine. Mercy was always around me, like a gentle breeze: present, but unnoticed.

However, that would change.

As time passed, I found myself searching for something deeper. I had reached a point in life where I desired to pursue further studies, but I knew I wanted to do so within a Catholic environment. I longed for a place where faith, compassion, and professional training would come together in harmony.

That search led me to St. Michael’s Theological College.

There, in 2005, I met the woman who would become my teacher, mentor, and friend: Sister Theresa Lowe Ching.

From the moment we met, something within me shifted. I did not realize it then, but that first encounter marked the beginning of a remarkable journey—one that would invite me to walk in the footsteps of Catherine McAuley and embrace the Mercy Charism.

Sister Theresa did not teach Mercy merely as an idea.

She embodied it as a way of life.

Her spirit was marked by gentleness, wisdom, and quiet strength. She uplifted others not through grand displays or many words, but through her calm presence, genuine love, and thoughtful guidance. I watched her teach, encourage, and welcome everyone with a grace that seemed almost effortless.

Through her, I discovered a world I had never truly seen before.

My relationship with Mercy began to grow—slowly at first, then deeply. What captivated me most was the spirit of kindness that flowed so naturally from the Sisters: their generosity, humility, and hospitality.

I remember thinking with surprising clarity:
If I were not married, I would enter the convent right here and now.

It was not a romantic thought. It was an honest one. Something about the Sisters—their love for education, their care for those who were poor or overlooked—stirred something profound within me. I found myself asking: Is this real? Do people actually love like this?

The answer, I discovered, was yes.

This was Mercy—lived every day.

The more time I spent with the Sisters, the more my understanding deepened. Mercy was not simply a programme, a ministry, or a school tradition. Mercy was a way of being. It was a call to compassion wherever life places us.

What began as a search for academic training blossomed into something far greater. My life took a new direction—one I could never have planned. I was no longer simply studying or volunteering; I was being formed and invited into a living tradition.

I may not have entered the convent, but Mercy certainly entered me.

Later, I came to understand something significant. Although my heart was deeply drawn to the Sisters, my vocation was not to become a Sister of Mercy in the traditional sense. My life and circumstances were different.

But Mercy, in its wisdom, offers many doors.

I discovered the beautiful path of the Mercy Associates, which allowed me to share fully in the spirituality, mission, and work of Mercy while remaining faithful to my family life and personal vocation.

Becoming an Associate meant I could stand alongside the Sisters—to serve, to pray, to walk with them, and to carry the charism of Mercy into the world in the way God had designed for me. It was a joyful and perfect fit: a way to live the call without leaving behind the life entrusted to me.

And so my journey continued—not as a vowed Sister, but as a companion of Mercy, a woman whose life is shaped by compassion, service, faith, and love.

Today, I walk in the legacy of Catherine McAuley with gratitude and joy. Through each encounter with students, staff, principals, counsellors, and the Sisters of Mercy, I carry the same spirit that first touched me at St. Michael’s. Every day, I encounter Mercy again—in the ordinary, in the unexpected, and in those quiet moments where love and service meet.

My story was not straightforward. It was circuitous, surprising, and grace-filled.

But perhaps that is how Mercy often works:
quietly,
consistently,
beautifully.

And today I can say with deep gratitude: the words and witness of Catherine McAuley continue to inspire me to live the Mercy Charism each day—by choosing compassion, extending loving kindness, and serving wherever God places me.