Sixty years — six decades of responding to the call to act justly, love tenderly, and walk humbly with God; a mission that continues today.
The Diamond Jubilee Eucharist of Thanksgiving was celebrated at the Mary MacKillop Memorial Chapel, North Sydney on 15 January 2026, coinciding with the birthday of Mary MacKillop (15 January 1842), adding a profound resonance to the gathering.
For the Sisters professed in 1966, the year itself was remarkable: the Congregation celebrated its centenary while society and the Church were experiencing deep and transformative change.
Communities and education were evolving, calls for justice and equality were growing stronger, and Vatican II was opening new horizons, inviting religious communities into fresh engagement with the modern world. To commit one’s life at such a time was an act of courage — a commitment to live with trust, hope, and generosity of spirit amid uncertainty.
This year, 19 Jubilarians celebrated their Diamond Jubilee — most present in person, others remembered from afar — while six Sisters who have gone before and now rest with God were lovingly held in prayer. Their memory affirmed the enduring communion of Josephites across time.
Gabriel’s Oboe from The Mission framed the Eucharist with its searching, lyrical melody, echoing the aching longing of humanity for a more humane world — cities warmed by the winds of peace, hearts stirred by compassion, and lives open to justice. Its elegiac strains spoke to both the Jubilarians’ journeys and the world they serve, a poignant reminder of the call to serve with courage and tenderness. In its notes, one could hear a wistful yearning not unlike the Josephite charism itself — attentive to suffering, hopeful for transformation, and committed to a vision of God’s reign of love.
The Eucharist unfolded as a living reflection of the Jubilarians’ lives. Their ministries have been wide-ranging — encompassing education, pastoral care, leadership, stewardship, social justice, community outreach, and accompaniment in times of need. Each Sister’s experience, culture, and gift forms a rich tapestry, each thread adding depth, colour, and resilience to the whole. Together, these lives tell a story of response to call and fidelity over six decades.
The Jubilee celebration itself created a sacred space where faithful living was named, blessed, and renewed. The First Reading from Proverbs (8:22–31) spoke of wisdom present from creation, delighting in life. The Second Reading from Ephesians (1:3–10) proclaimed God’s abundant blessing and the unity offered in Christ. The Gospel from Matthew (6:25–34) invited trust in God’s providence — a call that has quietly guided the Jubilarians’ lives across six decades and continues to do so.
Following the proclamation of the Word, the Jubilarians renewed the vows first professed in 1966, recommitting publicly to their response to God’s call as Sisters of Saint Joseph of the Sacred Heart. Chastity was embraced as a life rooted in intimacy with God, expressed through relationships of compassion and welcome. Poverty was affirmed in the simplicity of shared community life, with care for those most vulnerable. Obedience was renewed as attentive listening, discernment, and mutual decision-making. These promises, lived and renewed, embody a response to a world yearning for justice, peace, and human dignity.
Gratitude flowed throughout the celebration — for parents, families, friends, fellow Sisters, and all whose lives have been shared in ministry. Thanks were offered to the Presider, Bishop Brian Mascord, to Fr Graeme Malone SSS, and to all who prepared and participated, making it a prayerful and memorable occasion.
In the words of Pope Francis to religious women, the Jubilee calls all to continue the journey with confidence:
Look to the past with gratitude, live the present with passion, and embrace the future with hope.
Sixty years on the Josephite story continues — forged in the courage of 1966 and renewed for the challenges of today. In a world marked by rapid change, fragility, and deep injustice, the Josephite charism calls for the same brave fidelity: to stand with the vulnerable, to choose compassion over fear, and to offer hope through prayer, ministry, and quiet acts of attentiveness to one another.
Anne-Marie Gallagher rsj