OVER four centuries of commitment to Religious life were celebrated on 6 February as Archbishop Barry Hickey offered a special Thanksgiving Mass with Franciscan Fr Michael Brown for six Diamond Jubilarians and a Golden Jubilarian at Our Lady of Mercy Chapel in Wembley.
The milestones of Diamond Jubilarian Sisters M Casimir Keating, Marie Walker, Marcella Blake, M Laboure Hasson, M Miriam Kearney and Ellen O’Neill and Golden Jubilarian Sr Pauline Masters were remembered on the day that also celebrated the 165th anniversary of the Mercy Sisters’ arrival to Australian shores at Fremantle in 1846.
Sr M Casimir, born in Kalgoorlie, attended the Convent school at Victoria Square and was transferred to Santa Maria Boarding School and became Head Girl after the college opened in 1936 when the upper school teachers from Victoria Square were transferred there.
She graduated as a teacher from Claremont Teachers’ College and took up positions in the Government school system until transferring to St Joseph’s at Victoria Square where she studied and became a Maths and Science secondary school teacher, which was when her long held idea of becoming a Sister of Mercy became a firm conviction.
“In the end, I knew that the Lord wanted me,” she said. “I have great gratitude to God for the great grace of my vocation. It is only by the grace of God that I am here. I take each day as it comes and I believe if I live each day properly, all will be well.”
Sr Marie Walker, born in Albany, won a scholarship to the State high school there, before working in a clerical position until joining the Royal Australian Air Force during the War and being stationed in Townsville for two and a half years where they just missed a major cyclone.
From her childhood, Marie had the desire to become a nun. She first thought of joining the Carmelites but, on the advice of Monsignor Moss, entered the Sisters of Mercy at Victoria Square.
She was trained as a teacher and for many years taught in primary schools in country and metropolitan schools. Marie also spent many years in Motor Mission ministry in the south west and in the Bunbury Diocese.
Sr Miriam Kearney was born in Derry, Ireland and attended the Bwatragh village school, employed in house duties before working at an aircraft factory during the war.
As a teenager, she thought about becoming a Sister and, in 1948, joined the group setting off for Australia.
One of her travelling companions remarked that Miriam ‘had been in a very good position with good earnings and was a very stylish young woman’.
Miriam’s tasty cooking has been a welcome ministry in many Convents including Norseman. She likes the WA climate and loves spending time in the Mercy Chapel. Sr Ellen O’Neill was born in Dungannon, County Tyrone, Ireland. Since she was a small child she knew about the Sisters of Mercy and says she always had the inkling to become a Sister. When she saw the advertisement in the local newspaper seeking postulants to go to Australia, she met Mother Brigid McDonald and responded. Together with Mother Brigid, Sr Eugenius and several companions wanting to join the Convent, they left Tilbury Docks on SS Strathaird in 1948.
Sr Ellen trained as a teacher at Victoria Square before attending the Secondary Teachers’ College and University of WA. She taught mostly in secondary schools throughout WA including Coolgardie, Kalgoorlie, Bunbury, Santa Maria and Mercedes.
Sr M Laboure Hasson was born in County Derry, Northern Ireland. After attending the village school, she worked in the office of the IOF (Ireland’s Own Football) for about three years.
During Mother Brigid’s visit to Derry her cousin, Betty, took her along to meet the visiting Sisters from Australia. She feels “the Lord was intervening” as she talked about joining the Order with her friends. All decided to go to Australia and set sail on the SS Strathaird with the excited group of adventurous girls and young women. She enjoyed the trip and tells about some of the activities they enjoyed, especially after their chaperones had retired for the night: walking around the decks, enjoying the sea breeze, watching the stars and meeting Irish and English people coming out to live in Australia.
After her novitiate, Mary Laboure worked at St Anne’s Hospital in the wards and the office. She still lives near the hospital, which is now known as Mercy Hospital in Mt Lawley.
Sr Marcella Blake was born in Killard, County Clare. After primary school, she attended St Brigid’s Missionary School. Two older sisters, M Regina and M Thecla, from this very mission-minded family had already entered the Sisters of Mercy in Australia so she was very happy to join the group travelling to Australia and be with them again.
Sr Marcella has taught both primary and secondary students at Harvey, Bunbury, metropolitan schools, Santa Maria College and Lumen Christi College.
She has a love for history and writes poetry based on her spirituality. Marcella sees her call to become a Sister has been a very positive and challenging one.
“I have come to enjoy and reverence the differences in people. I admire the quality of goodness and mercy of so many people in my life,” she says.
Sr Pauline Masters was born in Perth and attended school at St Columba’s, South Perth.
The family moved to Redcliffe and, when the Marist Fathers came to the parish, she helped set up a network with the youth in the area. She worked with a legal firm until she entered the Convent at Victoria Square.
After many years teaching in primary schools in the south west, the Goldfields and metropolitan area, she worked in Papua New Guinea in Teacher Training Colleges in Mt Hagen and Wewak. On return to Perth, she became an ESL (English as a Second Language) teacher at Mercy College, followed by Chaplaincy at Curtin and Edith Cowan Universities.
After a period as a pastoral worker in Donnybrook, Pauline returned to Papua New Guinea for one year. Her missionary leanings took her to Kenya in 2006 and East Timor in 2008.
Sr Elizabeth Devine, one of the group professed in 1951 but not present on 6 February, taught in many schools throughout WA, served as a missionary in Papua New Guinea, was Congregation Leader for six years and facilitated Religious and Spirituality programmes before returning to her native land in 2001 and is now part of the Northern Province of Ireland.
Sr Cabrini Fontana, who died on 28 June 2010, was also remembered for her great work among the Italian Community in Bunbury and Harvey. Born in Cannington, WA, she won a scholarship to Our Lady’s College, Victoria Square, and ended up a teacher and a great researcher, producing many articles of historical importance and a booklet chronicling the story of Mercy in the South West.
Sr M Bosco Costello, who died on 17 October 2010, was also part of the group from Ireland.
She became a nurse at St Anne’s Hospital for most of her life and was dearly loved by those with whom she lived and worked for almost every one of those 60 years.
One of the original group, Betty Grant, who became Sr M Roch, was a much-loved companion full of life who became very ill and died aged 20. She was professed on her death-bed at St Anne’s Hospital in January 1950.
Every part of the 6 February Mass reflected the importance of Religious life.
The Opening Hym, Be Thou My Vision, recalled to mind our total reliance on God’s mercy and love. The Vision Statement from the Sisters of Mercy Chapter was remembered at the Mass’ Penitential Rite when they were invited to reflect on being a credible sign of God’s love, having courage to face the unknown and hidden and bringing hope and joy to our world.
The Readings incorporated gratitude for the treasures of wisdom and friendship over the years and the Gospel was Mary’s Magnificat.
After renewing the vows each Sister made at her Profession 50 and 60 years ago, the Suscipe (Prayer of self-giving) of Catherine McAuley was sung.
In his homily, Archbishop Hickey spoke about those early days 165 years ago and Bishop John Brady.
He recalled that, as very young women, each of the Jubilarians had made the decision to dedicate her life to God and to God’s people; and for this, the Church is grateful for over 400 years of service, he said.
Prayer of the Faithful was presented by Loretta Gallagher, Philippa Casey and Elaine Purser, relatives of the Jubilarians. After Communion, the original hymn, Mercy Lives, composed by Sr Pauline and Sisters she lived with in Papua New Guinea, was sung.