ORDERS

RELIGIOUS SISTERS OF MERCY
GRAFTON CONGREGATION

CONGREGATIONAL FOUNDATIONS

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WHILE THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN IS AS COMPREHENSIVE AS POSSIBLE, THERE WILL ALWAYS BE "MISSING LINKS". IF ANYONE HAS INFORMATION OR PHOTOS OF ANY OF THE FOLLOWING FOUNDATIONS PLEASE CONTACT ME. I WOULD APPRECIATE HEARING FROM YOU AND ADDING TO THE INFORMATION AVAILABLE ON THE SITE.

1951	BOWRAVILLE	1976
THE LITTLE CATHOLIC SCHOOL AT BOWRAVILLE WAS COMMENCED IN 1905 BY THE DAUGHTERS OF OUR LADY OF THE SACRED HEART BUT IN 1950 THEY WITHDREW FROM THE PARISH TO CONCENTRATE ON THE PACIFIC MISSIONS AND THEIR PLACE WAS TAKEN FROM 1951 ONWARDS BY THE SISTERS OF MERCY FROM GRAFTON. THE SISTERS LIVED IN THE OLD CONVENT AND CONTINUED THE WORK OF THE OLSH SISTERS ESPECIALLY IN ABORIGINAL EDUCATION FOR A FURTHER THIRTY YEARS DURING WHICH A NEW SCHOOL WAS BUILT IN 1963. THE SISTERS WITHDREW FROM THE CONVENT IN 1976 ALTHOUGH A FEW STILL TRAVELLED DAILY FROM THE CONVENT AT MACKSVILLE TO TEACH. BY 1986 ST MARY'S SCHOOL HAD MOVED TO LAY LEADERSHIP AND THE REMAINING SISTERS WERE WITHDRAWN COMPLETELY FROM BOWRAVILLE. CONVENT OF ST MARY

CONVENT OF ST MARY

WHEN THE SISTERS ARRIVED IN BOWRAVILLE IN 1951 THEY FOUND A CONVENT ALREADY AVAILABLE FOR THEM IN THE FORM OF THE OLD OLSH CONVENT WHICH HAD BEEN BUILT IN 1906. A COMFORTABLE SINGLE-STORY BUNGALOW IT WAS TO SERVE AS THE CONVENT OF MERCY THROUGHOUT THE SISTERS TIME IN BOWRAVILLE (LEFT). THE CONVENT STOOD IN THE GROUNDS BEHIND THE PRESENT CHURCH CLOSE TO THE ORIGINAL SCHOOL BUILDING. WHEN THE SISTERS WITHDREW IN 1976 THE CONVENT WAS RENTED OUT FOR SOME YEARS BEFORE BEING FINALLY DEMOLISHED IN THE MID-80's.

ST MARY'S CONVENT SCHOOL

ST MARY'S PRIMARY SCHOOL

ST MARY'S CONVENT SCHOOL AT BOWRAVILLE WAS FOUNDED BY THE DAUGHTERS OF OUR LADY OF THE SACRED HEART IN 1905. WHEN THE SISTERS OF MERCY ARRIVED IN BOWRAVILLE THEY FOUND THREE WOODEN BUILDINGS FORMING ST MARY'S SCHOOL. THE FIRST OF THESE ( RIGHT ) WAS THE ORIGINAL CHURCH WHICH WAS USED AS THE INFANTS SCHOOL, THE SECOND WAS THE SECOND CHURCH USED FOR PRIMARY AND SECONDARY CLASSES ( BELOW LEFT ) AND THE THIRD WAS USED AS THE ABORIGINAL SCHOOL. IN 1957 THE TWO SCHOOLS WERE ASSIMILATED INTO ONE AND THE OLD ABORIGINAL SCHOOL WAS THEN LATER DEMOLISHED. BY 1963 THE INFANT'S SCHOOL HAD BECOME UNSTABLE AND A NEW BRICK INFANTS SCHOOL WAS OPENED BY BISHOP FARRELLY ( BELOW RIGHT ). IN 1964 THE SECONDARY DEPARTMENT WAS CLOSED AND ST MARY'S REVERTED TO A PRIMARY SCHOOL. THE 1963 INFANT'S SCHOOL SOON BECAME THE MAIN SCHOOL WHILE THE OLD PRIMARY SCHOOL BECAME THE SCHOOL LIBRARY AND RESOURCE CENTRE. NEXT


