Anna Nicholls, RSM (New Zealand), is a PhD student at Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington in Studies of Religion. She obtained a BSc, GradDipTheol and MTheol from the University of Auckland, as well as a MEd (Leadership) from the Australian Catholic University. Anna spent a number of years working in the education sector in high schools in New Zealand and Samoa, before leading formation programs for adults in the areas of heritage and spirituality for Mercy International Association. Anna has been a member of Ngā Whaea Atawhai o Aotearoa Sisters of Mercy New Zealand for over twenty-five years and values the experiences and insights that this has contributed to her understanding of Catherine McAuley as a religious and cultural figure.
The lecture by Sr. Anna Nicholls, “The Iconic Status of Catherine McAuley,” was originally presented at the June 2025 MAST gathering. In the presentation, Nicholls examines the various images of Catherine McAuley that have emerged over time, exploring both their meaning and impact on the Mercy mission. She also asks what those images have done for the Mercy mission.
In this paper, I examine the root of the word courage before using Catherine McAuley’s writings to offer a different model for courageous leadership, focusing on Catherine’s courage to encourage.