During my recent visit to the UK, I had the pleasure of visiting St Mary’s Convent with my two aunts.  I have volunteered with Marist Mercy Care in Addo, in the Eastern Cape of South Africa, for more than ten years and have a close connection to the Sisters of Mercy through this work. It was a privilege to be able to share something of the work of the Sisters with my family and to introduce them to a place and community that has become so meaningful to me.

This was my second visit to St Mary’s, but I found there was still so much more to learn. There always seems to be something new to discover about the building, its history and the people who have been part of its story. I particularly enjoyed learning more about the work of the Sisters of Mercy and the rich heritage of the convent. It was also wonderful to catch up with some of the sisters I had met on my previous visit, while getting to know others for the first time. I was delighted to share stories from our work in Addo and to chat with sisters who had visited Addo themselves. Those conversations made the connection between our communities feel even stronger.

One of my favourite parts of every visit is simply spending time with the sisters over a good cup of tea, or in my case, coffee. Their warmth, hospitality and willingness to share their stories always make me feel incredibly welcome. Although we live on different continents, there is a genuine sense of friendship and shared purpose that makes every visit feel like coming home.
I left Handsworth feeling grateful for the warm welcome we received and inspired once again by the enduring legacy of Catherine McAuley. It is encouraging to see the same spirit of Mercy alive in both South Africa and the United Kingdom, and I look forward to returning to St Mary’s in the future.
 
Maxine Noel
Director of Marist Mercy Care in Addo, South Africa.
July 2026

On Friday 12th and Saturday 13th September, the team at St Mary’s Convent opened the doors to 71 visitors as part of the national Heritage Open Days and the city-wide Birmingham Heritage Week.  This is a time for people from near and far to have access to heritage sites and explore places they would otherwise not have experienced. 
We operated pre-bookable morning and afternoon tours on the Friday and a morning tour on the Saturday  - both followed by tea and biscuits in the original Convent refectory.  Tours were led by Sisters Brigid and Patricia, as well as Congregational Archivist Jenny Smith.  We had invaluable support from Sister Marie and the rest of St Mary’s Team and volunteers.  Tour groups even got to watch some live conservation by Katharine Ellender who is on a conservation placement from West Dean College in West Sussex.  Katharine showed the visitors the repackaging of an historic photograph collection from the Congregational Archive.
Tour visitors often comment on how interesting and peaceful the convent is.  We very much enjoy guiding people and helping them to share in the story of the Sisters of Mercy.  It is a heritage and a building that is worth sharing!

On Thursday 5th June we welcomed to St Mary’s a group of past pupils of the convent school and elementary school for our annual reunion.  This is always a very happy and noisy day, with lots of catching up to do!  This year was no different and had a joyful atmosphere of sharing memories.

After time for chatting, Sister Mary led a prayer and welcome with Archivist Jenny Smith and this was followed by an opportunity to explore the convent and take a guided tour.  This opportunity is often relished as, when children, the past pupils would have seen the convent as somewhat of a mystery – being kept largely in the separate school buildings.  Many enjoyed seeing the heritage material and archives on display, especially the old photographs.
​
Following a delicious lunch in the original convent refectory, we viewed a short film entitled ‘Being a Sister of Mercy’ made from archival images and film.  This was particularly relevant for the group, containing as it did many references to, and images of, the Sisters of Mercy in schools.  After a closing discussion and prayer in the Chapel, all left with a smile, happy to have spent a day at St Mary’s with people who share many similar childhood memories. 
 
Jenny Smith
Archivist, Union of the Sisters of Mercy GB
June 2025