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The Fremont Community

The Sisters of Mercy of Fremont, Ohio (Diocese of Toledo) trace the beginnings to the courageous Sisters who came from Dublin, Ireland to Brooklyn, New York and then to Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Rose McMullen entered the novitiate of the Sisters of Mercy at Big Rapids, Michigan, July 22, 1890 and made her profession of vows August 10, 1894 as Sister Mary Bernardine. As a young religious she taught in elementary schools. After ten years she became a graduate nurse. As a hospital administrator in Michigan she was responsible for building one new hospital and an addition to another before coming to Ohio as the first Superior and Novice Mistress of the young community.

In her earliest years, Mother Mary Bernardine showed foresight and vision far ahead of her time as she planned and executed an extensive schedule to fill an expanding need for hospitals and schools in the Toledo diocese. The first foundation of the Fremont community was Mercy Hospital, Tiffin, Ohio in 1913 by Mother Mary Bernardine and her blood sister, Mother Mary Anthony. They are recognized as co-founders of the Sisters of Mercy in northwest Ohio. Within five years the community numbered 42 and was working in education, health care and social service.

It was said of Mother Mary Bernardine that she was a woman of great qualities and had a good sense of humor. She was a dynamic leader, very forceful in mannerisms, even somewhat gruff, but always fair in decisions. She had excellent business skills and was kind and charitable. She was an excellent planner, and had a fine mind for construction of institutions, both in the health field and education. In her years of failing health she was an example of docility and acceptance. Mother Mary Bernardine died at age 83 in her beloved Mercy Hospital, Tiffin. Today in the Toledo-Cleveland area the Sisters continue the work of education in elementary schools and Mercy College of Northwest Ohio. They are still much involved in health care and social work.