Father Julian and the Westbury Letters
Father Julian Tenison Woods had a deep connection with Tasmania over many years. As a missioner, he encouraged many young women to join both the Sisters of Saint Joseph on the mainland and the founding group of the Sisters of Perpetual Adoration. Aware of the needs in Tasmania, Fr Julian wrote to St Mary MacKillop […]
There will be no such thing
Sr Mary-Ann shares a reflection on her favourite quote from Julian Tenison Woods. Father Julian Tenison Woods’ writings are sprinkling with delightfully lyrical and sometimes pithy pieces. I find myself returning to words he penned in 1880: There will be no such thing as sameness in the objects, no such thing as tameness in the […]
Reflecting on illness and death
Life blooms and suddenly… Monthly, weekly, and sometimes daily, we hear news of the death of yet another treasured, loved, Sister and friend. Sadness grips our hearts and minds. It feels as though our dreams and visions for the future are slipping away. Could it be that this Congregation, founded by Julian and Mary, is […]
The Legacy of Julian Tenison Woods and the Earth Charter
In every generation, voices of prophets remind us that God has charged humans with the care of our common home, Earth. The examples of our first peoples, and of individuals like Francis of Assisi, Meister Eckhart and the Medieval Women Mystics come to mind. In our day, too, we cite Pope Francis in his encyclical […]
The Struggles and Gifts of Father Julian Tenison Woods
Bear in mind what struggles our life has come through and what opposition it has had. Julian Tenison Woods 1887 This is the instruction on the first page of the 2022 Josephite Calendar and was written by Fr Julian Tenison Woods, two years before his death. I wonder what struggles of which he had been […]
Father Julian Tenison Woods – Migrants and Refugees
Pope Francis meets refugees in Lesbos, Greece 2021 (Vatican Media) Father Julian Tenison Woods understood the plight of the refugee. Strange as it may seem, many of the early immigrants to Australia were what we might call ‘forced refugees’. As criminals exported to the new colony in the eastern states, they came against their […]
Father Julian Tenison Woods: A Passion for Education
Into the heart of Julian Tenison Woods, God placed a passion for learning. From his earliest years, Julain thoroughly enjoyed rambling at the seaside, in forests, over rocks or anywhere there was a discovery experience. He was reared in an environment where all lived a productive life with a strong work ethic and where knowledge […]
Living in Harmony: The Wellbeing of Father Julian Tenison Woods
Ill health, travel, negative media reports, lack of support and apparent failure can all have an adverse effect on our wellbeing. Julian Tenison Woods was subject to all these. Family history suggests he may have suffered a form of hereditary immune deficiency. He travelled extensively, was the subject of gossip and innuendo, appeared sensitive to […]
The Friendship of Mary MacKillop and Julian Tenison Woods
Each year we recall Julian Tenison Woods on the 7 October anniversary of his death and laud his talents and deep spirituality. While Mary and the early sisters didn’t readily express their attachment to Julian’s eco-spirituality in writing, I am certain that his vision brushed off on them and that they shared his wonder at […]
Julian’s Day 2021: Let’s learn to live in harmony with nature!
To celebrate the 7 October anniversary of the death of Fr Julian Tenison Woods, co-founder of the Sisters of Saint Joseph, this year we have done something special. Fr Julian was a man of many talents: an environmentalist, scientist, priest, explorer, campaigner for social justice and the rights of Indigenous people, among many others. To […]
What Did Julian Tenison Woods Say About Indigenous Australians?
When the ordained ministry of Julian Tenison Woods began in Penola in 1855 he soon saw the conditions under which the local Aboriginal people lived. What he observed raised concerns that remained with him for the rest of his life. Several times, on his various journeys, he wrote about the Aboriginal people he encountered.
What Would Fr Julian Say About Climate Change?
What would Fr Julian Tenison Woods have to say about climate change? Sr Josephine Mitchell imagines an interview with the scientist, priest and Josephite co-founder on the “MJ Media Network”… Interviewer: It is my great pleasure today to welcome to the program, a remarkable man who needs very little introduction, Father Julian Tenison Woods. A […]