20.10.26
From the SAC Archivist
From the SAC Archivist
SAC Archivist
Celebrating Catherine McAuley: The Story Behind ‘The Offering’
In celebration of the centenary of the Cunningham Memorial Chapel, a sculpture of Catherine McAuley, the founder of the Sisters of Mercy, was commissioned in 2022 and installed for the opening of the new Dunlevie Building.
Designed and created by Adelaide sculptor, Meliesa Judge of Liquid Metals Studios, the sculpture shows Catherine as a young, secular woman and conveys the spirit and significance of Catherine McAuley’s life and work. It stands on a sandstone plinth inscribed with the College’s Mercy values.
The sculpture, titled ‘The Offering’, depicts Catherine as a woman on the move, wearing those iconic boots and reaching out to offer her shawl to someone in need. This symbolic gesture highlights her compassion, generosity, and commitment to helping others.
In creating the work, Meliesa drew on contemporary descriptions of Catherine and carefully researched the dress and appearance of an Irish woman of her social standing in the early 1880s to ensure historical accuracy.
The sculpture stands in the cloisters of the Convent of Mercy, a place of significance to the Founding Sisters who arrived in Adelaide in 1880 and those Sisters of Mercy who followed in their footsteps. The Convent is now part of St Aloysius College and remains a reminder of our Mercy tradition. The sculpture of Catherine McAuley not only honours the founder of the Sisters of Mercy but serves as a lasting symbol of our Mercy values that continue to inspire and shape the St Aloysius College community today.
Explore the new St Aloysius College History website!
Discover the people, places and stories that have shaped St Aloysius College. With easy visual navigation and a large collection of photographs, explore the history of SAC from our beginnings through to today.
Old Scholars can also reconnect with the College by signing up for updates on events, articles, reunions, classes and more.
If you have SAC treasures tucked away at home, we’d love to hear from you. You can now donate historical items directly through the homepage, helping us to care for and protect your precious documents, photographs, artefacts and uniform items for future generations.
Visit the website and start exploring today!
Ms Carol Grantham
SAC Archivist
