Mercedes Josephine Lauer was born February 19, 1914, in Detroit, Michigan. Five children, four girls and one boy, were born to Peter N. and Armilia Grace (Helbling) Lauer; Vincent was the oldest and Mercedes the youngest. One daughter, Mildred, died at age fifteen. Sr. M. Nicola wrote in her autobiography: "The Lord prepares us for the kind of life He has willed for us from all eternity. From our earliest days God has been giving us the things that will help us persevere in our way of adult life. Mine was a life of hiddenness from early childhood."

Her grandfather, John Lauer, born in Germany, brought from the old country to America his training in wood carving. Eventually he owned the John Lauer Machine Company, an artificial limb business, which also made electric motors and became the largest manufacturing place in Detroit. Henry Ford, starting his business, asked her grandfather to make him a large number of motors each day. Her grandfather refused, so Henry Ford turned to the Dodge brothers who accomplished the work and became millionaires. Sr. M. Nicola recounts this bit of automotive history as an important factor in "how the will of God showed up in her regard." Had things turned out differently, she "probably would not have had a Eucharistic vocation." 

After graduating from Annunciation High School in June 1932, she completed a business course and found employment for eight years in a small Steel Sales Office. While still in high school she earned a certificate for free hand drawing. Later, in night school, she took classes in basic art, freehand drawing, charcoal, pottery, ceramic sculpture, scenery design, costume illustration, design lighting, and history of theatre.

Mercedes and her two sisters, Grace and Inez, had a hobby of Marionettes and produced half hour Variety programs for various occasions to supplement their income. Eventually she was employed at the Main Public Library until her entrance at Clyde in 1950. Although she had considered religious life in her earlier years, Mercedes needed to work to help support their family through the great depression years. 

In September 1949 she promised God that she would make the weekly holy hour at their parish church for the intention of finding out God’s will in regard to her vocation. At the same time she was still involved in many hobbies and was "going around in circles." After she made a cover design for the entrance to the Main Library where she worked, the public relations director asked if she would make chalk sketches on a blackboard for a Television program in which the library was about to take part. She thought about this and feared that she would "lose her vocation" by such an involvement, sought the advice of her confessor, and decided to turn down the offer. 

In March 1950 her sister-in-law, Viola, tucked a large envelope into her hand which contained a copy of the "Benedictine Eucharistic Adorer." Mercedes wrote to Clyde on May 13, anniversary of the first apparition of Our Lady of Fatima. She placed everything in the hands of our Blessed Mother, being ready to stay at home and work out her projects or enter the convent and give it all up.

She entered at Clyde on September 15, 1950, and at her first profession received the name of Sr. M. Nicola. Perpetual Vows was October 5, 1957. Sr. M. Nicola was one of the pioneer artists involved in the ceramic shop. After nine years at the Craft shop she helped on the Clyde farm during the time of the cattle sale, then in the altar bread dept. After 14 years at Clyde she was transferred to Tucson, 1964-67, to San Diego in 1968, then to Mundelein in March 1969. In 1972-1973 she took courses in figure drawing using charcoal and various mediums, basic color and design, and oil painting. 

In 1974, our centennial year, she made a 4 ft. square acrylic painting of the congregation’s "family tree" picturing the statue of Mary in the tree, the convent at Maria Rickenbach, and a sketch of each of our monasteries here in the U.S. The painting honoring our centenary year will always keep Sr. M. Nicola’s creativity in our remembrance, but most of all we cherish her demonstration of the human art of a pleasant disposition. She had a truly grateful heart and expressed appreciation for everything. Little wonder that her early report cards showed straight A’s in politeness! 

After Mundelein closed, she returned to Clyde where she remained until December 1987 when she moved into the Health Care community at the St. Louis monastery.

She described her pre-convent life as "burning the candle on both ends" so it is not surprising that this pattern followed her into the monastery. Her days often ended in the middle of the night, and it was at 1:00 AM, October 15, that Sr. M. Nicola ended her days on earth and entered into the light of unending day. Death followed a stroke and continued failing health. Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated in the St. Louis monastery chapel on Tuesday, October 18, 1994, with interment in Mt. Calvary cemetery at our Clyde monastery the following day.

May her artistic heart be thrilled everlastingly with the inexpressible Beauty of God!