print page

Mission and History

Vice President for Mission Integration

Sr. Jean Messaros, RSM, Vice President for Mission Integration
Sr. Jean Messaros, RSM
Phone: (570) 674-6320
Email: srjean@misericordia.edu


The Vice President for Mission Integration complements the President in promoting Misericordia's Catholic and Mercy identity in University culture, policies, and practices. The Vice President for Mission Integration assists the President by promoting and supporting the University's planning process and the development of policies and programs to ensure that they are consistent with the mission of the University. The Vice President for Mission Integration provides leadership, oversight and stewardship for all aspects of Campus Ministry, the Ruth Matthews Bourger Women With Children Program, and the University Initiative for Compassionate and Mindful Living.


Mission Statement

Misericordia University, a Catholic liberal arts institution established in the tradition of the Sisters of Mercy, fosters intellectual curiosity, critical thinking, and respect for persons in an environment where all are welcome.

Values Statement

As a community, we are committed to integrity and the values of the Sisters of Mercy as the foundation of university life. Our values are:

Mercy through: Service through:
Compassion Selflessness
Love Sacrifice
Caring Action
Justice through: Hospitality with:
Fairness Dignity
Acceptance Respect
Advocacy Openness


Download the Mission Statement and Core Values Flyer

History of the Religious Sisters of Mercy and Catherine McAuley
All Sisters of Mercy worldwide trace their roots to their founder, Catherine McAuley, an Irish Catholic laywoman.

Catherine McAuley, Founder of the Sisters of Mercy

Catherine recognized the many needs of people who were economically poor in early nineteenth century Ireland and determined that she and women like her could make a difference.

Spending her inheritance, she opened the first House of Mercy on Lower Baggot Street in Dublin, Ireland on September 24, 1827, a place to shelter and educate women and girls. Catherine's original intention was to assemble a lay corps of Catholic social workers. Impressed by her good works and the importance of continuity in the ministry, the Archbishop of Dublin advised her to establish a religious congregation. Three years later on December 12, 1831, Catherine and two companions became the first Sisters of Mercy.

In the 10 years between the founding and her death, she established 14 independent foundations in Ireland and England.


Sisters of Mercy in America

The first Sisters of Mercy arrived in the United States from Ireland in 1843 at the invitation of the Bishop of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Their energy in ministering to the sick and economically poor attracted so many new members that by 1854, Sisters had come from Ireland to settle in New York, New York; Chicago, Illinois; Little Rock, Arkansas; and San Francisco, California. The sisters spread across the country and establishing schools and hospitals. Since then, the works of Mercy have expanded to embrace education, health care, pastoral, and social services in hundreds of sites today.

Mercy Hall in 1924


History of Misericordia University

The Religious Sisters of Mercy were founded in Dublin in 1831. The Sisters vowed to be of service to the impoverished, sick and uneducated. The Sisters of Mercy came to the Wyoming Valley area of Pennsylvania in 1875, continuing their mission of praying, teaching and caring for the sick. The Sisters quickly established a school for children and soon after, a night school for adults in the established coal mining region. Having secured a strong foundation of Catholic education, the order recognized that a great need was still waiting to be met.

On August 15, 1924, the Sisters of Mercy established Luzerne County's first four-year institution of higher learning, College Misericordia, on nearly 100 acres of land in Dallas, Pennsylvania, purchased by the Sisters for this purpose in 1914. More than 2,500 people witnessed the dedication of College Misericordia (whose name means “heart of mercy"). That September, 37 students began their studies sharing the Sisters' motto: Mulier Fortis, valiant women trained in scholarship and spirituality. Misericordia was founded as, and continues to be as a university, a broad-based liberal arts and pre-professional studies institution offering superior education to those of all faiths. The university has been co-educational since the 1970s and offers graduate programs as well.

Institute of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas Logo


The Institute of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas

Responding to a call to serve the needy of our time. Inspired by the life of Jesus and by our founder Catherine McAuley, the Sisters of Mercy envision a just world for people who are poor, sick and uneducated. The Sisters of Mercy are women of faith who commit our lives to God and our resources to serve, advocate and pray for those in need around the world.

Click here to visit The Institute of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas website.


Sisters of Mercy Critical Concerns

The Sisters of Mercy were founded out of a deep concern for persons who are poor. Today, that focus is in five “critical concerns" that we address through prayer, attention to personal, communal and institutional choices; education; advocacy with legislatures and other government leaders; and corporate engagement.

Click here to access a .pdf document highlighting the Sisters of Mercy Critical Concerns.


Conference for Mercy Higher Education (CMHE)

The mission of the Conference for Mercy Higher Education is the preservation and development of the core Catholic identity and mission of Mercy higher education in accord with the spirit, mission, and heritage of the Sisters of Mercy.


Mercy International Centre

Welcome to Catherine's House, the first house of Mercy built by Catherine McAuley in response to the needs of the poor of Dublin. It is home to the Mercy family from all over the world.
powered by finalsite