New Sisters arrive at Wadeye, report from Leo Wearden MSC
Sisters Archana, Francisca and Armanda arrived at Wadeye on Sunday afternoon 14th April.
The Sisters belong to a Congregation known as Franciscan Hospitaller Sisters of the Immaculate Conception (CONFHIC) and were founded in Portugal in 1871 by Blessed Mother Maria Claria of the Child Jesus who dedicated her life to love and serve others, especially the sick and needy. The Congregation has been in Timor Leste since 2007.
The three Sisters came from Dili to Darwin on Easter Sunday and after two weeks in Darwin have begun work in Wadeye.
They have been warmly welcomed by the Aboriginal people of Wadeye.
Last week was spent learning about some of the important matters for the people here regarding family, country and spirituality as well as having a first meeting with the Catholic Aboriginal leaders where the Sisters heard a little of the close to 90 year old history of the Catholic presence at Wadeye.
The Sisters have no other community in Australia and it is significant that they wanted to have their first community in Australia at Wadeye which is a remote community in the Diocese of Darwin.
When a conversation was had last year with Bishop Charles in Darwin, their Superior General was insistent that they commence work in a remote Aboriginal community to work with the poor and that they not be appointed to an urban centre such as Darwin.
Sr Archana the community leader who is originally from Bangalore in India has lived in Timor Leste for two years. She will now take up work with Catholic Care Wadeye as a social worker and work with families. In Timor Leste Sister Archana was responsible for formation in their Congregation which now has increasing numbers of Timorese women attracted by the Franciscan spirituality.
Sisters Francisca and Armanda are Timorese members of the Congregation and will teach and work at OLSH Thamarrurr Catholic College at Wadeye.
The Sisters approached Br John Alting SVD an Australian nurse working in Timor Leste - and who happens to now work at Wadeye - about establishing a community in Australia. John took up the matter with Malcolm Fyfe who then meet with their Superior General in India and after much work by Mrs Clalia Mar the Chancellor of the Diocese of Darwin, here they are.
The Sisters are enthusiastic about their presence at Wadeye and look forward to making long connections with the community and something they have already commenced in this short space of time.
It has been an opportunity for me to renew a connection that I have had now for almost 50 years with the people of East Timor and here at Wadeye!
Leo Wearden
