"The present volume is the result of a dream fulfilled, a project realised, perseverance and patience rewarded".
The video "Apollo 13" has been released. The film tells the story of a space mission to the moon in April 1970. In one section of the film a select group of people have been invited to the launch at Cape Kennedy. Amongst the group are two nuns.
The presence of the nuns in the film is not spectacular in itself but it is significant. In American films up to the late 1970’s the background presence of nuns at airports, train stations and the like was a statement that nuns were part of life. Their presence was a statement of how secular society saw nuns - they were with the people in the hustle and bustle of their lives.
In Australia the same situation prevailed. In every Australian city and just about every country town there was a hotel, a church and a convent. From the convent, Sisters established schools, hospitals and orphanages, visited the homes of the poor and the sick. The Sisters had been thus engaged since the time of their arrival in the 1830’s when they began serving the lowest on the social scale; convicts and aborigines. It was often the urban and rural poor, the migrants, the working class or country people who benefited greatly from the Sisters.
A comprehensive and successful Catholic education, health and welfare system from the womb to the tomb exists today in Australia. Catholic hospitals and primary schools are largely the result of the Sisters’ labours. The Sisters even effected our language. Until recently in Australian hospitals, nurses of a particular competency were given the title of ‘Sister’ - a name derived from the nuns who were called "Sister".
The respect with which Catholic hospitals receive is demonstrated by the fact of non-Catholic Governors General, Prime Ministers and business magnates choose these hospitals for the quality of their care.
As for Catholic schools, the vast majority of them exist as establishments of the Sisters. As an indication of the educational impact of the Sisters, in 1995 the Governor General, Prime Minister and the Chief Justice of the High Court were all former students of the Sisters.
K.D. Kane in a history of the Presentation Sisters in Victoria indicates the importance of the Sisters’ educational thrust when she writes, "It is worth mentioning here that until post World War II when the State Education Department opened many new High Schools, country children of all denominations, in all but very large centres, were virtually dependent for secondary studies on schools opened by the Catholic Church and staffed mainly by nuns." It is thought that what was said of the situation in Victoria applied to all States and Territories.
Today Catholic schools have more students than ever before. This is due in no small measure to the efforts, courage and vision of inspired women who entered religious life.
There is a belief that this comprehensive and country-wide Catholic education and health system is unparalleled in the world. This fact makes the Sisters significant and admired. Having said that would miss the point of their lives. What they achieved was the result of their love of God and people. Those women had a vision of being disciples of Jesus. For this, all of them left home and many left their native land to live among strangers. Besides being significant and admired the Sisters are loved.
Countless and ordinary Australians had better and happier lives because of the care of the Sisters. Be it through learning the piano in the country convent parlour, being taught the intricacies of maths and science or the beauty of the English language, people were lifted economically, morally and spiritually by their boot straps. It was often the nuns who showed how to do it. It is arguable that the nuns were the most educated group of women in Australia.
As religious Sisters become fewer and fewer, it is important that people of today and tomorrow don’t forget that often ordinary women did extraordinary things for the love of God. For many people and families in Australia it was the nuns who went out of their way to teach, nurse and care. It is important that those good women are not only forgotten but are honoured even in a little way as being listed in a book and index.
In writing to the Archivists of Religious Orders/Congregations, it would be appropriate for a monetary contribution be made to cover the costs of research on your behalf.
For a more detailed history and of the various Religious Orders which provides an historical context for the foundation and development in Australia.
Sr. Rosa MacGinley’s book - A Dynamic of Hope, Institutes of Women Religious in Australia, Crossing Press, Sydney 1996 - is highly recommended. Two other books which were helpful are Peter F. Anson’s "The Religious Orders and Congregations of Great Britain and Ireland" published by Stanbrook Abbey, Worcester, 1949. The other helpful reference is John N. Murphy’s "Terra Incognita or the Convents of the United Kingdom" published by Burns and Oates, London, 1876.
Various Religious Orders or Congregations have released the details on their members. It is understood that the copyright of any material (including the listing of the names of the Sisters) relevant to a particular Order or Congregation in this publication remains with the relevant Order or Congregation.
The Major Superiors, Congregational Leaders and Archivists of the various religious orders and congregations are sincerely thanked for making available their invaluable records. This project has only been possible through their generous assistance.
While there are many people to be thanked for making this project possible, it is appropriate to single out Our Lady’s Nurses for the Poor who very generously offered financial assistance when none was asked nor expected.
Fr. Kevin Hannan has nearly completed a thorough index of the Melbourne Catholic Newspaper "The Advocate" from its inception in the 1860’s to the 1970’s. He kindly made available his extensive index of names of members of Religious Orders. Such encouragement is typical of a generous and friendly priest.
Brothers Quentin O’Halloran, Philip Cahill, Patrick McCarthy, Sisters Denise Desmarchelier and Deidre Rofe and Mrs. Serena Harrison are to be warmly thanked for their enthusiastic support in this project.
Peter Rogers of Site Systems (ACT) Canberra and David Cracknell for their expertise in the area of computing were invaluable assistants in this project. For the ever generous response made the completion of the data possible. We are in debt to them.