Dear Friends
Br Peter Carroll FMS.
Last weekend, I visited Sale in Gippsland. The reason was to attend a number of functions associated with the Sisters of Our Lady of Sion. The Marist Brothers and Sisters have been partners in Catholic education in Warragul and Sale for decades, since the amalgamation of what were their single-sex schools to form co-educational Colleges. Marist-Sion Warragul and Catholic College Sale were the resulting entities.
Sale was where the first Sisters arrived in 1890 and it was from there that they launched their other foundations. Their convent in Sale is a grand building and of great historical significance. It is on both State and National heritage registers. For the last 44 years, the Sion Convent site has been one of the Campuses of Catholic College Sale. In recent years, the College has worked towards consolidation on one site, the St Patrick’s site. A careful, consultative process was entered into, and the Sisters and broader Sale community understood the range of reasons for such a move. However, it left the Sisters with a dilemma: what to do with their beautiful Convent. Like so many Congregations, they had to make a difficult decision. However, aware of the practical considerations they decided to hand the building to the Diocese, with some caveats.
Part of the purpose of the weekend was to formalise this, but there was more to it than that. There was the dedication of a Charism Garden, recognising the dual charisms. There was the opening of new teaching facilities, a blessing of the renovated Sisters section at the Cemetery, a decommissioning Mass for the Convent Chapel, a symbolic handing over of the keys to the Bishop, Greg Bennet, and a celebratory dinner. All the events, taken together, provided an opportunity to tell the story of the Sisters of Our Lady of Sion and to affirm and honour their charism and commitment.
At the dinner, I had the privilege of proposing a toast and presenting a gift to the Sisters. I was delighted to have this opportunity because of their extraordinary commitment and the journey our two Congregations have shared.
Like all Religious Institutes, their Charism is a special gift to the Church and Society. Despite demographics or the passage of years, the gift is still being given today. In fact, it seems to me that their charism has particular contemporary relevance. The need for inter-Faith dialogue has never been more urgent. Pope Francis has spoken of this in his Encyclical ‘Fratelli Tutti’ and witnessed to it in his recent visit to Iraq. The need to blend the active and the contemplative dimensions of life is also something that is growing in the consciousness of many people, Christians and others. The third pillar of their Charism, commitment to justice, peace and love, is perennial, transcending time and location. This charism is needed in the world. There is no reason it should be lost or forgotten simply because there are no longer Sisters in the school or city. And it’s wonderful to note that both the College and the faithful of Sale are committed to ensuring that it remains alive and active. Sometimes, there is too much talk of legacy and heritage. Charism needs to remain a living tradition.
The Sion Sisters are emblematic of the contribution of Religious to the Australian Church. Our Congregations have similar stories: prophetic Founders, responsive Leaders, dedicated Members. When you hear about the first Sisters to come to Australia you marvel at their courage and endurance. Seven of them set out from London: their leader was Mother Marie Raphaela, aged 30, who spoke very little English; there was another French Sister, one from England and four from Ireland. Their average age was 28. None of them ever returned to their native lands. All are buried in Sale. They brought Catholic education to the girls of the newly established Sale Diocese. They built a magnificent, iconic Convent that still embodies their audacity and faith, their confidence in the future and their resolve that only the best would do for the girls in their care. Their Founder, Theodore Ratisbonne, said to them: “You must have hearts larger than the world”. They have certainly lived up to his expectation and hope.
In honouring the Sisters of Our Lady of Sion, I also pay tribute to all the Religious Sisters, who have lived their vocations with such authenticity and verve, and have witnessed to Jesus’ Gospel in school and hospital, cloister and Parish, city and bush, through difficulties and opposition, and continue to press on today. You have been, and are, a blessing to the Australian Church. Thank you!
Br Peter Carroll FMS
President, Catholic Religious Australia.