Our Charism

Our Lady of Lourdes is a title for the Blessed Virgin Mary venerated in honour of Marian apparitions that appeared in Lourdes, France.

Our school was founded by the Sisters of Mercy in 1915. The Mercy charism and tradition are firmly embedded in our school's Catholic identity. Mercy Charism is listening to the heart, ready to be open and to respond to it. It is being aware of others and trying to understand how they feel. It begins in our heart and leads to action and justice. Catherine McAuley called on the Sisters of Mercy to not just talk about love and compassion but to do something about helping other people in need.

What is Charism?

A charism is a divine spiritual gift given to an individual or group for the good of the community. Each religious order has a specific charism, a gift to be put to the service of the Church and the world.

Pope Paul VI was the first to label "charism" specifically in relation to religious institutes. He explained that the charism of the religious life is the fruit of the Holy Spirit, who is always at work within the Church.

A charism touches the very core of our existence and colours everything that we do as human beings. It allows us to see things in new ways, and to understand them even more wonderfully. We absorb a charism as we absorb sunshine, and we radiate a charism as a light pierces the darkness.