Each religious institute over the years of its life weaves a story that is uniquely its own. The story of the Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy of Newfoundland was begun before the first Sisters of Mercy ever set foot on the island of Newfoundland. The circumstances of the founding; the character, example, and teachings of the foundress; the sufferings, hardships, joys, and triumphs of the members; the accounts of new missions undertaken; and the tales of saintly and not-so-saintly individuals are all elements in a congregational history that has been passed down through the years and is still unfolding.