Tuesday was the Feast Day of Mother Ursula Frayne, a woman of deep faith, a compassionate heart, a brilliant mind, and a courageous spirit who was never afraid to challenge injustice.
Mother Ursula learned the spirit of Mercy directly from Catherine McAuley herself. After experiencing both success and hardship in Newfoundland, Canada, she returned to Ireland before answering a new call: to bring Mercy to Australia. Arriving in Fremantle in 1846, she established the first Mercy foundation in Australia and planted the seeds of a mission that continues to flourish today.
At OLMC, our story is deeply connected to hers. Our Mercy heritage traces its roots to Catherine's first House of Mercy in Dublin in 1827, to Mother Ursula's arrival in Fremantle in 1846, and to the establishment of the Mercy community in Fitzroy in 1857. From there, the Mercy tradition continued to grow, eventually leading to Mother Basil and the Sisters from the Academy of Mary Immaculate establishing Our Lady of Mercy College in Heidelberg in 1910.
Today, we are the beneficiaries of the vision, courage, sacrifice, and faith of these remarkable women. Their commitment to education, justice, compassion, and service has shaped generations of young people and continues to shape us today.
As we celebrate Mother Ursula's feast day, may we honour her legacy by living the values she embodied: courage in the face of challenge, compassion for those in need, and a commitment to making God's mercy visible in our world. Through our words, actions, and relationships, may we continue the story of Mercy that began with Catherine, was carried to Australia by Ursula, and lives on in our community today.
Prayer for the Feast Day of Mother Ursula Frayne
God of Mercy,
Today, as a Mercy community, we pause with gratitude for the life of Mother Ursula Frayne.
We thank You for her courage to leave everything she knew behind and journey across the world, trusting completely in Your call. Through her faith, determination, and generous heart, the spirit of Mercy took root in Australia and continues to flourish in our school community today.
Mother Ursula saw possibilities where others saw obstacles. She believed that every person was worthy of dignity, opportunity, and hope. Her commitment to education, compassion, and justice opened doors for countless young people and transformed lives through the practical expression of Mercy.
As we celebrate her feast day, help us to follow her example. Give us the courage to step forward when something is difficult, the compassion to notice those who are struggling, and the generosity to place others' needs before our own.
May we never take for granted the opportunities we have received through the vision and sacrifice of those who have gone before us. Help us to honour Mother Ursula's legacy by building communities of welcome, kindness, inclusion, and respect.
Bless all who continue the Mercy mission today: our students, staff, families, alumni, Sisters of Mercy, and all who seek to bring hope and healing to the world.
Mother Ursula, woman of faith, courage, and Mercy, pray for us.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.