^^^^ THE SECOND CHURCH AND LATER PRIMARY SCHOOL WHICH HAS NOW BEEN CONVERTED INTO THE SCHOOL LIBRARY AND RESOURCE CENTRE AND THE 1963 INFANTS SCHOOL NOW, WITH EXTENSIONS, THE MAIN BUILDING OF THE PRESENT PRIMARY SCHOOL >>>>.
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1973	COFFS HARBOUR
WITH THE WITHDRAWAL OF THE SISTERS OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN AT THE END OF 1972 BISHOP SATTERTHWAITE ASKED THE GRAFTON SISTERS OF MERCY TO TAKE OVER THE STAFFING OF ST AUGUSTINE'S CONVENT SCHOOL. THE INITIAL COMMUNITY CONSISTING OF FIVE SISTERS TOOK OVER THE CONVENT AND COMMENCED WORK AT THE SCHOOL IN JANUARY 1973. THE SISTERS ALSO BECAME INVOLVED IN PARISH WORK INCLUDING VISITATION, SACRISTY WORK AND YOUTH MINISTRY. IN 1980 THE SISTERS ALSO TOOK ON THE RUNNING OF MARY HELP OF CHRISTIANS SCHOOL AT BAYLDON UNTIL THE FORMATION OF A SEPARATE COMMUNITY AT SAWTELL IN 1984. IN THAT SAME YEAR THE SISTERS WITHDREW FROM ST AUGUSTINE'S SCHOOL WHICH THEN BECAME LAY LED AND STAFFED. IN 1985 A NEW CONVENT WAS ESTABLISHED IN WOOLGOOLGA. THE SISTERS CONTINUED TO BE HEAVILY INVOLVED IN THE PARISH DESPITE THEIR WITHDRAWAL FROM EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP. IN 1997 WITH THE COMMUNITY REDUCED TO THREE SISTERS AN AGREEMENT WAS MADE WITH THE PARISH TO PROVIDE MORE PRIVATE ACCOMODATION FOR THE SISTERS AND THE CONVENT WAS THEN CONVERTED INTO THE CURRAN CENTRE. TODAY AFTER OVER THIRTY YEARS OF SERVICE THE MERCY PRESENCE CONTINUES IN COFFS HARBOUR IN THE SPIRIT OF MOTHER McAULEY. CONVENT OF MERCY

CONVENT OF MERCY

ON ARRIVAL IN COFFS HARBOUR THE SISTERS WERE ABLE TO MOVE INTO THE SIMPLE BRICK CONVENT BUILT FOR THE GOOD SAMARITANS IN 1961 (LEFT). THIS BUILDING WAS TO REMAIN THEIR HOME FOR TWENTY-FIVE YEARS. IN 1997 THE SISTERS MOVED INTO INDIVIDUAL ACCOMODATION AND THE CONVENT REVERTED TO THE PARISH WHICH RENOVATED IT AS THE PARISH CENTRE. THE ATTRACTIVE CHAPEL OPENED IN 1962 AND NOW RENAMED THE CHAPEL OF OUR LADY FOP MERCY IS TODAY USED FOR WEEKDAY MASSES.

CHAPEL OF OUR LADY OF MERCY

CHAPEL OF OUR LADY OF MERCY

ST AUGUSTINE'S PRIMARY SCHOOL

ST AUGUSTINE'S PRIMARY SCHOOL

WHEN THE SISTERS OF MERCY TOOK OVER ST AUGUSTINE'S CONVENT SCHOOL IT HAD JUST RECENTLY REVERTED TO A PURELY PRIMARY SCHOOL AFTER THE CLOSURE OF THE SECONDARY PORTION IN 1971. THE SCHOOL HAD ALSO UNDERGONE RECENT SIGNIFICANT EXPANSION IN 1966 YET WITHIN THREE YEARS OF ASSUMING LEADERSHIP A NEW ROUND OF CONSTRUCTION WAS TO COMPLETELY CHANGE THE FACE OF THE SCHOOL. THE ORIGINAL SCHOOL BUILDING AND THE 1932 INFANTS SCHOOL ALONG WITH THE OLD CHURCH WERE DEMOLISHED AND EIGHT CLASSROOMS, A MULTI-PURPOSE HALL AND SEVERAL ANCILIARY FACILITIES WERE BUILT (BELOW). IN 1984 THE SISTERS HANDED LEADERSHIP OF THE SCHOOL OVER TO THE FIRST LAY PRINCIPAL AND THE FOLLOWING YEAR THE LAST TEACHING SISTER WAS WITHDRAWN. EARLY IN THE NEW CENTURY FURTHER EXPANSION OF FACILTIES OCCURRED WITH NEW CLASSROOM BLOCKS AND AN IMPRESSIVE NEW ENTRANCE BEING CONSTRUCTED (ABOVE). TODAY THE SPIRIT OF THE TWO ORDERS CONTINUES TO INFORM THE ETHOS OF THE SCHOOL. NEXT SCHOOL WEBSITE

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	(LEFT) THE LARGE CLASSROOM BLOCK BUILT AS PART OF THE MAJOR NEW EXTENSIONS IN 1976. NEXT

	(LEFT) THE IMPRESSIVE ENTRANCE BUILT IN THE EARLY 2000's AND (BELOW) THE McAULEY BLOCK, PART OF THE 2002 EXTENSIONS.

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1980	DORRIGO	2000
THE GRAFTON SISTERS OF MERCY ARRIVED IN THE PARISH OF DORRIGO IN 1980 TO REPLACE THE PRESENTATION SISTERS WHO HAD BEEN FORCED TO WITHDRAW FROM TEACHING DUE TO A NEED TO RATIONAISE RESOURCES. THEY WERE TO REMAIN FOR EXACTLY TWENTY YEARS FIRST IN TEACHING AND THEN IN PASTORAL DUTIES WITHIN THE PARISH. AT THE TURN OF THE CENTURY THE MERCY SISTERS, THEMSELVES SUFFERING FROM DECLINING VOCATIONS, ALSO HAD TO WITHDRAW. THEIR PLACE WAS TAKEN ONCE AGAIN BY THE PRESENTATION SISTERS. MOUNT ST JOHN'S CONVENT

MOUNT ST JOHN'S CONVENT

WHEN THE MERCY SISTERS FIRST ARRIVED IN DORRIGO THEY WERE ACCOMODATED IN THE OLD PRESENTATION CONVENT, A LARGE WEATHERBOARD HOUSE WHICH HAD SERVED AS THE CONVENT SINCE 1924. THE BUILDING HOWEVER WAS CONSIDERED TOO LARGE FOR THE SMALL COMMUNITY OF MERCY SISTERS IN RESIDENCE AND SHORTLY AFTER THEIR ARRIVAL IN DORRIGO TWO MODERN BRICK UNITS (LEFT) WERE BUILT BY THE PARISH WHICH DULY BECAME THE HOME OF THE SISTERS OF MERCY. THE OLD CONVENT WAS THEN BROKEN UP AND SOLD, PART OF IT BEING MOVED TO EBOR. AFTER THE DEPARTURE OF THE SISTERS OF MERCY THE CONVENT ONCE AGAIN BECAME HOME TO THE LISMORE PRESENTATION SISTERS.

