Perth Catholic musician receives Order of Australia

By Bridget Spinks
Musician Veronica Moylan (nee Carney) thanked God when she received the Medal of the Order of Australia for services to Music on the Queen’s Birthday 13 June.
“I thank God for His wonderful gift of music and my dear parents who gave me the love of music which I have been able to share with so many over the years,” Mrs Moylan, 78, said.
Mrs Moylan received her music education at Victoria Square (now called Mercedes College) from Sister of Mercy, Sr Mary Philip.
She went on to teach piano privately and at various colleges including Aquinas College and St Brigid’s Lesmurdie. “I started music when I was five,” she said; and as soon as she finished her music diploma, she started teaching at Mercedes College.
Mrs Moylan has also given much of her spare time to playing the organ and organising the choir for more than 65 years and still plays occasionally at Mater Christi parish Yangebup. “From when I was 13 until I was 21, I was playing at St Joachim’s for every Sunday morning Mass, Sunday night devotions, Tuesday night novena and Holy Hour on Thursdays,” she said.
When she married, she moved to Holy Family parish in Como and played for every Sunday morning Mass, Sunday night devotions and Tuesday night novena for 16 years.
When she moved to Lesmurdie, Mrs Moylan played the organ for another 16 years at Our Lady of Lourdes before moving “down the hill” to St Columba’s in South Perth where she was organist for another 16 years.
She also founded the With a Song In My Heart Ladies Choir.