Profile on Sr Josephine Mitchell – Former Teacher and Educator
For newly professed Sr Josephine Mitchell, her first teaching post in 1954 was in the small community of Burringbar located in the top eastern corner of NSW. “It took over 24 hours to get there on the train from Sydney,” says Josephine, now aged in her 90s.
Celebrating the Gift of Education
150 Years of the Sisters of Saint Joseph Education in NSW This Teacher’s Day (28 October) we come together to say ‘thank you’ and celebrate the contribution, achievements and leadership of teachers. It is an opportunity to take a moment to recognise the impact of educators in all our communities. Education is a ministry close […]
First Adelaide school opens in 1867
On 2 July 2022, the Sisters of Saint Joseph will celebrate 155 years since the opening of the first Josephite school in Adelaide, South Australia. “What,” they say, “can you expect from colonial girls, without any knowledge of a religious life, and no one to train them?”[1] Writing to Sister Mary MacKillop, Father Julian Tenison […]
Celebrating 130 Years of Education
A reflection by Sr Maureen McDermott rsj on an exceptional milestone and celebration. It was with a joyous and grateful heart that I journeyed home after the celebrations of 130 years of education at St Joseph’s School, Hillston, New South Wales on Tuesday 3 May. The celebrations began with Eucharist concelebrated by Bishop Columba Macbeth-Green […]
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 […]
Josephites Support Sydney’s Sudanese Through COVID Troubles
I have been involved with the Sudanese community since I first found them in 1998 in the refugee flats in Auburn. At their request, I helped them set up the St Bakhita Centre in Flemington. To understand the culture more I lived in Mapuordit, South Sudan, in 2006. In 2017, John Cinya, Chaplain to the […]
World Teachers’ Day
“World Teachers’ Day is held annually on 5 October to celebrate all teachers around the globe.” (UNESCO) To commemorate this day, Sr Mary McDonnell interviews students and a teacher from St Justin’s Catholic Parish Primary School, Oran Park NSW in the school’s Mary MacKillop Prayer Garden. We invite you to view the interview above.
Tokaanu and Waihi, Aotearoa New Zealand
In 1902 when the Society of Saint Joseph priests (Mill Hill missionaries) [1] were working among the Māori people on the southern shores of Lake Taupo, they realised that a Catholic School was a necessity. They approached Mother Mary MacKillop for Sisters of Saint Joseph to staff the school. At the beginning of September 1903 […]
A Fair Go
The Christian belief is that all people are equal in God’s sight. The Christian concept of love of neighbour is starkly different from the self-seeking competitiveness we often find in today’s world. Jesus identified with the poor and marginalised people, whereas current society often highlights the rich and powerful for adulation. Jesus advocated for a […]
Wonthaggi Parish farewells the Sisters of Saint Joseph
In 1912, Sisters Irene, Julian, Gerard, Everilda and Carmen arrived in Wonthaggi to staff the new parish school built by Fr O’Sullivan and volunteers. As the convent had not yet been built, Fr O’Sullivan slept in the sacristy of the Church while the sisters were accommodated in his presbytery. Thus began a 108 year relationship […]
International Education Day 2021
Recover and Revitalise Education for the COVID-19 Generation This year, the third International Education Day will be celebrated on 25 January (usually celebrated 24 January). In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, affecting the lives of 1.6 billion students in over 190 countries, UNESCO chose for its theme the challenging task: Recover and Revitalise Education […]
Josephites Helping Young in Need, SA 1868
The Josephites’ work with orphans in South Australia began in January 1868. This occurred when they took charge of the girls from St Vincent de Paul’s Orphanage at Walkerville, Adelaide SA. This institution had initially been established in August 1866 as a home for orphaned and destitute Catholic children and was being supervised by a […]