MOUNT ST JOHN'S PRIMARY SCHOOL

MOUNT ST JOHN'S PRIMARY SCHOOL

THE SCHOOL INHERITED BY THE SISTERS OF MERCY WAS A COMPACT BRICK BUILDING CONSTRUCTED IN 1953 (ABOVE LEFT). THE SISTERS PROVIDED LEADERSHIP FOR THE SCHOOL UNTIL 1985 BUT GROWING SCHOOL NUMBERS AND DECLINING VOCATIONS HAD ALREADY SEEN MUCH OF THE TEACHING TAKEN OVER BY LAY STAFF. INEVITABLY SCHOOL LEADERSHIP FOLLOWED AND TODAY THE SCHOOL IS MAINTAINED BY A DEDICATED GROUP OF LAY TEACHERS WHO CONTINUE IN THE TRADITION OF THE PRESENTATION AND MERCY SISTERS. EVIDENCE OF CONTINUED SCHOOL GROWTH IS PROVIDED BY THE ADDITION OF NEW BUILDINGS TO THE REAR OF THE ORIGINAL SCHOOL (ABOVE RIGHT). TOP SCHOOL WEBSITE CONGREGATIONAL INFORMATION

1900	KEMPSEY
THE GRAFTON SISTERS OF MERCY ARRIVED IN WEST KEMPSEY IN 1900 TO TAKE UP THE TASK OF EDUCATION BEGUN BY THE SISTERS OF ST JOSEPH IN 1884. THE LATTER HAD WITHDRAWN IN 1896 AND AFTER A BRIEF PERIOD UNDER THE PRESENTATION SISTERS THE SCHOOL HAD BEEN LEFT WITHOUT ANY RELIGIOUS TO STAFF IT. THE COMING OF THE MERCY SISTERS BREATHED NEW LIFE INTO THE SCHOOL BEGINNING A TRADITION LASTING TO THE PRESENT DAY. THE SISTERS WERE ORIGINALLY HOUSED IN THE OLD JOSEPHITE CONVENT UNTIL 1911 WHEN THE MOVED INTO THE PRESENT BUILDING. AS TIME WENT ON THEY ADDED FURTHER TO THEIR EDUCATIONAL APOSTOLATE WITH THE OPENING OF ST PHILOMENA'S HIGH SCHOOL AND LATER THE ST PIUS X REGIONAL GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL. FROM THE MID-70's DECLINING NUMBERS AND CHANGING APOSTOLATES SAW THE SISTERS GRADUALLY WITHDRAW FROM THE SCHOOLS BUT ENTER SEVERAL NEW PASTORAL FIELDS INCLUDING SETTING UP A WOMEN'S REFUGE (1973-88) LATER THE CATHERINE McAULEY HOUSE FOR WOMEN (1989-2000) AND WORKING WITH THE INDIGENOUS (1977-85). TODAY A SMALL COMMUNITY OF SISTERS STILL RESIDES AND WORKS IN KEMPSEY. CONVENT OF MERCY

CONVENT OF MERCY

HISTORY
FIRST CONVENT OF MERCY	SECOND CONVENT OF MERCY
WHEN THE SISTERS OF MERCY FIRST ARRIVED IN WEST KEMPSEY THEY TOOK OVER THE OLD ST JOSEPH'S CONVENT PREVIOUSLY USED BY THE JOSEPHITE SISTERS AND THE PRESENTATION SISTERS. THIS WAS A CREAM STONE SINGLE-STORY BUILDING WHICH HAD ORIGINALLY BEEN THE FIRST PRESBYTERY. AT THE BACK OF THE CONVENT WAS A WOODEN DORMITORY USED FOR BOARDERS WHICH WOULD BECOME THE MUSIC ROOM FOR THE SELECT SCHOOL.	IN 1911 THE PARISH PRIEST HAD A NEW PRESBYTERY BUILT AND THE 1886 PRESBYTERY WAS GIVEN TO THE NUNS TO USE AS A NEW AND LARGER CONVENT. TODAY IT COMPRISES THE MIDDLE SECTION OF THE PRESENT CONVENT. IN 1912 A NEW WING FOR THE BOARDERS WAS BUILT AND IN 1923 FURTHER EXTENSIONS WERE MADE TO THE CONVENT AND BOARDING SCHOOL. THE CONVENT CHAPEL WAS ADDED IN 1925 AND ST PHILOMENA'S HIGH SCHOOL IN 1941 (BELOW).
CATHERINE MACAULEY HOUSE
WITH THE BUILDING OF ST PHILOMENA'S THE CONVENT APPEARED ESSENTIALLY AS IT IS TODAY ALTHOUGH COSMETIC CHANGES WERE LATER MADE TO IT AS CAN BE SEEN IN THE PHOTOS RIGHT AND ABOVE. IN 1958 PLANS WERE MADE FOR A NEW CONVENT BUT THIS NEVER EVENTUATED. 30 YEARS LATER THE SISTERS MOVED INTO THE EX-CHRISTIAN BROTHER'S MONASTERY IN SEA STREET AND THE CONVENT BECAME THE CATHERINE MACAULEY HOUSE WOMEN'S REFUGE TO CONTINUE THE WORK BEGUN BY THE SISTERS IN 1973. IN THE 1990's IT BECAME THE CATHERINE McAULEY CARE CENTRE PROVIDING SUPPORT FOR THE HOMELESS. WHEN THE CARE CENTRE CLOSED IN 2000 THE SISTERS MOVED BACK INTO THE CONVENT. CONVENT CHAPEL

