Saturday 8 December 2018 was a day of significance for the Marist Sisters in Australia.
The day began with a prayer of farewell to our property at Woolwich. Woolwich was the foundation community in Australia when the Marist Sisters arrived in Sydney some 110 years ago. We had much to acknowledge and remember… including
- the support, service and friendship shown us by the Marist Fathers from the beginnings till now;
- the many thousands of teachers, students and their families of Marist Sisters College, Woolwich;
- those who had worked with us in caring for the property including the doctors, nurses, carers and cooks who have been so much part of Marian House since its beginning in 1979;
After singing the song “Holy Ground” those gathered were invited to a time of quiet reflection on the people, things, events and experiences which were part of our years at Woolwich.
At the conclusion of the prayer we adjourned to the dining room where we continued to share stories and memories over lunch.
At the conclusion of the meal, during a prayer, members of the former leadership team lit the Unit of Australia candle and passed the candle to the new leadership team of Sr Cath Lacey (Unit Leader) and her two assistants Julie Brand and Ruth Davis.
My Aunty Clarice (Sister Claudia) would take me and new boyfriend’s to the Chapel at Woolwich when I went for visits when she was on leave from here Parish in FiJi and as we walked into the Chapel she would quietly say “Do watch your head Dear” as the Chapel had a low beam in the 1960 however the warning often came to late and my new boyfriend would have banged into the beam my Aunt who had a wicked sense of humour would have a wee chuckle and proceed to prayer this has always been a wonderful memory of my Aunt and Woolwich I am sorry to hear you are no longer there Kind Regards Fay Henderson