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SISTER MARY XAVIER QUINN (1872-1964)
The late Sister Mary Xavier (Elizabeth Quinn) was born in Ballinahown, Blessington, Co. Wicklow on August 25th 1872 to parents Henry and Elizabeth (nee Mullee). Lizzie Quinn entered St. Bride’s College, under the direction of the Sisters of Mercy, at Callan Co. Kilkenny on the 25th November 1889.
She left there for the Convent of Mercy, Broken Hill, New South Wales, Australia and arrived on December 6th1890 to conditions that were primitive in the extreme in an area that was in the very early stages of development.
She was given the name of Sister Mary Xavier at her Reception Ceremony on February 22nd 1891. The ceremony of her Profession took place in the convent chapel, Mount St. Joseph on the Feast of the Annunciation, March 25th1893. The Right Rev. Dr. Dunne, Bishop of Wilcannis, presided, assisted by the local priests.
Sister Mary Xavier taught for most of her life in the Primary Schools in Broken Hill, a mining town in the Far West of New South Wales (700 miles from Sydney). She went to Condobolin, in the centre of New South Wales, as a member of the founding Mercy Community in 1929 and later returned to Broken Hill, before retiring to the Sisters Rest Home at Sans Souci, Sydney, not long before she died there on April 26th 1964. She was 74 years in Australia at the time of her death.
Sr. Mary Xavier celebrated the Golden Jubilee of her Profession on March 25th 1943. She wrote many letters to two generations of her family in Ireland and was kept up to date on every scrap of news they had. She also kept very much in touch with her sisters, Jane and Bridget, both of them Mercy Nuns, although after leaving home they were never to meet again. Another sister, Kate, joined the Good Shepherd Order.Sister Xavier is buried in the Catholic Cemetery in Woronora, Sydney. Grave No. 32, Section Mercy Plot. An obituary written by a Sister in Sans Souci and forwarded to a Grand Niece in Ireland, read as follows:
Our dear Sr. M Xavier had been failing gradually but her death was certainly sudden In the end. On Saturday 25th April, we noticed a very big change in Sister’s condition and we remained with her all night. On Sunday morning she rallied a great deal and we were not really concerned about her condition during the day. However she suddenly deteriorated at midnight and in less than seconds her soul had winged its flight to her Divine Spouse. This was April 26th (1964). Sister died very peacefully just as she had lived her Religious life.
We feel we have a saint in Heaven as your grand aunt was never without the Rosary Beads in her hands wherever she went, walking from one place to another the Rosary Beads would be gliding through her fingers. Our Lady would certainly have had a great welcome for so devoted a client. Sister was very fond of her relatives and often spoke of them, so you can all be certain you were always in her prayers. May God Bless you, and don’t forget to say a little prayer for the Community which your dear Aunt Xavier loved so well.
The following letter was sent by Sister Mary Xavier to her first cousin James Molloy in Peoria, Illinois in the year 1940 in an effort to continue contact with the family of her mother's brother Michael who had emigrated from Kilbride in 1878.
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