	CONVENT CHAPEL
	THE CONVENT CHAPEL WAS BUILT IN 1925 ON THE GROUND FLOOR OF THE SOUTH WING OF THE CONVENT AND IS NOTABLE FOR ITS ATTRACTIVE APSIDAL SANCTUARY WHICH PROTRUDES FROM THE MAIN WALL OF THE BUILDING AND IS MARKED BY A LARGE WHITE CROSS ABOVE THE FOUNDATION STONE LAID BY MONS McGUIRE THE PARISH PRIEST AND VICAR GENERAL OF THE DIOCESE. TWO SMALL LANCETS PROVIDE ANAPPROPRIATE ECCLESIASTICAL TOUCH IN CONTRAST TO THE PLAIN SQUARE WINDOWS OF THE CONVENT ITSELF. TODAY THE CHAPEL IS USED FOR PRIVATE MEDITATION AND FOR MEETINGS OF THE SMALL CONVENTUAL COMMUNITY. NEXT

(>>>>) THE INTERIOR OF THE CHAPEL. A CURTAIN CLOSES OFF THE SANCTUARY WHEN IT IS USED FOR MEETINGS. (vvvv) THE MAGNIFICENT CARVED WOODEN ALTAR.

ST JOSEPH'S PRIMARY SCHOOL

ST JOSEPH'S PRIMARY SCHOOL

THE ORIGINAL PARISH SCHOOL WAS COMMENCED BY THE BROWN JOSEPHITES IN 1884, HENCE THE NAME OF THE SCHOOL. AFTER A BRIEF STINT UNDER THE PRESENTATION SISTERS OF LISMORE, THE GRAFTON SISTERS OF MERCY TOOK OVER RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PARISH SCHOOL IN 1900 AND WERE TO STAFF AND LEAD IT FOR SOME EIGHTY YEARS. THE SCHOOL CATERED FOR BOTH BOYS AND GIRLS UNTIL 1965. IN THAT YEAR PRIMARY BOYS FROM YEAR 5 AND UP ATTENDED THE NEW ST PAUL'S COLLEGE. AFTER THE CONVERSION OF ST PAUL'S TO A FULL HIGH SCHOOL IN 1980 ST JOSEPH'S AGAIN BECAME FULLY CO-EDUCATIONAL. TODAY THE SCHOOL CONTINUES WITH A LAY STAFF.

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THE SCHOOL WAS INITIALLY CONDUCTED IN THE FIRST CONVENT UNTIL A WEATHERBOARD STRUCTURE BEHIND THE OLD CHURCH WAS BUILT IN 1886. THIS BUILDING WAS USED UNTIL THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE PRESENT CHURCH WHEN THE SCHOOL WAS MOVED TO THE SECOND CONVENT. THERE WAS ALSO A WOODEN DORMITORY FOR BOARDERS WHICH IN LATER YEARS BECAME THE MUSIC ROOM. IN 1952-54 A NEW AND MORE COMMODIOUS SCHOOL (RIGHT) WAS BUILT ON THE PRESENT SITE AND THIS REMAINS THE CORE OF THE PRESENT SCHOOL (BELOW LEFT). SEVERAL PORTABLE BUILDINGS ERECTED FOR ST PIUS X HIGH SCHOOL WERE LATER USED AS SCHOOL BUILDINGS ALTHOUGH TODAY THEY ARE USED PRIMARILY BY THE PARISH (BELOW RIGHT). FURTHER EXTENSIONS WERE MADE IN 1969 (TWO WOODEN CLASSROOMS), 1979 (THE INFANTS SCHOOL) AND 1987 (BRICK CLASSROOMS). IN 2001 A SERIOUS FIRE DAMAGED THE SCHOOL NEEDING MAJOR REBUILDING AS CAN BE SEEN BELOW.


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(ABOVE LEFT) THE 1987 EXTENSION TO THE MAIN SCHOOL BUILDING CONTAINED TWO CLASSROOMS, WITHDRAWAL AREA, SHELTER SHED AND STORE ROOM. THE COVERED AREA WAS A LATER ADDITION. (ABOVE RIGHT) FOLLOWING THE DISASTROUS FIRE IN 2001 A REPLACEMENT SECTION WAS ERECTED ADJOINING THE MAIN BUILDING CONTAINING CLASSROOMS ABOVE AND A SHLETERED ALL-WEATHER PLAY AREA. SCHOOL WEBSITE ST PHILOMENA'S HIGH SCHOOL

