Venerable Catherine McAuley established the first House of Mercy on September 24, 1827, in Ireland to serve the needs of homeless and abused women and children from Dublin's slums.  In 1843, the first United States mission was opened in Pittsburgh by Frances Warde and six other Sisters who traveled from Carlow, Ireland.  Thirty years later, five Sisters accompanied Mother Warde to Bordentown, New Jersey, to establish another foundation on September 24, 1873.

The Sisters of Mercy have been compassionately serving the people of New Jersey for over 125 years.  Since our founding in Bordentown, we have educated more than 500,000 past and present residents of our State and beyond.  As other needs began to emerge in our Church and society, we responded with new ministries in addition to education.  Today we serve in parishes and hospitals, as parish associates and pastoral ministers, as spiritual directors and counselors.

The Mercy Sisters of New Jersey are part of a larger Mercy organization serving in many countries of the Americas.  On July 20, 1991, our community joined 24 regional communities of Mercy throughout the U.S. to form the Institute of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, an international community of Roman Catholic women.  The Institute, which serves human needs in education, health care, housing, pastoral, and the social services, has a membership of almost 6,000 sisters and 2,000 lay associates who share our vision.