OUR LADY OF MERCY PROVINCE
In the year 1989, during the IV General Chapter, from April 22nd – 28th the assembly spent time in taking major decisions. One of the major decisions taken was to organise the Congregation into Regions for smooth administration and speedy growth. Thus two regions, namely North and South Regions came into existence. The Southern Province was named Our Lady of Mercy Province comprising States of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamilnadu and the Northern Province was named Sacred Heart Province, comprising States of Andra Pradesh, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh and Maharastra.
After getting the general consent of the sisters, Mother Presentation was appointed the Regional Superior of Our Lady of Mercy Region with Sr. Pauline and Sr. Loretto as Councillors. Officially the Region was established on 24th September 1989, it being the feast of Our Lady of Mercy. Rev. Msgr. Joseph D’Silva, the then Administrator of Bangalore Archdiocese was the main celebrant. The installation of Regional Superior and Councillors took place on the same occasion.
Since the Congregation could not construct a new Regional House due to financial constraints and also as no existing house was conducive to function as the Regional House, the General Government decided to use the Senior Sisters home at T.C. Palya on temporary basis as Regional House. This house served initially both as the Senior Sisters Home as well as the Regional house and later as the Provincialate until 2013.
Mother Presentation served as the first Regional Superior from 1992 till 1995. Mother Presentation (Regional Superior) and Sr. Holy Name (Procurator) officially moved to Regional House on 14th August, 1992. During the V General Chapter in the year 1995, the Chapter decided to raise the Regions into Provinces. Thus, in 1996, Our Lady of Mercy Region became Our Lady of Mercy Province. Mother Margaret Mary was its first Provincial Superior, Mother Presentation was the first Councillor & Assistant, Sr. Nirmala, Sr. Arul Mary were Councillors and Sr. Loretto was the Secretary and Procurator. Though the term of the Provincial team was over by 23rd June 1999, it was extended till March 2000 since the Apostolic Visitation was going on.
The New Provincial team was appointed by the Superior General in Consultation and confirmation with the Delegate of the Holy See. Rev. Fr. Terence Farias SJ. in March 2000. The new Provincial Team members appointed are: Sr. Helen Mary - Provincial Superior, Srs. Regina, Treasa Paul, Elsamma, Prema Antony were the Councillors. Sr. Regina was the assistant Provincial and Secretary and Sr. Mercy was the Procurator. After the VI General Chapter, Sr. Regina was appointed as the General Procurator and in her place, Sr. Manjula was appointed as the fourth Councillor. In the year 2002, during the II Province Chapter, on 28th April, new Provincial team was elected. Sr. Shanthi Provincial Superior, Srs. Alphonse, Prasanna, Helen and Francina were the Councillors. Sr. Alphonse functioned as an assistant as well as the Secretary and Sr. Tharaka as the Procurator.
In the year 2005 III Province Chapter was held and the team members are: Sr. Shanthi (Provincial), the Councillors were Sr. Alphonse, Sr. Helen Mary, Sr. Rincy Joseph and Sr. Sahaya Mary Joseph. Sr. Tharaka was appointed as the Procurator and Sr. Freeda as the Secretary. During VII General Chapter Sr. Shanthi was elected as the Superior General and Srs. Helen Mary and Francina were elected as the General Councillors.
Thus, Sr. Alphonse was promoted to the office of the Provincial Superior and retaining the two councillors Srs. Sr. Rincy Joseph and Sr. Sahaya Mary, two more sisters namely Sr. Arul Mary and Sr. Mary Matthew were appointed as the new Councillors. During this time, Sr. Tharaka was the procurator. In the year 2008, IV Province Chapter was held and in this Chapter the following members were elected to the office. Sr. Alphonse (Provincial Superior) and the councillors were Srs. Arul Mary, Nirmala, Josena and Aneecia.
Sr. Tharaka continued as the Procurator and Sr. Arogia as the secretary. After completing the three years, the V Province Chapter was in 2011 in which the whole team was re-elected, the first of its kind in the history of the Congregation. The VI Province Chapter was held in 2014 and the following members were elected: Sr. Arul Mary (Provincial Superior), Sr. Virginia Rajakumari, Sr. Rincy Joseph, Sr. Arulsheeli and Sr. Shanty Thomas. Sr. Lilly Peter was appointed as the Procurator and Sr. Divya Jyothi as the Secretary. After a year and half, Sr. Divya Jyothi was replaced by Sr. Shyla Mary.
