by Mary Cresp RSJ
immediate past Congregational Leader of the Sisters of Perpetual Adoration
On October 7, the 120th anniversary of the death of their co-founder Father Julian Tenison Woods, the Sisters of Perpetual Adoration were aggregated to the Sisters of St Joseph.
Connecting in this way means that each Congregation retains its own identity while joining together in matters of governance and administration.
In a beautiful and powerful ceremony during the Mass celebrated by Archbishop John Bathersby (Brisbane), the Sisters of Perpetual Adoration acknowledged the generosity of the Sisters of St Joseph in accepting their request for aggregation.
In turn, the large number of Sisters of St Joseph present prayed for "renewed trust, faith, courage and hope as we journey forward together, (and that) the inspiration of our founders may give us energy for God's mission".
Earlier in the Mass, Archbishop Bathersby had appointed the Congregational Leader of the Sisters of St Joseph, Sister Anne Derwin (and her successors) as Congregational Leader also of the Sisters of Perpetual Adoration. This arrangement will stand as long as the two congregations are agreeable. Sister Anne succeeds Sister Mary Cresp RSJ who has served as Congregational Leader for the past three years.
The Sisters of Perpetual Adoration were founded in Brisbane by Mother Stanislaus (Catherine) Gaffney under the guidance of Father Woods in 1874. He had earlier worked with Mary MacKillop in establishing the Sisters of St Joseph in South Australia (1866).
In those early days, the Sisters of Perpetual Adoration lived with the Sisters of St Joseph in South Brisbane for a short time before they found their own premises.
They have now come the full circle, as the lives of both Congregations become intertwined once again.
Almost 300 Sisters, relatives and friends took part in the ceremony.
"It was very moving," said one woman. "I cried nearly the whole time, like at a wedding!"
In commissioning Sr Anne to take on leadership of the Sisters, Archbishop Bathersby promised, "Know that you will always be supported by the Archdiocese of Brisbane.
"We are confident that both the Sisters of Perpetual Adoration and the Sisters of St Joseph will continue to grace our church with their prayer, love and service, and for this we give praise to God."
Although there were never more than 50 Sisters, today there are 18 Sisters of Perpetual Adoration.
The purpose of the congregation was to pray in adoration for the welfare of the world, to spread devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and to serve those in need.
While Sisters at first engaged in a number of ministries, such as visiting the sick, teaching catechism, making altar breads and sewing, especially liturgical vestments, the care of the aged became their focus. For many years the Sisters administered three large nursing homes - in Brisbane, Ipswich and Wollongong.
In recent years, they handed over their aged care facilities to Catholic Healthcare and all Sisters joined the community in Brisbane.
Twenty-four hour adoration is still maintained at the central house at Villa Maria, Fortitude Valley, with a lay-group, the Perpetual Adoration Association, partnering the Sisters to make this possible.
photographs:
top left: Sisters of St Joseph, Anne Derwin (left) Congregational Leader and Mary Cresp who has been Congregational Leader for the Sisters of Perpetual Adoration for the past three years.
above right: Among the many people who gathered at St Stephen's Cathedral, Brisbane, for this historic event are Sisters Noelene Quinane RSJ (Goulburn) and Jill Dance SSJ (Tasmania).
below: the signing
CALL TO PRAYER in honour of the 120th anniversary of the death of Julian Tenison Woods