ST PHILOMENA'S HIGH SCHOOL
AS WAS USUAL WITH THE SISTERS OF MERCY, A SUPERIOR SCHOOL WAS SOON ESTABLISHED WHICH ACCEPTED FEE-PAYING STUDENTS AS A MEANS OF EKEING OUT THE FINANCES OF THE SISTERS. FROM THIS GREW THE FIRST CATHOLIC SECONDARY SCHOOL IN KEMPSEY, ST PHILOMENA'S HIGH SCHOOL. THE SCHOOL, POPULARLY KNOWN AS ST PHIL'S, WAS OFFICIALLY OPENED IN 1924 AND ORIGINALLY USED A SMALL WOODEN BUILDING BEHIND THE CONVENT (POSSIBLY THE LATER MUSIC ROOM BELOW LEFT). IN 1928 THE SCHOOL PRESENTED ITS FIRST FOUR STUDENTS FOR THE INTERMEDIATE EXAMINATIONS TO GAIN STATE REGISTRATION. IN 1941 AN ADDITIONAL WING WAS ADDED TO THE CONVENT AND THIS BECAME THE NEW ST PHILOMENA'S (BELOW RIGHT). THE BUILDING STILL EXISTS AS PART OF McAULEY HOUSE COMPLETE WITH ITS STATUE OF ST PHILOMENA OUTSIDE. UNTIL THE OPENING OF ST PAUL'S COLLEGE IN 1965, ST PHILOMENA'S CATERED FOR BOTH MALE AND FEMALE STUDENTS BUT FROM THAT YEAR IT BECAME A GIRL'S ONLY SCHOOL ALTHOUGH SHARING SOME FACILITIES, ESPECIALLY SCIENCE LABORATORIES, WITH ST PAUL'S. AROUND THAT TIME IT WAS ALSO RENAMED ST PIUS X HIGH SCHOOL. IN 1973 TO FACILITATE RESOURCE SHARING THE OLD SCHOOL WAS CLOSED AND A NEW SCHOOL OPENED ON THE SAME SITE AS THE BOY'S SCHOOL.
	<<< THE 1941 SCHOOL ATTACHED TO THE CONVENT OF MERCY. THE OLD MUSIC ROOM, FORMERLY THE BOARDER'S DORMITORY vvv. ST PIUS X HIGH SCHOOL

ST PIUS X GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL

IN 1973 IT WAS DECIDED TO MAKE MORE EFFICIENT USE OF THE RESOURCE SHARING WITH ST PAUL'S COLLEGE WHICH HAD IN FACT BEEN A FEATURE OF THE TWO SCHOOLS SINCE THE MID-60's BY MOVING THE GIRL'S SCHOOL TO THE SAME SITE AS THE COLLEGE. NEW BUILDINGS WERE CONSTRUCTED TO THE EAST OF THE BOY'S SCHOOL AND THE NEW SCHOOL BECAME THE ST PIUS X REGIONAL GIRL'S HIGH SCHOOL. ALTHOUGH SHARING THE PHYSICAL SITE AND SEVERAL FACILITIES WITH THE COLLEGE, ST PIUS X WAS ADMINISTERED SEPARATELY BY THE SISTERS OF MERCY UNTIL 1980 WHEN IT AMALGAMATED WITH ST PAUL'S COLLEGE AS THE MACLEAY REGIONAL CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL.

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1954	MACKSVILLE	2003
THE GRAFTON SISTERS OF MERCY CAME TO MACKSVILLE IN 1954 TO TAKE UP THE TASK OF EDUCATION BEGUN BY THE SISTERS OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN IN 1918. THE LATTER HAD WITHDRAWN IN 1953 AS PART OF A RATIONALISATION OF CONGREGATIONAL RESOURCES. THE SISTERS TOOK OVER THE CONVENT AND SCHOOL AND OVERSAW THE BUILDING OF A NEW INFANTS SCHOOL IN 1957 AND ITS EXPANSION IN 1980 TO TAKE THE WHOLE SCHOOL. IN 1963 AN IMPOSING NEW CONVENT WAS ERECTED OPPOSITE THE CHURCH. THE DECLINE IN BUMBERS EFFECTED THE MACKSVILLE SISTERS AS IT DID ALL FOUNDATIONS AND THEY WITHDREW FROM THE SCHOOL IN 1998 AFTER LAY STAFF HAD TAKEN OVER THE SISTER'S ROLE. A FEW SISTERS CONTINUED WITH PARISH WORK UNTIL 2003 WHEN THE LAST SISTER WITHDREW. CONVENT OF MERCY

ST PATRICK'S CONVENT OF OUR LADY OF MERCY

FIRST CONVENT OF MERCY

FIRST CONVENT OF MERCY

INITIALLY THE SISTERS LIVED IN THE FORMER CONVENT (LEFT) OF THE GOOD SAMARITANS IN WALLACE STREET. THIS WAS A LARGE TIMBER BUILDING IN THE STYLE OF THE EARLY YEARS OF THE 20th CENTURY WITH A HIGH-PITCHED ROOF AND A CLOSED-IN VERANDAH. THE OLD CONVENT HOWEVER WAS NEARING THE END OF ITS LIFE AND THE GROWTH OF THE SCHOOL NECESSITATED A LARGER COMMUNITY. PLANS WERE THEREFORE WERE SOON UNDERWAY FOR A LARGER CONVENT. THIS WAS ACHIEVED IN 1963 WHEN THE NEW CONVENT WAS OPENED AND THE OLD CONVENT DEMOLISHED.

