After many years watching over the College from the convent, the statue of Mother Ursula Frayne has now found her new home on the Ursula Frayne Lawn of Mercedes College. The move was not simply a practical one, but deeply symbolic, bringing Ursula from the quiet convent grounds into the very heart of Mercedes College life, where generations of students continue to be shaped by her vision and courage.
Though securely bolted into the floor, her transition to the lawn was a smooth and meaningful one. Now overlooking the magnificent St Mary’s Cathedral, Ursula stands in a place where student life unfolds daily around her, sharing in recess and lunch, and in the laughter and chatter of those who carry forward her legacy. The sunshine is a far cry from the Irish skies she once knew, but a welcome reminder that her story belongs here, in the warmth of Perth.
To mark this important moment, the College community gathered for a special liturgy, giving thanks for Ursula’s life and mission. The celebration was one of prayer, song and reflection, grounding this physical move in the deeper truth that Ursula continues to inspire the spirit of Mercy within our community. Just as her arrival to Fremantle in 1846 was met with a procession of people who welcomed her and the Sisters of Mercy with joy, so too did this liturgy echo that sense of welcome, reminding us that her presence remains alive among us.
Principal, Dr Lucie McCrory, reflected on the significance of the move, saying, “Seeing Ursula here, at the centre of our College, reminds us that her courage and vision are part of our everyday life. She’s not just history—she’s here with us, guiding and inspiring our community every day.”
In one of her early letters home, Ursula wrote with heartfelt joy of being “most happily settled in this land of our adoption.” Now, more than 175 years later, her statue is happily settled once again, this time at the centre of Mercedes College. Her new home stands as a powerful reminder of the courage it took to begin the story of Mercy in Western Australia, and of the enduring inspiration she continues to offer our College community.
