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| According to the chronicles in our historic library, the distant, memorable and glorious origin of our Community of La Merced (Mothers of Mercy) is set at Burceña in the Province of Vizcaya in 1483. Throughout its entire history, the Sanctity of monastery life has been upheld with utmost seriousness and its human and divine bonds carried out within the charisma of the order. Every traveller and pilgrim has been illuminated by its bright light. |
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| In 1970 the Community of La Merced moved from Bilbao to its present location in Lañomendi. In its new mansion the Mothers of Mercy lead a simple, austere, praying and fraternal life. In this great Monastery of Saint Joseph we have prepared appropriate areas for young people who are willing to follow the footsteps of Jesus and challenge what the world has to offer. |
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God always provider of His Church, the 13th and 14th Century was a time of danger for the faith of all Christians made prisoners in North Africa by Moslems and Our Holy Mother The Virgin Mary divinely inspired our founding father Pedro Nolasco to create a religious family for the redemption of the captives on 10th August 1218 at the Cathedral of Barcelona. |
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| María de Cervellón (25th March 1265), our first Nun of The Order of La Merced –Mothers of Mercy– dedicated once and again her whole life to God and redemption. |
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| She left us the rich heritage she learnt from Saint Pedro Nolasco: - To live as Christ: an uninterrupted relationship in obedience with the Father and dedication to man. - To live as Our Holy Mother in a constant ‘Fiat’ to God continuously proclaiming His love and participating in the redemption work of Christ - To carry the Holy Scrolls with her and to read them on her knees. |
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| Throughout the centuries and in each historic moment we establish our ‘being and making’ with Saint María de Cervellón and Saint Pedro Nolasco upon the solid basis on our blessed Order of La Merced. |
