Sisters of St Joseph celebrate 150 years in New South Wales

The Sisters of Saint Joseph have celebrated 150 years in New South Wales with a sesquicentenary Mass at the Cathedral of St Michael and St John in Bathurst.

More than 300 people gathered at the cathedral on July 16 to celebrate the arrival of four young sisters – Teresa MacDonald, Mary Joseph Dwyer, Hyacinth Quinlan, and Ada Braham – at Perthville, about 10km from Bathurst - on July 16, 1872.

Perthville Convent Heritage Centre committee members and visitors at the Mass at Bathurst. Back Row: Sr Therese McGarry, Dan Cove (Bathurst Tourism and Visitors Services), Sr Mary Murphy, Kirsty Gilmore, Maryanne Leigh (app producer), Christine Nelson. Front Row: Sr Anne Porter, Sr Josephine Dubiel, Margaret Smith, Bathurst Bishop Michael McKenna, Sr Maureen Sanderson, Sr Alice Sullivan and Adelaide Archbishop Patrick O’Regan. PHOTO: Sisters of St Joseph.

Sr Anne Porter, leader of NSW Sisters of Saint Joseph, welcomed all to the gathering. Bishop Michael McKenna concelebrated Mass with local and visiting priests, welcoming all present, including more than 90 Sisters of St Joseph from across the state and beyond. He preached on the First Letter of St Peter 3:8-15, specially chosen for the Sisters by Fr Julian Woods to encourage unity and forgiveness.

Sr Josephine Dubiel, on behalf of congregational leader Sr Monica Cavanag, thanked the Bishop, priests and people, expressing gratitude for the strong unity and connection the Sisters have with the community.

Sisters of St Joseph at the Celebration Mass at the Cathedral of St Michael and St Johh, Bathurst. PHOTO: Sisters of St Joseph.

This Mass was the beginning of celebrations in NSW, commemorating the sisters’ presence in city and country locations over the past 150 years.

After lunch in the cathedral hall and the cutting of the sesquicentenary cake, more than 150 people then moved to Perthville for the launch by Sr Josephine Dubiel of the “Acoustic Self-Guided Tour of the Perthville Convent Heritage Centre (Bathurst Step Beyond)” app.

This App, developed by the Bathurst Visitor Information Centre in liaison with the Perthville Convent Heritage Committee, makes possible a self-guided tour of the site.

This article is drawn from an article on the Sisters of St Joseph website.