CONVENT OF OUR LADY OF MERCY

ST PATRICK'S CONVENT OF OUR LADY OF MERCY
THE NEW CONVENT AND CHAPEL OF OUR LADY OF MERCY WERE COMPLETED IN 1963 AT A COST OF £27,000 AND OPENED BY BISHOP FARRELLY OF LISMORE ON 9 JUNE. NEXT

THE CONVENT CONSISTS OF A MAIN BUILDING AND A CHAPEL LINKED BY A MODERN CLOISTER-STYLE WALKWAY. THE ENTRANCE ( ABOVE LEFT ) IS AT STREET LEVEL BUT THE LAND THEN FALLS AWAY SHARPLY ALLOWING THE CONVENT TO BE BUILT UP TO THREE STORIES ( ABOVE RIGHT ). THE CONVENT IS PRIMARILY A PRACTICAL UNIT-STYLE BUILDING SET AMIDST TREE-LINED GROUNDS TYPICAL OF A TIME WHEN PRACTICALITY WAS THE MAIN ARCHITECTURAL TREND. RAISED BRICK CROSSES PROCLAIM THE RELIGIOUS NATURE OF THE BUILDING.

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CHAPEL

CONVENT CHAPEL

THE CONVENT CHAPEL WAS BUILT AS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE CONVENT PLAN AND WAS ALWAYS AN ARCHITECTURALLY DISTINCT ELEMENT OF THE BUILDING (AS OPPOSED TO THE MORE USUAL PRIVATE ORATORY WITHIN THE CONVENT ITSELF). THE CHAPEL PROVIDES AN ATTRACTIVE COUNTER-POINT TO THE CONVENT.

CONSTRUCTED IN A MODERN OPEN-PLAN STYLE IN BLONDE BRICK AND AMBER GLASS WINDOWS, ITS MOST DOMINATING FEATURE IS THE LARGE SUPPORTING POST WHICH TERMINATES IN A SMALL CROSS-PIECE TO MAKE A CROSS. A CLOSED IN CLOISTER WALKWAY JOINS THE SISTER'S CHAPEL TO THE CONVENT.

FOLLOWING THE WITHDRAWAL OF THE SISTERS THE CHAPEL WAS FOR SOME YEARS USED AS A MUSIC ROOM BY THE SCHOOL BUT TODAY IT IS USED MAINLY BY THE PARISH AS A MEETING ROOM.

ST PATRICK'S PRIMARY SCHOOL

ST PATRICK'S PRIMARY SCHOOL

THE ORIGINAL PARISH SCHOOL WAS COMMENCED BY THE SISTERS OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN IN 1918. AFTER THEIR WITHDRAWAL THE GRAFTON MERCY SISTERS TOOK OVER RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE SCHOOL IN 1954 AND WERE TO STAFF AND LEAD IT INTO THE LATE 1900's. UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF THE SISTERS THE SCHOOL WAS ENLARGED IN 1957 AND 1980. TODAY THE SCHOOL CONTINUES WITH A LAY STAFF.

HISTORY

HISTORY

THE ORIGINAL SCHOOL BUILDING DATED FROM 1928 AND WAS A PLAIN WOODEN CLASSROOM BLOCK LOCATED OPPOSITE THE CHURCH (RIGHT). IT SOON BECAME CLEAR THAT THE AVAILABLE SPACE WAS INSUFFICIENT TO MEET THE SCHOOL'S GROWTH AND SO AS A FIRST STEP A NEW BRICK INFANTS SCHOOL WAS BUILT JUST ACROSS THE ROAD NEXT DOOR TO THE CHURCH (BELOW LEFT). IN 1980 FURTHER EXTENSIONS WERE MADE (BELOW RIGHT) AND THE PRIMARY SCHOOL WAS MOVED TO THE SAME SITE. IN RECENT YEARS THE OLD BUILDING HAS BEEN RE-OPENED TO COPE WITH THE GROWING NUMBERS.

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1984	SAWTELL	1988
WHEN FR JOHN CASEY, PARISH PRIEST OF COFFS HARBOUR, DECIDED TO EASE THE GROWING STRAIN ON ST AUGUSTINE'S SCHOOL DUE TO THE RAPID EXPANSION OF TOORMINA BY BUILDING A NEW SCHOOL AT BAYLDON IN 1980 IT WAS INEVITABLE THAT IT WOULD BE COMMITTED TO THE SISTERS OF MERCY THEN STATIONED AT COFFS HARBOUR AND SISTERS FROM THEIR CONVENT THERE MADE THE DAILY JOURNEY TO BAYLDON TO TEACH. IN 1983 WHEN THE PARISH OF SAWTELL WAS ESTABLISHED THE SCHOOL PASSED TO THAT PARISH AND A NEW COMMUNITY OF SISTERS OF MERCY ESTABLISHED THERE. THE COTTAGE PREVIOUSLY PURCHASED BY THE CATHOLICS OF SAWTELL BECAME THE CONVENT AND THE COMMUNITY MOVED IN. HOWEVER, THE 1980'S WAS A PERIOD OF NOT ONLY GROWING LAICISATION OF THE SCHOOLS BUT ALSO OF VASTLY EXPANDED NEEDS AND REQUIREMENTS WHICH THE SMALL GROUP OF SISTERS WERE UNABLE TO SUSTAIN. ACCORDINGLY IN 1988 THE SISTERS HANDED THE SCHOOL OVER TO THE PARISH AND LAY LEADERSHIP AND WITHDREW FROM THE CONVENT. CONVENT OF MERCY

CONVENT OF MERCY

THE SAWTELL CONVENT OF MERCY HAS HAD A VARIED CAREER SINCE BEING PURCHASED BY THE LOCAL CATHOLIC POPULATION. STANDING IN BORONIA AVENUE ON A CORNER OF THE ORIGINAL CHURCH LAND IT WAS ORIGINALLY OBTAINED FOR PARISH PURPOSES AND LATER AS A PRESBYTERY. ALTHOUGH THE FIRST PRIEST LIVED THERE BRIEFLY HE CHOSE TO USE THE FORMER SCHOOL CARETAKER'S COTTAGE AS HIS HOME AND THUS THE COTTAGE WAS AVAILABLE FOR A CONVENT.