Presently, we have 35 communities with 275 sisters working in 5 dioceses spread through 9 districts. Our main apostolates are Education, Healing ministry and Social work.
Short Note on Our Lady of Mercy
According to the tradition, during the 13th century, Islamic forces were strong on the seas around Europe. Initially, these barbaric pirates who were based in North Africa made raids on the coasts of Spain and Italy and even as far as Britain and Ireland and took many local Christians as captives. They burned down the entire coastal villages and dragged off the frightened people to the ships, before they could summon help. Once taken away to a distant land, small boys who had been separated from their parents were transformed into Muslim warriors and girls into suitable subjects for a harem. These captives could be freed only by paying heavy ransom.
At this point, new religious orders were formed to meet the crisis. One such religious order that took keen interest in resolving this crisis was the Mercedarians which is still active. It was established in 1218 and dedicated to Our Lady of Mercy or Our Lady of Ransom. The origin of this foundation is according to the tradition, Our Blessed Mother appeared to a young nobleman called Peter Nolasco in France and asked him to free the Christians from the clutches of the Muslims. Responding to her appeal for compassion and mercy for the men, women and children who were taken as prisoners from Europe to Africa, Saint Peter Nolasco set out to redeem these people. But this was not an easy task, as Islamic society was increasingly economically dependent on slavery. Although Islam teaches that Allah desires that slaves should not be treated cruelly, this was not always observed, and many led lives of misery. The only way to free the Christians slaves was by the payment of ransom money. Peter Nolasco and his companions dedicated their lives and possessions, to gather alms by begging for funds to secure the release of the Christians from their cruel captors. These Christian slaves would otherwise have been forced to deny their faith. Protecting the faith of the captives who were persecuted because of their Christianity was the main objective of the heroic priests of Our Lady of Mercy. They even offered and gave their own lives as ransom when there was not enough money.
How the South Province got the name Our Lady of Mercy
The name of the south region, as it was originally called, got its name in connection with the history of our congregation. It is a well known fact that we, the sisters of St. Anne, Bangalore were with the Good Shepherd Sisters for more than a century. With the help of a visionary Archbishop, Right Rev. Thomas Pothacamury, whom we fondly remember as "Our Moses," "Our Redeemer," "Our Liberator," we became independent in the year 1959..
It was he who initiated the purchase the buildings for us at Miller Road. It was registered in the name of Archbishop, but "for the benefits of the Sisters of St. Anne." Our exodus was in various batches. The final batch came away on the 24th September, the feast of Our Lady of Mercy or Ransom. This coincidence was interpreted by Mother Mary of St. Vincent, RGS as follows: "On this day the church celebrates the freedom of the Christians who were enslaved by the Muslims of Spain. Likewise Sisters of St. Anne are now liberated from Good Shepherded Sisters." Keeping this coincidence in mind, Mother Presentation and other pioneers and Councillors named the south region as Our Lady of Mercy Province at the time when the region was raised to the status of a Province in memory of our exodus.
Implications for Today
Churches are closed in many parts of the world and the Christian values are dying out and today the church all over has become secular. We need to ransom our Church from its secular mindset; ransom Christians under pressure from fanatic forces. On the personal level, we need to ransom ourselves from unnecessary fears.
In the present world, evangelisation is difficult, but prayer is not, and Our Lady of Ransom will help us achieve what seems impossible. Let us invoke her assistance and do our little to free others and ourselves from various forms of slavery.
Vision and Mission Statement (2014-2017)
Vision
We, the SAB of Our Lady of Mercy Province will strengthen our passion for Christ and compassion for humanity through contemplation,
assimilation of the Word of God, Eucharistic-adoration and interpersonal relationship to steward the challenging world as prophets.
Mission
To grow in mysticism every sister will make serious efforts to improve her personal prayer. To intercede for the humanity we pray every decade of the Rosary with intentions. Every member in the community will share the Word of God during the intention before the night prayer.
To facilitate healed relationship, fraternal love, mutual collaboration, communion and commitment we will have regular reconciliation services and sustain each other focusing on meaningful celebration of Eucharist, to be effective mystical activists in the world.
