A legacy rooted in compassion, service and history was brought to life at Mercy Circle, where residents and visitors gathered to honor the enduring impact of Mercy Hospital and the Sisters of Mercy.
The exhibit, “Remembering Mercy Hospital,” remained on display through May 1 in the Wisconsin Room, featuring a time capsule and a series of large poster displays chronicling the hospital’s history and the sisters’ decades of ministry. The installation offered both a visual and deeply personal reflection on lives dedicated to care.
An archives presentation April 26 invited attendees to reflect on the past while celebrating the present, part of a Jubilee weekend recognizing the Sisters of Mercy and their years of service. Of the 10 sisters who once worked at Mercy Hospital and are still living, three were honored for 75 years of service and two for 70 years.
Each of the women shared reflections on what their time at Mercy Hospital meant to them, preserving their voices as part of the exhibit.
Sister Dolores Zurek, who served as an inhalation and respiratory therapist from 1979 to 1989, emphasized collaboration as a defining part of her experience.
“Absolutely one of the best things about Mercy Hospital from when I served there was the teamwork of the medical staff,” Zurek said.
The story of Mercy Hospital is inseparable from the broader history of the Sisters of Mercy, a Roman Catholic congregation founded in 1831 in Dublin, Ireland, by Catherine McAuley. Known early on as the “walking Sisters,” they broke from tradition by leaving convent walls to serve the poor, the sick and the uneducated directly in their communities.
Their mission quickly spread. In 1843, seven Sisters of Mercy traveled from Ireland to Pittsburgh, establishing their first foundation in the United States. Just three years later, they arrived in Chicago under the leadership of Mother Frances Xavier Warde. There, five sisters, all under the age of 25, began building what would become a lasting legacy in education and health care.
They founded St. Francis Xavier Female Academy, the precursor to Saint Xavier University, and served as the city’s only community of women religious for a decade. Many of the early sisters died within years of their arrival, often after caring for victims of widespread epidemics, but their mission endured as others joined their ranks.
Today, the Sisters of Mercy continue their work around the world, with thousands of sisters, associates and companions serving in more than 30 countries. In the United States and beyond, their ministries include education, health care and outreach, with institutions such as Saint Xavier University carrying forward their mission.
That mission remains visible through ongoing traditions. At Saint Xavier University, Spirit of Mercy Day each September commemorates the founding vision of Catherine McAuley, while Mission Day each spring honors Mother Frances Xavier Warde and renews the university’s commitment to service and human dignity.
At Mercy Circle, those same values were evident throughout the exhibit and Jubilee celebration. Through photographs, recorded reflections and historical displays, the event connected past and present, offering a tribute not only to Mercy Hospital, but to the enduring spirit of the Sisters of Mercy.
Sister Mary Sheehan, a psychologist at the hospital from 1972 to 1975, reflected on the relationships that defined her time there.
“The best things about Mercy Hospital when I worked there in the ’70s were the staff and clients from the Mental Health Outpatient Clinic,” Sheehan said. “The staff were mostly about 10 or 15 years younger than me, and they were great. The clients I met with were variously aged adults needing medication and therapy. They were so interesting, often funny and a challenge to treat. It was a great mix of ages, sexes, races and religions.”
Sister Joy Clough highlighted both the historical significance of the institution and the purpose behind the exhibit’s centerpiece.
“Mercy Hospital was the first permanent general hospital. That’s very important,” Clough said. “The time capsule celebrates the significant long-term contributions of the sisters and of our ministry.”
For those who attended, the experience served as both a remembrance and a reminder that a legacy of care built over generations continues to shape lives today.