A LARGE AND COMFORTBALE SEASIDE BUNGALOW, IT SERVED THE SISTERS FOR THE FOUR YEARS OF THEIR STAY IN SAWTELL DESPITE THE NEED FOR DAILY TRAVEL TO THE SCHOOL AT BaYLDON THOUGH THIS WAS BALANCED BY PROXIMITY TO THE PARISH CHURCH. AFTER THEIR WITHDRAWAL THE CONVENT WAS RETURNED TO THE PARISH AND IS TODAY USED AS THE PARISH OFFICES.

MARY HELP OF CHRISTIANS SCHOOL, TOORMINA

MARY HELP OF CHRISTIANS PRIMARY SCHOOL, BAYLDON

MARY HELP OF CHRISTIANS SCHOOL WAS OPENED IN 1980 AS A PURPOSE BUILT FACILITY WHICH REFLECTS IN PART SOME OF THE MAJOR CHANGES THAT OCCURRED IN CATHOLIC EDUCATION IN THE LATE 20th CENTURY. IN PLACE OF THE SIMPLE WOODEN BUILDINGS ERECTED NEXT DOOR TO CONVENT OR CHURCH THAT WERE THE NORM PRIOR TO THE 60's THE SCHOOL FOLLOWS THE OPEN-PLAN STYLE THAT IS EXPECTED OF SCHOOLS TODAY. SET ON WIDE GROUNDS WITH PLENTY OF GRASSED PLAYING AREA THE SCHOOL PROVIDES AN ATTRACTIVE EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT. THE SCHOOL PASSED TO LAY LEADERSHIP IN 1989 AND TODAY CONTINUES AS THE PARISH PRIMARY SCHOOL.

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A VIEW OF THE SCHOOL SHOWING THE OUTDOOR ASSEMBLY AREA (LEFT) AND (RIGHT) THE MEMORIAL TO A DECEASED STAFF MEMBER. NEXT

THE ATTRACTIVELY SET SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION BLOCK.	THE SCHOOL'S NEWEST BUILDING, THE SCHOOL LIBRARY.

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1912	SMITHTOWN	1977
IN 1912 THREE SISTERS OF MERCY ARRIVED FROM GRAFTON TO ESTABLISH A PARISH SCHOOL AT SMITHTOWN. THEY HAD BEEN INVITED BY FR RYAN PARISH PRIEST OF SMITHTOWN WHO HAD BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN BRINGING THE MERCY SISTERS TO KEMPSEY IN 1900. LED BY SR M COLUMBA CAWLEY THEY FOUND A LARGE SINGLE STORY CONVENT AWAITING THEM ALTHOUGH A LACK OF FURNISHINGS CAUSED SOME MILD PANIC. THE SINGLE CLASSROOM SCHOOL WAS OPENED AT THE SAME TIME. ALTHOUGH IN THE COURSE OF YEARS IT WOULD GROW IT REMAINED ESSENTIALLY A SMALL PAROCHIAL PRIMARY SCHOOL TO THE END. IN 1977 THE SISTERS VACATED THE CONVENT AS BY THAT TIME THERE WERE INSUFFICIENT SISTERS TO MAINTAIN IT. FOR A TIME ONE SISTER CAME DOWN FROM KEMPSEY DAILY TO TEACH. IN 1978 THE FIRST LAY PRINCIPAL WAS APPOINTED AND THE SISTERS WITHDREW FROM SMITHTOWN COMPLETELY AFTER 66 YEARS OF SERVICE. CONVENT OF ST JOSEPH

CONVENT OF ST JOSEPH

THE PARISH HAD PROVIDED FOR THE NEWLY ARRIVING SISTERS THROUGH THE CONSTRUCTION OF A LARGE SINGLE-STORY COLONIAL STYLE HOUSE ADJACENT TO THE CHURCH AND CLOSE TO THE LITTLE SCHOOL BUILDING. A CONTRETEMPS OCCURRED AS FR RYAN HAD NOT EXPECTED THEM SO EARLY AND THE CONVENT WAS UNFURNISHED. SOON HOWEVER THE SISTERS SETTLED IN AND MADE IT THEIR HOME. THE CONVENT WAS A ROOMY BUILDING WITH A WIDE VERANDAH TO PROVIDE SOME PROTECTION AGAINST THE SUN AND A SMALL CHAPEL BUILT ONTO THE VERAHDAH. AFTER THE SISTERS WITHDREW IT BECAME THE PRINCIPAL'S RESIDENCE AND WAS THEN DEMOLISHED IN 1982. ST JOSEPH'S SCHOOL

