Sisters of Mercy celebrate 130 years of service

GUYANA

The Sisters of Mercy celebrated the 130th anniversary of their presence in Guyana, September 29, with a Mass at Sacred Heart Church, Main Street, Georgetown. Msgr Terrence Montrose celebrated the Mass.

Catholic Standard reported Msgr Montrose spoke of the good work done and that which continues to be done by the Sisters of Mercy in Guyana. He noted that what is remarkable is that the Sisters of Mercy are collaborators who ensure they have support from those in society.

Over these past 130 years, the Sisters have responded to the needs of the Church and the people of Guyana.

The Sisters of Mercy in Guyana minister in literacy and alternative education programmes, in health care administration and provision, in empowerment programmes for women, and meeting the personal, pastoral, and spiritual needs of the people.

The diocesan weekly stated that in 1892, Sisters Ursula Green and Antonia Chambers left Midhurst, England, arrived in Barbados and opened a school. They were joined by a young Guyanese woman, Pauline DeFreitas. In 1894, Bishop Anthony Butler SJ invited the Sisters to work and establish schools in then British Guiana as the need for teachers was “more acute”.

The three Sisters arrived April 23, 1894, and settled in Charlestown. They were placed in charge of Charlestown Government school May 1, which was situated near the convent. The school later became known as Carmel RC school, named after Sr Carmelita Hartman.

“In 1895, Sr Pauline was asked to open a private school for girls, later known as the Sacred Heart RC School. In 1897, the Sisters began classes in secondary education in their community room, the beginning of St Joseph High School,” stated Catholic Standard.

In 1899, the school became a boarding school as well. The first boarder later entered the Sisters of Mercy and became Sr Gabriel, and a renowned principal of St Joseph High School. Other Mercy Sisters came from Ireland and England.

In 1898, at the request of the bishop, three Sisters from Charlestown travelled to the Rupununi to establish a mission among the Amerindians at Takatu.

However, this mission did not last.

In the early 1900s, foundations were started at Santa Rosa, Mabaruma, Morawhanna and Hosororo. In 1902, the Sisters were asked to take over the John Bosco Orphanage, in Plaisance.

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS

• In 1925, St Joseph High School was built in Charlestown to house a school and boarders.
• The Sisters began the Mahaica’s Leprosarium in 1935.
• The Nursing School of St Joseph Mercy Hospital was opened March 19, 1945, and Sr Margaret Mulligan became the First Administrator of the hospital in September.
• In 1947, five Guyanese Sisters entered the novitiate in Dallas, Pennsylvania, USA.
• In 1951, the blessing and the opening of the new Sacred Heart Convent in Kingston were performed, where the Sisters moved from Charlestown.
• The new St Joseph High School was opened in Thomas Lands, Georgetown, October 4, 1961.
• 1974 saw the opening of the new Stella Maris Preparatory and Nursery Schools in Woolford Ave, Thomas Lands.
• In 1978, the Sisters moved from the Kingston Convent to Pere Street and to the Meadow Brook Convent.
• In 1979, Sr Liguori, a surgeon, joined the staff of St Joseph Mercy Hospital.
• June 24, 1980, was the official opening of the St Francis Night Shelter.
• In 1982 was the opening of St Francis Family Centre.
• In 1996 the Mobile Clinic outreach of Mercy Hospital started for the poor. In July that year, Mercy Associates of Lay colleagues started to give invaluable support to the Sisters.
• In 2000, the Mercy Wings Vocational Training Centre was established in the Sophia squatting area to respond to the needs of the adolescents.
• That same year, the Mercy Boys’ Home in Prashad Nagar began accepting boys who had no relatives and were over 16 years of age from St John Bosco Orphanage. Mercy Volunteer Corps from the US started to send valuable support to Mercy Ministries.
• In 2003, Bosco Academy was opened at St John Bosco Orphanage as a homeschool for the boys.
• In 2009, the Sisters of Mercy in Guyana became part of the Caribbean, Central American and South American (CCASA) Community of the Institute of the Sisters of Mercy of The Americas.
• In 2012, Sr Judith Schmelz was instrumental in starting a safe house for persons who had been trafficked.