Profiles

Julia Hartnett rsj

Wednesday 26 March 2008 was a special day for the residents of Proctor Way Claymore in the Diocese of Wollongong. It was the day that the WYD Cross came to ‘Sister Julia’s place’ early in the morning – at the same time as the garbage truck arrived to empty the recycling bins! It was just a normal day.
As the Cross was moved into position in front of Sr Julia Hartnett’s home we stood in silence and listened to the hymn This is Holy Ground.  Sr Julia welcomed the residents, schoolchildren and parishioners of the Eagle Vale parish to Proctor Way and acknowledged the original custodians of the area, the Tharawal people.
She outlined the history of the suburb of Claymore which was established in the 1970’s to provide affordable housing for low income families in over 1000 government owned properties.  The population consisted mainly of single parent families, who for a variety of circumstances had to live away from extended family support.  But there was no infrastructure in place and no employment opportunities in Claymore and the inevitable social problems resulted.
Sr Julia told the people that Mary MacKillop, foundress of the Sisters of St Joseph often reminded the Sisters to ‘never see a need without trying to do something about it’.  In 1996 the Sisters of St Joseph responded to the need and took up residence in the community housing in Proctor Way.  The ministry of the Sisters was to be a presence in the community and to live with the people.
	Sr Julia, who has lived in Proctor Way since 1999, said that she was asked recently what she liked about living in Claymore.  I said, “It’s the people, I love the people, I feel very much part of the community.”  It was indeed very fitting that the WYD Cross should come to Claymore because many of the families have suffered the pain and hardship associated with carrying their own cross. In the intercessory prayers that followed, the various needs of the local community were placed before our God.  May all who embrace the cross live with renewed hope in the new life heralded by the Resurrection.

Marie Levey rsj

"Music is Marie's whole life." This is what was said of me recently, and to an extent it is true.

Even from adolescence, when I faced obstacles to further studies in music, I argued that it had to be God's Will to develop gifts which were biological. Vatican II (Gaudium et Spes 60) established my case.

I spent many years teaching music and contributing to parish liturgies. These days, however, less time is given to playing and teaching. I do have some students, but most of my waking hours are given to research and writing about Sources of Gregorian Chant. And what an exciting and privileged task this is! At present I am working on the period from 600Ad to 850AD, with particular interest in the tonaries and those compiling them.

Research of the chant is given prayerful expression with The Gregorian Schola of Sydney which sings regularly in St Mary's Cathedral. In 2002 our Schola organised a workshop led by Professor Thomas Connolly of the University of Pennsylvania USA, and in the photograph is shown those who sang the liturgy we prepared.

Naomi Smith rsj

I am a Sister of St Joseph who for some years have been a member of the Aboriginal Catholic Ministry in Western Sydney. Our focus is community building and we do this by organising many and varied gatherings of people from the area, both Aboriginal and from the wider community. We learn to minister to each other by listening. We often sit down in groups and dream of what might be. Together we decide on actions and rejoice when some of those dreams come true. Our community grows, we learn new attitudes and change comes where it is most effective and enduring - in our inner selves.

Jennifer Scally rsj

My name is Jennifer Scally. I am a member of the NSW Josephite Province. I am a firm believer that each person needs the opportunity to develop his or her own spirituality. It is this firm belief that encouraged me to move out of my school ministry after fifteen years in the Armidale Diocese, and to join the Christian Brothers Youth Apostolate Team (YAT) in January this year, 2003.

The YAT team consists of four people based at the beautiful country venue of Winbourne, a Christian Brothers property at Mulgoa. We work in pairs with groups of Catholic College students from throughout NSW who come for the programs offered here.

The three day Retreat Programs are offered to Years 10, 11 and 12 students. We also provide three-day Leadership Camps for Student Leaders to help them develop Christian Leadership skills for their school.