History

The story of the Sisters of St Joseph began in 1842 when Mary Helen MacKillop was born in Fitzroy - now situated in the State of Victoria, but then part of the colony of New South Wales. In 1866, Mary MacKillop was living at Penola (in the south-east of South Australia) where with Fr Julian Tenison Woods she founded a group of Religious Sisters who would be prepared to meet whatever needs arose in the new colonies.

At first, the Sisters lived and worked in and around Adelaide in South Australia. On 16 July 1872, a community of four arrived in Perthville at the invitation of Bishop Matthew Quinn of Bathurst, and soon other foundations were made in that diocese. In 1875 the Bishop announced his intention that the Sisters were to become a diocesan institute and gave the Sisters the option of staying or returning to Adelaide. The two who stayed became the foundation members of the Sisters of St Joseph, Perthville. In December 1869 Mary and four Sisters had set out for Brisbane at the invitation of Bishop James Quinn. After their refusal to become a diocesan institute, the forty-six Sisters left Brisbane in 1879 and were available for other places.

Mary MacKillop and her Sisters received friendly invitations from two bishops in New South Wales - Archbishop Roger Bede Vaughan OSB (Sydney) and Bishop Elzear Torreggiani OSFC (Armidale) - who were faced with maintaining a system of Catholic education with limited resources. In 1880, once again foundations were made in New South Wales - 'The House of Providence' in The Rocks area of Sydney, as well as schools at Penrith, St Marys, Lithgow, Wallerawang, Dapto, Picton, Inverell, Tenterfield, and in the Inner City of Sydney.

In May 1881, a larger building was purchased in Cumberland Street, The Rocks, Sydney for 'The Providence' and was seen also as a temporary Novitiate for those postulants who entered in 1880-81. In 1884 the Novitiate was formally established there. Dean Kenny, retired pastor of the North Sydney parish, however, donated his house ('Alma Cottage') to the Sisters for their use as a Novitiate. He considered the location in Alma Lane off Mount Street more appropriate than the house they occupied in The Rocks area. By May 1884, Mary MacKillop had moved in and later acquired Alma Terrace. In 1888, a Roman Decree designated this convent as the Mother House of the Institute in preference to 'The Providence'.

Alma Cottage

According to community location and numbers, Mary 'organised' the Institute of the Sisters of St Joseph into Provinces each of which had a leader called a Provincial. During the following one hundred and ten years or so, Sisters in NSW saw many changes occur in their province structure.

1881 'The Providence' served also as the Provincial House of NSW.

1889 Armidale (comprising the houses in the Armidale Diocese) was named as a province separate from Sydney

1905 The houses in the Wilcannia- Forbes area became a separate Province with their own Provincial

1925 Two provinces were created in NSW: Armidale-Lismore and Sydney-Goulburn-Wilcannia.

1947 The Sydney province was divided into two: basically one suburban and one country

1959 Some of the suburban communities were added to the country province of Wollongong/Canberra-Goulburn because there was such rapid growth in population.

1969 NSW had four provinces:
- Armidale-Lismore
- Canberra-Goulburn/Wilcannia-Forbes
- Sydney South (incorporating the communities of the Wollongong Diocese)
- Sydney North

1981 The two Sydney provinces were combined because of the decreasing numbers of Sisters

1983 NSW became one province with the Province Centre located at Croydon.

The Province Centre, Croydon

The members of the Congregation Mary MacKillop founded are women who work in a simple ordinary way sharing in the mission of Jesus in the service of the poor. From the earliest times, inspired by the charism of Mary MacKillop they have worked with the clergy and people of both urban and rural areas to spread the good news of the gospel. Trust in the Providence of God is basic to Mary's charism. From the earliest days, the Sisters of St Joseph in New South Wales (as in each other Province) have realised the importance of this trust as they have been challenged to meet the new and changing needs of each decade. They are proud of their history, and at the Provincial Chapter of 2001 re-committed themselves to retell the story of Mary MacKillop with their lives, letting her passion be their passion.