AN OLSH SISTER'S STORY.  FROM THE OLSH RANDWICK PARISH BULLETIN.  SISTER MARY RUTH.

FROM A GRATEFUL HEART – A GLIMPSE OF MY LIFE. 

My story begins by saying that never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined the various paths my life would take. It has been enriched by my family, children, students, families and people, OLSH sisters, MSC Priests and Brothers of many nationalities both here and in PNG.

I have been given so many opportunities which made a wonderful difference in my life; to my attitudes, my ability to do things, the strength to cope with difficulties, challenges, mistakes, the courage to go ahead and the joys and happiness experienced. Above all, God’s grace and my Family, Faith and Vocation. I am full of gratitude.

First is my family. My parents were English, my Father- half French. Both families emigrated from England in the early 1920’s. When married they lived in Adelaide where I was born and also my brother. A few years later we moved to Melbourne and my sister and another brother were born. We had a very happy Catholic upbringing, with loving and wise parents. It was from them that we had an understanding and love of the Sacred Heart and Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, which was the Charism of the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart who educated me in Primary School and early Secondary.

They inspired me especially when talking about their Mission, to make the love of God known everywhere. During these years the seed of my vocation was sown. The family moved and I completed Senior High School with the Brigidine Sisters. Then I worked for my Father in his Accountancy Practice in the City and was very active in my Parish; I was a member of the Children of Mary group, I played tennis and basketball, enjoyed the socials and various outings of our mixed Youth group.

With the blessing and support of my parents I left home in November 1950, a few months before my 18^th Birthday and entered the Novitiate of the Daughters at Hartzer Park near Bowral. Professed in 1952 I went to the Motherhouse in Kensington, here I completed my Teacher Training. I taught for a year in Adelaide and 18 months at OLR School Kensington.

Then, to my great joy I was “Missioned” in July 1956 to Port Moresby PNG, a new country and a new culture. I joined our Sisters experiencing a very homely community atmosphere and taught in St. Joseph’s Primary School. The Community leader was a wonderful missionary and for me, a great mentor.

In 1962 I had the great privilege of being chosen to join a Priest and another sister when

a Catholic mission was established in a non-Catholic district about 113 kms from Moresby. This was real pioneering work and probably the greatest experience of my religious life. The beginnings were small, a school was opened, people asked to be instructed and were Baptised, the sisters began health clinics, nearby and faraway villages were visited, and new outstation schools were opened.

In some villages visited it was the first time that the people had seen European women, let alone a Nun.

During the following years I was involved in Primary schools, Principal of a girls boarding school at Vunapope, near Rabaul and then a lecturer in our Teacher’s College for women. Later I was at a Mission Station a long way from Rabaul, our only contact with the outside world was mainly via two-way radio. Here I had the opportunity to visit our teachers in 2 other schools in the Parish, to help and support them in their more isolated situations.. Once a year we went to Vunapope for our Retreat. As a teacher I was aware of the great opportunity and privilege given of influencing the lives of so many students from all over the country and the immeasurable richness added to my life through this contact with them and their families.

A change of apostolate occurred when I was asked to be involved in the formation of young women aspiring to religious life. First I became Novice Mistress in the Indigenous Congregation of the Daughters of Mary Immaculate, the first local order founded by Bishop Louis Couppe msc at Vunapope in 1912.This was very special. After 5 years I was able to pass this responsibility to one of their own Sisters. Then I was involved in the formation of our own Postulants who mainly came from areas where our sisters were. Again after 5 years I was happy to hand this work to a PNG sister.

For health reasons I had to leave PNG. Little did I know that I would not return.  But as always, God had his own plan for my life, so in 1996 I officially became a member of the Australian Province after 40 years away. Reinserting myself back into this culture, was much more difficult than I had found going to PNG.

My first community was where I had grown up.  I was involved in Parish ministry, which I loved and had the added joy of reconnecting with my family of whom I had not seen much whilst in PNG. I was given the opportunity to go to Issoudun in France, the birthplace of our Congregation, for a Renewal Seminar, a most special time. I also visited Rome, my Grandfather’s relatives in the south of France, and Holland where I reconnected with the Dutch sisters with whom I had lived in Rabaul. For 5 years beginning in 199I I was on the staff at our Retreat/Conference Centre Harzer Park, with its special apostolate. I also became the contact sister for our Associates in Canberra who met each 1^st Saturday of the month. I continued this for 17 years altogether. This was a grace for me, for I witnessed their dedication to their families, their vital involvement in their Parishes and their outreach to others as they lived out our shared Charism ‘to be on earth the Heart of Christ’.

Then a change to join the community at St. Joseph’s Aged Care Facility in Kensington for our elderly sisters and MSCs. In 2005 I was called to a Community in the main house. Then in 2011 two of us moved into the OLSH Parish in Randwick, It was a great privilege to be part of this Faith community and especially to be involved for the special Holy Hour each Tuesday, the permanent Novena of Thursday at Our Lady’s Shrine and leading groups on special visits. Although I have moved back to Kensington I am still involved in the parish and the interaction with the Parishioners keeps me well grounded in the reality of life outside the Convent.

I returned to PNG in 2010 for the 125^th anniversary of the arrival of the first missionaries at Yule Island, in 2012 for the Centenary of the Daughters of Mary Immaculate, and in 2014 for the 100^th anniversary of St. Joseph’s School.

I am so grateful for the sisters with whom I have lived and who have influenced my life. I have never doubted God’s mysterious call to belong to Him. The Mass, the Blessed Sacrament, Our Lady’s special place, Community and personal prayer have been the “essentials”. The good Lord has been with me thus far and tells me, ‘All shall be well and all manner of things shall be well’