WITH THE CLOSURE OF ST PATRICK'S SEMINARY AT MANLY AND ITS SUBSEQUENT LEASING AS A HOSPITALITY COLLEGE THE SISTERS LOST THEIR HOME OF 60 YEARS. THE FEW SISTERS REMAINING WERE THEN ACCOMODATED IN A UNIT OF THE SCALABRINI VILLAGE AT ALLAMBIE HEIGHTS FROM WHENCE THE SISTERS COULD CARRY OUT THEIR SEVERAL INDIVIDUAL APOSTOLATES IN A WELL EARNED SEMI-RETIREMENT.

THE CLOSING DOWN OF ST PATRICK'S MANLY AND A DECLINE IN NUMBERS OF A NOW AGING COMMUNITY OF SISTERS FORCED A REAPPRAISAL OF THE SISTERS ACCOMODATION NEEDS AT THE TURN OF THE CENTURY. FOR BOTH REASONS THE CONVENT AT MANLY WAS INCONVENIENT AND ACCORDINGLY IT WAS RENTED ALONG WITH THE REST OF THE COLLEGE TO THE HOSPITALITY SCHOOL. TO HOUSE THE REMAINING SISTERS A NEW CONVENT OF OUR LADY HELP OF CHRISTIANS WAS PROVIDED WITHIN THE SCALABRINI VILLAGE HOSTEL (LEFT). THE CONVENT COMPRISES A COMFORTABLE MODERN APPARTMENT WELL SUITED TO THE LIVES OF THE SMALL NUMBER OF RETIRED SISTERS WHO LIVE THERE. AT THE SAME TIME THE SISTERS ARE ABLE TO REMAIN FAITHFUL TO THE CALL TO BE ACTIVE AMONG THE RESIDENTS OF THE VILLAGE AS WELL AS IN THE WIDER LOCAL COMMUNITY.

TOWARDS THE END OF THE 1980's THE SISTERS WERE FACED WITH THE NECESSITY OF RE-EVALUATING THEIR APOSTOLATE FOLLOWING THE CLOSURE OF THE SEMINARIES. THIS RE-EVALUATION TOOK THE FORM OF PURSUING INDIVIDUAL APOSTOLATES FOR WHICH MORE FLEXIBILITY WAS REQUIRED IN THEIR ACCOMODATION ARRANGEMENTS. IN 1989 THE SISTERS OBTAINED A HOUSE NEXT DOOR TO ST CECILIA'S CHURCH IN BALGOWLAH WHICH PROVIDED A SUITABLE LOCATION FOR THE SISTERS TO INDIVIDUALLY PURSUE A BROAD RANGE OF SUCH APOSTOLATES.

THE SISTERS CONVENT IN BALGOWLAH IS A SIMPLE FEDERATION STYLE BUNGALOW OF THE 1920's WHICH WAS BOUGHT BY THE SISTERS IN 1989. IT IS LOCATED ON A QUIET SUBURBAN STREET IDEAL FOR THE LIFE OF SEMI-RETIRED ACTIVISM OF THE SMALL NUMBER OF SISTERS WHO NOW RESIDE THERE. THE HOUSE IS TYPICAL OF MANY BUILT IN THE SUBURB WITH A STUCCOED WALL, LARGE BOW WINDOW AND A WELL-KEPT LAWN.

TODAY THE SISTERS RESIDING AT THE CONVENT ARE ABLE TO KEEP UP THEIR WORK IN THE COMMUNITY FOLLOWING EACH THEIR OWN CHARISM WITHIN A PEACEFUL ENVIRONMENT - SO RICHLY DESERVED AFTER THE MANY YEARS OF DEVOTION TO THEIR CALLING TO CARE FOR ALL THOSE STUDENTS AND PRIESTS WHO HAD PASSED THROUGH THE SEMINARIES AT MANLY AND SPRINGWOOD AS WELL AS THEIR SOCIAL APOSTOLATES.

I WISH TO GIVE A HEARTFELT VOTE OF THANKS TO SISTER PAUL, LEADER OF THE SISTERS OF OUR LADY HELP OF CHRISTIANS FOR THE HELP AND INFORMATION SHE PROVIDED ABOUT THE ORDER. IT IS HEREWITH ACKNOWLEDGED WITH PARTICULAR GRATITUDE.