ST JOSEPH'S CONVENT SCHOOL

THE ORIGINAL SCHOOL WAS A SMALL ONE CLASSROOM CHURCH-LIKE BUILDING OF WOOD BUILT BEHIND THE CONVENT ( BELOW LEFT ). SEVERAL YEARS LATER THIS BUILDING WAS EXTENDED BY THE ADDITION OF A SECOND CLASSROOM AND A VERANDAH ADDED. TODAY THIS BUILDING IS THE PARISH HALL ( BELOW RIGHT ). THERE WAS ALSO A SHELTER SHED WHICH WAS LATER DEMOLISHED AND A COMBINED INFANTS ROOM AND SHELTER SHED CONSTRUCTED. THIS WAS LATER EXTENDED TOO BUT WAS SUBSEQUENTLY DEMOLISHED. IN 1914 A ROOM FOR BOARDERS WAS BUILT ( SEEN TO THE RIGHT IN THE ABOVE PHOTO ) AS IT WAS OFTEN DIFFICULT TO GET TO SCHOOL EACH DAY. THE ROOM WAS FOR PRIMARY BOYS WHO STAYED AT THE SCHOOL DURING THE WEEK AND RETURNED HOME ON THE WEEKEND. THE SCHOOL CEASED TO TAKE BOARDERS IN 1964 AND THE ROOM WAS CONVERTED TO OTHER USES. TODAY IT IS THE KITCHEN FOR THE HALL. FLOODS WERE ALWAYS A PROBLEM AND AFTER THE 1950 FLOOD WHICH HAD FORCED THE SISTERS OUT OF THE CONVENT THE SCHOOL AND DORMITORY WERE RAISED ABOVE FLOOD LEVEL. IN 1983 THE SCHOOL CLOSED AND THE BUILDINGS PUT TO PARISH USE AS A HALL.

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THE ORIGINAL SCHOOL BUILDING ON OPENING DAY 1912 WITH THE OLD CONVENT IN THE BACK ( ABOVE ) AND THE SAME BUILDING AS IT IS TODAY AFTER LATER EXTENSIONS AND CONVERSIONS ( RIGHT ).
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1985	WOOLGOOLGA
IN 1985 SISTER JOAN MASSEY BEGAN PASTORAL WORK IN WOOLGOOLGA AND IN THE PROCESS ESTABLISHED A CONVENT THERE. WHEN ST FRANCIS XAVIER'S SCHOOL WAS OPENED IN 1994 SISTER MARGARET BANNON JOINED HER AT THE CONVENT DURING HER TEN YEARS AS PRINCIPAL OF THE SCHOOL. IN 2004 SISTER BANNON RETIRED AND THE SCHOOL WAS TAKEN OVER BY A LAY PRINCIPAL. THE CONVENT IS TODAY USED PRIMARILY AS A HOLIDAY HOME FOR THE SISTERS TO RELAX OVERLOOKING THE BEAUTIFUL WATERS OF THE PACIFIC OCEAN. STELLA MARIS CONVENT

STELLA MARIS CONVENT

SISTER JOAN MASSEY WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE OPENING OF THE WOOLGOOLGA CONVENT IN 1985 WHEN SHE MOVED TO THE GROWING COMMUNITY TO UNDERTAKE PASTORAL WORK THERE. THE CONVENT WAS ALSO USED BY SISTER MARGARET BANNON DURING HER TIME AS FIRST PRINCIPAL OF ST FRANCIS XAVIER SCHOOL FROM 1994 TO 2004.

THE CONVENT IS A SIMPLE BRICK VENEER HOUSE SET IN AN IDEAL LOCATION ON A LOW BLUFF OVERLOOKING THE BEACH. THIS LOCATION MADE IT PERFECT FOR USE AS THE SISTERS HOLIDAY HOME AWAY FROM THE HUMIDITY OF PLACES LIKE GRAFTON AND KEMPSEY AND IT IS FOR THIS PURPOSE THAT THE CONVENT IS USED TODAY.

ST FRANCIS XAVIER PRIMARY SCHOOL

ST FRANCIS XAVIER PRIMARY SCHOOL

FR CASEY HAD MADE PLANS TO RELIEVE THE PRESSURE ON ST AUGUSTINE'S SCHOOL IN COFFS HARBOUR THROUGH THE CONSTRUCTION OF NEW SCHOOLS IN THE RAPIDLY GROWING PARISH. IN 1980 MARY HELP OF CHRISTIANS SCHOOL OPENED IN TOORMINA AND AROUND THE SAME TIME LAND WAS PURCHASED IN WEST COFFS HARBOUR. THE EXPLOSIVE GROWTH OF WOOLGOOLGA HOWEVER FOCUSED ATTENTION ON THE NEEDS OF THE NORTHERN PORTION OF THE PARISH AND NEGOTIATIONS BEGAN WITH A VIEW TO OPENING A NEW SCHOOL ON LAND BOUGHT AT THE END OF QUEEN STREET. ALTHOUGH ILL-HEALTH PREVENTED FR CASEY FROM SEEING THE PROJECT THROUGH ST FRANCIS XAVIER PRIMARY WAS NONETHELESS OPENED IN 1994 UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF SISTER MARGARET BANNON. ALTHOUGH THE ORDER PROVIDED THE NEW SCHOOL'S INITIAL LEADERSHIP IT WAS ALWAYS LAY-STAFFED ALBEIT INFORMED BY THE CHARISM OF THE SISTERS OF MERCY.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

MUCH OF THE INFORMATION AND MANY OF THE HISTORICAL PHOTOS FOR THIS PAGE ARE TAKEN FROM AS GENTLE RAIN BY MOTHER MARY RAPHAEL RSM AND SISTER MARY CELESTINE RSM. IT IS HERE ACKNOWLEDGED WITH GRATITUDE. READERS WHO WISH TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE GRAFTON SISTERS OF MERCY ARE REFERRED TO THIS WORK. A SPECIAL ACKNOWLDGEMENT GOES TO THE SISTERS OF MERCY THEMSELVES, ESPECIALLY SR MARY QUINN THE PRESENT CONGREGATIONAL ARCHIVIST.

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