Dedicated to Mary, Mother of God
Sr. Raymond Smyth, RSJ (1853 - 1917)
Sr. Eileen O’Connor, (1892 - 1921)
foundress of Our Lady’s Nurses for the Poor
Sr. Lucy Higgins, LCM (1899 - 1988)
Sr. Carita Higgins, RSJ
Sr. M. Thomas (Ruth) McBride, OP
Sr. Marie Therese Malone, OSB (1911 - 1993)
Sr. Annunciata Doggett, RSM (1916 - 1985)
Sr. Una O’Connell, RSJ
and to the Nuns and Sisters whose names are included in this project.
DEDICATION
The photograph on the front of the document is that of Sr. Raymond, born Mary Smyth on 28th December 1853 to Bernard Smyth and his wife Margaret (nee Slattery) on her parents’ farm at Bagots Gap, near Kapunda, South Australia. Mary was one of four children, one of whom Sarah in marrying Cornelius Noonan became my father’s maternal grandparents.
Sr. Raymond was held in high regard in the family because of her adventurous and holy life. Before reaching the age of 16 Mary had decided she wished to join the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart as co-founded by Mother Mary of the Cross. In 1995 Mother Mary of the Cross was given the title Blessed Mary McKillop. On the 23rd December 1869 Mary Smyth entered the Josephite convent at Franklin Street, Adelaide and received the religious name of Sr. Raymond of the Virgin Most Venerable.
By the age of 18 Sr. Raymond had her world turned upside down. Mother Mary of the Cross was summoned, with all the other Sisters present in Adelaide at the time, to assemble in the chapel of the Franklin Street convent. There Sr. Raymond saw Bishop Sheil excommunicate Mother Mary McKillop. In supporting Mother Mary, some Sisters were expelled from the Order and dispensed from their vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. Mother Mary thought it wise for Sr. Raymond to seek dispensation from her vows as her parents were anxious for her to be removed from Adelaide. With Mother’s suggestion and her advice and in the light of the difficult circumstances, Sr. Raymond was dispersed from her vows on 6th December 1871. Sr. Raymond was informed that as soon as she stopped wearing her habit she would be free of all obligation. Sr. Raymond kept wearing her habit until three months after the excommunication of Mother Mary.
Determined to remain a Sister of St. Joseph, Sr. Raymond wore secular clothes for her journey from Adelaide to her parents’ farm, at Bagots Gap, a distance of approximately eighty kilometres. Family folklore has it that she walked home to a warm welcome from her family. Mary knew she had the opportunity to remain there but instead she told the family of her intention to continue walking to the Sisters’ convent in the town of Clare; another forty kilometres to the north. Here Sr. Raymond took charge of the parish school in 1872 or early 1873.
By 1880 Sr. Raymond was teaching at Port Lincoln. In a letter to Mother Mary dated 16 November 1880 Sr. Raymond gives a clear statement of one of her community’s desire to visit her mother and sisters as she had not seen them for nine years. The distance to be travelled was about 120 kilometres. Sr. Raymond expresses loving concern for one of her Sisters and sensibly gives Mother Mary time "to think it over" before the Sister asks. Sr. Raymond adds her own opinion that "it seems so hard that the poor mother and sisters should be deprived of the privilege because they have not the money to come down" to Adelaide.
Sr. Raymond’s grand niece, Sr. Carita Higgins, RSJ was told the story after entering the convent by a Senior Sister, that when the Senior Sister was a novice and she was criticised for an action, the novice mistress said by way of pointing out how serious the fault was and how highly held was Sr. Raymond by Mother Mary with the words, "Even Mother Mary would have passed a comment if Sr. Raymond did that". With such confidence Sr. Raymond was placed in charge of the Adelaide Refuge in 1883 where she looked after the Magdalens, a group of women who had experienced a disturbed life and wished to live a chaste religious life or were women from the gaol seeking rehabilitation.
Since 1873 the saintly Marish priest, Fr. Fauvel had been requesting Sisters to come to his parish of Temuka in New Zealand. Ten years later three Sisters arrived from Adelaide. One of the three was Sr. Raymond. The three had come to teach the sons and daughters of the local farmers. The three Sisters inspired young women to join. From Temuka and the surrounding districts over fifty women joined the Sisters of St. Joseph.
With more Sisters from Australia and women joining in New Zealand the Order flourished but not without difficulties. Sr. Raymond was appointed Provincial, and established convents and schools throughout New Zealand. Again and again Sr. Raymond was appointed Provincial. In late 1898 or early January 1899, feeling inadequate to the task, Sr. Raymond wrote to Mother Mary of the Cross requesting permission to step down as Provincial. Sr. Raymond in reading Mother Mary’s reply read "take up your cross generously" and accept the decision for her to remain as Provincial in a spirit of obedience and trust in God.
In 1909 Sr. Raymond’s great friend Mother Mary died. Her successor had to be elected. Strangely it was reported in the Melbourne Catholic weekly newspaper, the Advocate, (dated 12th February 1910, p.17) that Sr. Raymond was elected to be Mother Mary’s successor as Mother General. This was incorrect. Mother Baptist Molloy was elected. Instead Sr. Raymond returned to Auckland where she died in 1917 as Provincial with people believing she was a holy person.
In some ways Sr. Raymond, born with such a common name as Mary Smith (pronounced Smyth and later written in this form) could stand for all the women included in this index. They were often ordinary women who did extraordinary things for the love of God.
Writing under the pseudonym of George Eliot, Mary Ann Evans in her book "Middlemarch" weaves a powerful story around Dorothea (a name which means gift of God). At the conclusion of the televised adaptation of Middlemarch, Dorothea is portrayed in a way which may well be said of each woman and all those Mary Smiths, whose names are included in this project.
Her full nature spent itself in doing deeds which left no great name on the earth, but the effect of her being on those around her was incalculable. For the growing good of the world is partly dependent on unhistoric acts and on all those Dorotheas who live faithfully their hidden lives".