Who we are

  New Zealand Associates Leadership Team

Diane Strevens

I am married to Bob and we have four adult sons.  I began my working life as a secondary school teacher, but found that as the babies arrived I simply couldn’t do justice to both school life and mothering, so took some time out.  While I was at home with the boys, I attended university majoring in Sociology and was involved in research for the Society for Research on Women. 

My invitation to be part of the Josephite Movement came from Katrina, when Bob and I were asked to be part of a panel with a couple of young priests, talking about call, commitment and relationship.  Around the same time Katrina invited me to be part of the Catholic Institute of Theology, and during this time I co-taught with both Ann Gilroy and Christina Neunzerling – a wonderful formation in the Josephite charism!

When the university began offering Theology papers, I completed a BTheol and MTheol while setting up the Continuing Faith Education programme for the Catholic Institute of Theology.  Once my degrees were completed I became a part time lecturer in Christian History for the Theology Faculty of Auckland University, as well as facilitating parish based courses.

I have since retired from Catholic Institute of Theology  and the university, and Bob and I have just retired from running Marriage Preparation courses for the past twenty years.  It looks as if we may be on the way to becoming part time Josephites!  I’m committed to the Associate Movement and currently writing the herstory of the Sisters of St Joseph in Aotearoa-New Zealand.  Bob is a member of the Marian Rest Home Management Board.  We both resonate with the charism and are honoured to be a part of the Josephite Movement.

Margaret Louisson

I was a music teacher for many years, and then moved into Parish Pastoral ministry in 1982, training specifically for this in Melbourne at the National Pastoral Institute.
After a few years at Waiwhetu, Lower Hutt, I went to Thames and spent eight years ministering throughout the Coromandel Peninsula. The Parish Priest at that time, Father Theo van Lieshout, was developing the idea of autonomous communities, where we worked with and trained the people to look after themselves in the absence of the priest. This was a challenge and an activity I greatly enjoyed, made especially memorable by the people and the scenery!
In 1995 I went to Te Awamutu to begin Industrial chaplaincy and soon discovered there was a prison within the parish. The industrial/workplace chaplaincy took me to Te Kuiti, Matamata, Taharoa, as well as Te Awamutu workplaces. But in the prison a Catholic chaplain was required, so, gradually, I moved from part time to full-time prison chaplaincy. I gave it ten years of my best then knew it was time to retire.
Now I enjoy some music ministry to the school, and am very involved in the parish music which includes playing for and managing a weekly practising music and singing group. I am available for visiting parishioners and particularly school families, the school being a place where I can make contact and relate with these families.
I love music, enjoy walking, appreciate modern technology and am very happy to have a computer! I like reading, and doing the occasional jigsaw puzzle.

Meg Hills

I have been working for the Eastern Bay of Plenty Health Board for the past 16 years as a social worker, specializing in the psycho-social support of adults undergoing major surgery; providing education towards gaining Informed Consent; facilitating outpatient clinics; and co-coordinating admissions, discharges and after care.
This is the first time I've been called to ministry on the PLT. I feel very excited about participating more fully in working alongside our Sisters & Associates in bringing the mandates of the Chapter to reality. Together we can do it and together we can make a difference!

Rita Cahill

My early years as a Sister of St. Joseph, were spent in Primary Education. Firstly as a Teacher, and latterly as Principal in the Rural Scene. Eighteen of these years were in ministry in the South Island at Balclutha, Waimate and more recently in Parish Ministry at Gore.  For me, my years of teaching were a wonderfully fulfilling period of my Josephite life and ministry; it was quite difficult for me to move from the Education scene when the time eventually arrived!

For the last six years I have been in Ministry as Leader of the Community at Mary MacKillop Centre. This was a very rewarding and enriching experience - to say nothing of the challenges often faced!  The occasions when the Associates and Sisters gathered at the Centre for celebrations of St. Joseph’s Day or Mary MacKillop, were always highlights for all concerned, these were great occasions.

2008 has seen me move once again into Pastoral Ministry in the Parish of Taumarunui, the heart of the King Country. This was a Parish where, back in the eighties I taught in the local Parish school for 5 years! It’s amazing the number of faces still familiar, even if the names have become somewhat blurred with time. To be in Parish Ministry is a different challenge – already I love my involvement.