Religious sisters have been celebrating in Perth recently with the St John of God Sisters marking 125 years since their arrival in Western Australia and the Servite Sisters observing their 50th anniversary in the state, reports The eRecord.
The arrival of the Sisters of St John of God arrived in Perth after a long journey from Wexford, Ireland on 25 November 1895 was significant, as they would go on to provide healing and hope to the newly established colony and forever change the healthcare landscape in Australia.
This is the earliest surviving photograph of a group Sisters of St John of God in Australia, which believed to be taken at the rear of their temporary convent in Adelaide Terrace. PHOTO: The eRecord/Supplied.
Their journey took them from Ireland to England, and then by sea to Italy, Egypt, Sri Lanka and finally to Albany in Western Australia where they docked and caught the train to Perth.
The Vicar General, Father Anslem Bourke, priests, Brother Anthony O’Brien, and some ‘leading Catholic men’ greeted the Sisters and walked with them to the Cathedral where they met the Sisters of Mercy and celebrated a Mass for the end of a safe journey.
Today, the St John of God Sisters continue their roles in health care as the members of the sponsoring body deepen their understanding and practice of their roles and responsibilities.
Sisters are active in caring for their senior Sisters - creating an appropriate and comfortable home environment and generous pastoral services. In collaboration with lay colleagues they continue to operate a retreat house in Safety Bay. The Open Door in Dandenong, Victoria creates a safe place to explore contemplative spirituality in an environment that nurtures questions of faith and practice without fear or judgement. And their long tradition with indigenous people and communities in the Kimberley continues with the establishment and operation of the Kimberley Heritage Centre, where they seek to foster healing relationships between indigenous and non-indigenous people through story-telling and the provision of historical photographic resources.
St John of God Sisters also engage in a range of additional ministries such as prayer and meditation groups, spiritual direction, bible studies, pastoral care to the needy, and companioning and empowering of refugees.
Meanwhile, the Congregation of the Mother of Sorrows (Servite Sisters) gave thanks for their Golden Jubilee in Perth with a Mass celebrated by Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB.
Held at Our Lady of the Apostle Church, Riverton Parish, the Mass was concelebrated by Emeritus Archbishop Barry Hickey, Bishop of Bunbury Gerard Holohan and Riverton Parish Priest Father Paul Manickathan SAC, together with 19 diocesan priests.
Perth Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB, together with Emeritus Archbishop Barry Hickey and Bishop of Bunbury Gerard Holohan, as well as 19 other priests from across the Archdiocese of Perth with the Congregation of Mother of Sorrows (Servite Sisters) on 5 December. PHOTO: eRecord/Matthew Lau.
Archbishop Costelloe began his homily by resonating with the words of Mary, Mother of the Lord: “The Mighty One has done great things for me, and Holy is His Name”, which he said befitted the works the Sisters have done.
Founded on December 8, 1854 in India, the Servite Sisters arrived in Western Australia 50 years ago at the initiative of Fr Chris Ross OSM and the invitation of then Perth Archbishop Launcelot Goody.
Archbishop Costelloe said the Lord has indeed allowed them to do great things, becoming an integral part of the life and mission of the Church in the dioceses of WA.
“I am sure that their hearts are as full of gratitude to God for all His blessings as Mary’s heart was,” Archbishop Costelloe said.
This article is drawn from articles published in the eRecord in the Archdiocese of Perth. Read the original articles here and here.