To be mystics and prophets:
- We give priority to value based education and catechism through our moderate life style, effective teaching, and inculcating love for prayer, charity and forgiveness.
- We extend compassionate healing through our medical services to the terminally ill and bedridden in the locality and uplift the marginalized specially the third gender.
- We participate actively in the life and mission of the local Church by extending our service through faith formation, home mission and evangelization.
The Following are the Institutions in which we render our Service
| Sl. No. | Communities | District | Diocese |
| 1. | Provincialate | Bengaluru | Bengaluru |
| 2. | T.C.Palya | Bengaluru | Bengaluru |
| 3. | Shanthinilaya | Bengaluru | Bengaluru |
| 4. | Studentate | Bengaluru | Bengaluru |
| 5. | Indiranagar | Bengaluru | Bengaluru |
| 6. | Mariannapalya | Bengaluru | Bengaluru |
| 7. | Tharabanahalli | Bengaluru | Bengaluru |
| 8. | Siluvepura | Bengaluru | Bengaluru |
| 9. | Hessaraghatta | Bengaluru | Bengaluru |
| 10. | Doresanipalya | Bengaluru | Bengaluru |
| 11. | Chennapatna | Ramanagara | Bengaluru |
| 12. | Maddur | Mysuru | Mysuru |
| 13. | Malavalli | Mysuru | Mysuru |
| 14. | Palahalli | Mysuru | Mysuru |
| 15. | Pushpagiri | Mysuru | Mysuru |
| 16. | N.R. Mohalla (Mysuru) | Mysuru | Mysuru |
| 17. | Kodalipet | Mysuru | Mysuru |
| 18. | Kolar | Kolar | Bengaluru |
| 19. | SARWA | Kolar | Bengaluru |
| 20. | Thyagaraj Colony | Kolar | Bengaluru |
| 21. | Teachers’ Colony | Kolar | Bengaluru |
| 22. | Prayer House | Kolar | Bengaluru |
| 23. | Gokunte | Kolar | Bengaluru |
| 24. | Marianpet | Kolar | Bengaluru |
| 25. | Srinivaspur | Kolar | Bengaluru |
| 26. | Chintamani | Kolar | Bengaluru |
| 27. | Sira | Tumkur | Bengaluru |
| 28. | Hiriyur | Chitradurga | Shivamogga |
| 29. | Haveri | Haveri | Belagavi |
| 30. | Kushtagi | Koppal | Bellary |
| 31. | Gajendragada | Koppal | Belagavi |
| 32. | Bagalkot | Bagalkot | Belagavi |
| Sl. No | Name of the School | Place |
| 1 | Anita Higher School, Malavalli. | Malavalli |
| 2 | Lions School, Bagalkot | Bagalkot |
| 3 | St. Anne's Primary School, (ICSE) Bagalkot | Bagalkot |
| 4 | St. Anne's Higher primary School, Haveri | Haveri |
| 5 | St. Anne's Higher primary School, (ICSE), Haveri | Haveri |
| 6 | St. Anne's Higher Primary School, Sira | Sira |
| 7 | St.Anne's Primary School, Hiriyur | Hiriyur |
| 8 | St. Anne's Primary School, Hesserghatta | Hesserghatta |
| 9 | St. Anne's English Higher Primary School School,Kolar | Kolar |
| 10 | Lourdu English Higher Primary, Mulbagal | Mulbagal |
| 11 | St.Anne's H.P School, Mulbagal(ICSE) | Mulbagal |
| 12 | St. Anne's Higher Primary School, Kodlipet | Kodlipet |
| 13 | St. Anne's English Higher Primary School, Mysore | Mysore |
| 14 | St. Anne's Higher Primary & High School, Maddur | Maddur |
| 15 | St. Anne's English Higher Primary School Channapatna | Channapatna |
| 16 | St.Anne's New Public School, Chinthamani | Chinthamani |
| Sl.No | Name of the School | Place |
| 1 | Anita High School, Malavalli. | Malavalli, Mandya |
| 2 | St.Anne's High School, Bagalkot | Bagalkot |
| 3 | St. Anne's High School, (ICSE) Bagalkot | Bagalkot |
| 4 | St. Anne's High School, Haveri | Haveri |
