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OUR JESUIT & MERCY FOUNDING INFLUENCES
Origins
Detroit Mercy’s crest represents both the Jesuit and Mercy traditions. The left side of the crest portrays two wolves at a pot, symbolizing the generosity of the Loyola family (Ignatius of Loyola is the founder of the Society of Jesus). After all the family and the workers were fed, even the wild animals had the pot to lick. The motto of the Jesuits, “Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam” (For the Greater Glory of God), is located above the wolves and pot. The date 1877 refers to the founding of University of Detroit by the Jesuits.
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On the right side of the crest is a white cross, which is the symbol of the Religious Sisters of Mercy, who founded Mercy College of Detroit in 1941. The three canettes are taken from the coat of arms of the Archdiocese and the City. The open book is the traditional symbol for a college. Upon the open pages is inscribed Mercy College’s motto: “Maria, Sedes Sapientiae” (Mary, Seat of Wisdom).
St. Ignatius of Loyola was born in 1491 to Spanish nobility. While recovering from a serious battlefield injury, he discovered a calling from God that led him on a journey of spirituality and education. With several companions, he founded the Society of Jesus in 1540, which quickly became devoted to integrating education and spiritual discernment.
Catherine McAuley was born in 1778 in Dublin, Ireland. After receiving a large inheritance from an elderly couple she served, she built the House of Mercy in 1827, which provided shelter for homeless women, healthcare for poor women, and education for young, disadvantaged girls. The Sisters of Mercy were officially established as a religious order in 1831 in Dublin.
UNIVERSAL APOSTOLIC PREFERENCES OF THE SOCIETY OF JESUS
UNIVERSAL APOSTOLIC PREFERENCES OF THE SOCIETY OF JESUS
Showing the way to God
Showing the way to God
Walking with the excluded Journeying with the youth
Walking with the excluded Journeying with the youth
Caring for our common home
Caring for our common home
SISTERS OF MERCY CRITICAL CONCERNS
Immigration Anti-Racism
Women
Nonviolence
The Earth
