Born in Bridgetown, WA on 11 September 1915, the fourth of 11 children, Sr Agnes embarked on a career in teaching after leaving school. It was a love that never left her.
In her late twenties, Sr Agnes once spoke with the national president of the Legion of Mary who mentioned to her that a new religious initiative was soon to commence in Launceston, Tasmania.
The following Sunday, she read an article in The Record newspaper about this fledgeling group in which the founder, Father John Wallis, was gathering women together for missionary work in Australia.
Believing that two references to this group within a few days was no coincidence, she wrote to Fr Wallis, her letter arriving on 4 July 1944, the first day that the small group was gathering together to form the MSS.
Sr Agnes (known as Sr Mary Magdalen in the pre-Vatican II years) joined them a few months later and was a rich contributor to the congregation’s first leadership team, adding her influence to its spirit and vision.
Her gift for teaching was quickly recognised and she taught the other sisters in the area of catechetics and pastoral work, as well as training people to take on the mission of religious education in state schools.
Fellow Missionary Sr Corrie van den Bosch, who had known her for over 50 years, wrote recently that: “She became convinced of the importance of the formation of an informed and competent laity if the Church was to fulfill its mission in the world”.
In the early 1970s, Sister Agnes was invited by the Archbishop of Brisbane to organise training and support for catechists, including children in state schools.
Fr Frank Lourigan, whom she recruited to assist in her work, said of her: “She was a remarkable woman who made a big impact in the Brisbane Diocese … she was a vibrant breath of fresh air in the exciting 1970s … an extraordinary dynamo.”
Her work was instrumental in laying part of the solid foundation that established Brisbane as a strong entity in later years as a resource that other parts of the Australian Church looked to for direction and support. She was a gift of grace at a significant time … remembered fondly for the inspiration, vision, empowerment for ministry and her mission to establish an effective apostolate of religious education.
During her time in Brisbane Sr Agnes became the first woman in Australia to lecture at a seminary when she taught catechetical formation to future priests in Banyo.
Students nicknamed her “Sister Vital”, because of the number of occasions she used the word in lectures. One former student said that her passion inspired many seminarians with an attitude of mission.
In later years, at an age where many are contemplating retirement, Sr Agnes undertook spiritual direction and formation, work that, as an avid reader and deep thinker, she loved the most.
She led courses in prayer and meditation and formed groups for discussion on books that nourished the spiritual life and a sense of mission; many of these groups are still meeting today.
Sr Agnes then moved to Melbourne and spent her last days in St Catherine’s Aged Care in Balwyn. Sr Corrie said that in the months leading up to her death, both staff and residents would be drawn to her room simply to be in her presence.
“Agnes loved her God passionately,” Sr Corrie recalled. “This was the source of both her joy and her suffering … yet all the time the Spirit of God drew her more and more deeply into the divine mystery. And the more deeply she was drawn, the more the divine lover’s love was evident in her love for those around her.
“You have now found the One whom your heart loves, and we rejoice with you. Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your God.”