The Sisters of Mercy Newfoundland Archives and Heritage Centre

The Sisters of Mercy Newfoundland

The Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy of Newfoundland is a Roman Catholic congregation of women religious who live and minister in Canada and in Peru. The Mercy Archives and Heritage Centre are a private archives located in St. John’s, Newfoundland, that specializes in preserving the rich history of the Sisters of Mercy of Newfoundland. The Mercy Archives and Heritage Centre consist of the archives, a chapel, two heritage rooms, respectively displaying artifacts related to the congregation, and St. Clare’s Mercy Hospital. Visits are by appointment only and research requests can be sent via email or phone.

St. Bride’s Convent Chapel at Littledale, 230 Waterford Bridge Road is a Gothic style chapel that was started in 1899 and completed in 1902. The Littledale Chapel is where most of the Sisters of Mercy of Newfoundland received the religious habit and made their profession of vows after 1916 making it a treasured space.

The two heritage rooms respectively display artifacts related to the congregation’s impressive history in Ireland, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Peru, as well as the history of St. Clare’s Mercy Hospital, and the St. Clare’s Mercy Hospital School of Nursing. The St. Clare’s Mercy Hospital School of Nursing in St. John’s, Newfoundland was established by the Sisters of Mercy of Newfoundland in 1939 and operated until the 1990’s as a leading healthcare training facility until it transitioned into the Centre for Nursing Studies operated by NL Health Services. Our second heritage room has items related to St. Clare’s including School of Nursing paraphernalia.