| 5 | St. Anne's High School, Sira | Sira |
| 6 | St.Anne'sHigh School, Hiriyur | Hiriyur |
| 7 | St. Anne's High School, Hesserghatta | Hesserghatta |
| 8 | St. Anne's High School,Kolar | Kolar |
| 9 | St.Anne'sHigh School, Mulbagal | Mulbagal |
| 10 | St. Anne's High School, Kodlipet | Kodlipet |
| 11 | St. Anne's High School, Mysore | Mysore |
| 12 | St. Anne's High School, Maddur | Maddur |
| 13 | St. Anne's High School Channapatna | Channapatna |
| 14 | St.Anne's New Public School, Chinthamani | Chinthamani |
| Sl.No | Name of the School | Place |
| 1 | St.Anne's Kannada Higher Primary School, Chennapatna | Chennapatna |
| 2 | St.Anne's Kannada Higher Primary School, Palahalli | Palahalli |
| 3 | St.Anne's Kannada Higher Primary School, Mysore | Mysore |
| 4 | Resurrection Primary School, Indiranagar | Indiranagar |
| 5 | St.Anne's Kannada H.P.S, Kolar | Kolar |
| 6 | St.Anne's Kannada H.P.S, Marienpate | Marienpate |
| 7 | St.Anne's Kannada H.P.S, Gokunte | Gokunte |
| Sl.No | Name of the School | Place |
| 1 | St.Anne's Kannada High School, Chennapatna | Chennapatna |
| 2 | St.Anne's Kannada High School, Palahalli | Palahalli |
| 3 | St.Anne's Kannada High School, Mysore | Mysore |
| 4 | Resurrection Primary School, Indiranagar | Indiranagar |
| 5 | St.Anne's Kannada High .School, Kolar | Kolar |
| 6 | St.Anne's Kannada High. School, Marienpate | Marienpate |
| 7 | St.Anne's Kannada High.School, Gokunte | Gokunte |
OLM Sisters working under diocesan schools
Diocese School:Primary| Sl.No | Name of the School | Place |
| 1 | St. Peter's H.P.S School, Doresanipalya | Doresanipalya |
| 2 | St. James Primary School, MarienPalya | MariannaPalya |
| 3 | Secret Heart Primary School, Silvepura | Silvepura |
| 4 | St. Antony's Primary School, T.C.Palya | T.C.Palya |
| 5 | Assumption English Primary School, Hiriyur | Hiriyur |
| 6 | Assumption Kannada Primary School, Hiriyur | Hiriyur |
| 7 | Secret Heart P.U College, Silvepura | Silvepura |
| 8 | St. Joseph's Kannada H.P.S, Chennapatna | Chennapatna |
| 9 | St. Joseph's Boys Primary School, Mysore | Mysore |
| 10 | St. Philomena's Girls Primary School, Mysore | Mysore |
| Sl.No | Name of the School | Place |
| 1 | St.Peter's High Scholl, Doresanipalya | Doresanipalya |
| 2 | St.James High School, MarienPalya | MarianPalya |
| 3 | Secret Heart High School, Silvepura | Silvepura |
| 4 | St.Antony's High School, T.C.Palya | T.C.Palya |
| 5 | Assumption High School, Hiriyur | Hiriyur |
| 6 | Secret Heart P.U College, Silvepura | Silvepura |
| 7 | St. Antony's Public School and College | T.C. Palya |
Health Centres
| Sl.No | Name of the Centre | Place |
| 1. | Shanthi Nilaya Health Care Centre | T.C. Palya |
| 2. | Nirmala Health Centre | Tharbanahalli |
| 3. | Navajeevan Health Centre | Kolar |
| 4. | St. Anne's Health Centre | Gokunte |
| 5. | St. Anne's Dispensary | Srinivaspur |
| 6. | Nirmala Health Centre | Palahalli |
Social Work Centres
| Sl.No | Name of the Centre | Place |
| 1. | SARWA | Kolar |
| 2. | SARWA | Palahalli |
Formation Houses
| Sl.No | Name of the Centre | Place |
| 1 | St. Anne's Aspirancy | T.C.Palya |
| 2 | St. Anne's Studentate | T.C. Palya |
| 3 | St. Anne's Prayer House (Postulancy) | Gokunte |