Who we are...

Sr Annette Arnold

For the first 12 years of Annette Arnold’s life she only knew two religious orders of Sisters -  the Sisters of Mercy and the Presentation Sisters.  When the family moved house she went to a new school which facilitated her entry into the Josephite world.  In the heady days of the late ‘60s Annette was very fortunate in her secondary education to have young, vibrant Josephite women teaching her.  She absolutely gobbled up their spirit and enthusiasm.

The changes of the second Vatican Council were coming through in liturgy and she joined the guitar brigade, playing at Folk Masses and enjoyed immensely the whole culture of those days.  On leaving school she extended her YCS involvement and quickly got involved in YCW, the theology and spirit of which has no doubt coloured her life since.  Annette entered the Josephites in 1971 and made her final profession in her home parish of Park Avenue in Rockhampton in 1979.  Nearly all of her family, her parents Marg and Jim and her nine siblings, their partners and children where able to celebrate this event with her.

Annette’s professional life has taken her to many places and working in many different areas – from Primary and Secondary teaching and administration (including Primary Boarding schools) to counselling, parish pastoral leadership, community development, aboriginal ministry and advocacy and lobbying on social justice issues. 

Annette has been in leadership positions in most of her ministries and has significant experience on management committees and boards.  Besides her formal studies in education, counselling, missiology, administration and community development Annette believes her greatest learnings have come from her reflection on her grass-roots work with people in a wide variety of ministries and her connection to earth itself.  Annette loves to be by the sea, loves fishing, gardening, bushwalking, bike riding and many different types of craft.

Annette has an energy and passion that all may have life and have it to the full.  During the past six years Annette was a member of the Queensland Provincial Leadership Team and was very involved with and committed to the formation of the Josephite Associate Network Qld Inc – a group of women and men totally committed to responding to their call to engage in the Josephite charism. She finds the development of the whole Josephite movement exciting and encouraging, knowing that it is responding to Mary MacKillop’s theme of never seeing a need without doing something about it. 

Annette is united in her commitment and passion to many people, in many walks of life who are living life with a Josephite Heart.  As Annette begins her ministry on the Congregational Leadership Team she acknowledges that God is doing a new deed among us; that there is a vision for this time and that together – both the vowed Josephites and other Josephites – in listening and waiting God’s vision will not delay.