The story of the Union of the Sisters of Mercy GB in this island is the story of a people on the move, of a group “gathering together unto Him,” of a people animated by and sharing a common vision … the drawing together of all to union “with, in and through Christ.”

The tradition of flexibility and adaptability led, as early as 1922, to the forming of an amalgamation within the Diocese of Westminster. Between 1938 and 1958 another eight groups joined the amalgamation. In 1932 an amalgamation was formed in Birmingham. The Sisters of Mercy of the Diocese of Westminster and Birmingham amalgamated in 1976 under the title of UNION OF THE SISTERS OF MERCY OF GREAT BRITAIN.

The purpose of the amalgamation was a desire to be more in tune with the mind of the Church, to have a more effective pooling of resources and “a better mobilisation of our combined spiritual resources for the apostolic renewal of Religious Life.”

The Sisters of Mercy in England, Scotland and Wales consist of three independent groups each with its own authority.

Historically, each Convent of Mercy in England, Scotland and Wales was founded to be independent. However, in recent decades there has been a move to amalgamate. A number of Convents continue to choose to remain independent – under the title of The Federation of the Sisters of Mercy, while others have amalgamated to form two larger groups — The Institute of Our Lady of Mercy and The Sisters of Mercy of the Union of Great Britain.