On October 17, 1920, the Terra Nova Council of the Knights of Columbus laid the corner stone of its new Knights of Columbus Memorial School in St. John's. The school was established to promote Catholic education in Newfoundland and to remember the members of the Knights of Columbus who died in the war. It was built as an extension to the already existing Academy of Our Lady of Mercy near the Catholic Cathedral. The building contained 12 large classrooms, a domestic science room, music and dressing rooms, a water fountain, and a large gymnasium/auditorium. The Sisters of Mercy assumed teaching responsibilities for the Knights of Columbus Memorial School.
The original complex has had many additions over the years. The original 1857 chapel, called the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception, was replaced by a new chapel in 1892. After the construction of the new chapel, called the Oratory of the Sacred Heart, the original structure was used as a community room. In 1913 renovations were made to the convent and an extension constructed to provide additional space for a kitchen, refectory and sleeping quarters. The chapel is a fine example of Renaissance Revival architecture, while the convent is a valuable example of the Second Empire style. On April 27, 1990, the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador declared Our Lady of Mercy Convent and Chapel a Registered Heritage Structure.
