ORDERS

RELIGIOUS SISTERS OF MERCY
GOULBURN CONGREGATION

TODAY'S CONGREGATION OF THE SISTERS OF MERCY OF GOULBURN CAME INTO BEING IN 1907 WHEN THE THREE EXISTING AUTONOMOUS FOUNDATIONS IN THE DIOCESE AMALGAMATED. THE OLDEST OF THESE WAS THE GOULBURN FOUNDATION ITSELF. GOULBURN WAS BECOMING AN IMPORTANT REGIONAL CENTRE AND THERE WAS A GREAT NEED FOR CATHOLIC SCHOOLS STAFFED BY RELIGIOUS. SO IT WAS THAT IN 1859 AT THE REQUEST OF ARCHBISHOP POLDING MOTHER IGNATIUS MURPHY AND FIVE OTHER SISTERS ARRIVED FROM WESPORT IRELAND TO TAKE UP THIS IMPORTANT APOSTOLATE IN A FAR DISTANT LAND. NINE YEARS LATER MOTHER IGNATIUS AGAIN LED FIVE SISTERS TO MAKE A NEW FOUNDATION AT ALBURY REQUESTED BY THE PARISH PRIEST, DR McALROY. IN THE MEANTIME BISHOP LANIGAN WAS GIVING THOUGHT TO THE GROWING TOWNSHIP OF YASS. ACCORDINGLY HE COMMISSIONED FATHER McALROY TO SEEK OUT RELIGIOUS IN IRELAND WHO WOULD BE PREPARED TO MAKE A FOUNDATION IN HIS DIOCESE. AS A RESULT THREE SISTERS UNDER MOTHER ALACOQUE LEFT ROCHFORT IN IRELAND AND CAME TO YASS. THESE THREE AUTONOMOUS FOUNDATIONS WERE SOON CALLED UPON TO OPEN BRANCH HOUSES IN THE SETTLEMENTS THAT SPREAD THROUGH THE DIOCESE. ADDITIONALLY THE SISTERS UNDERTOOK OTHER APOSTOLATES CARING FOR THE SICK AND THE ORPHANED. IN 1907 IN LINE WITH OTHER DIOCESES THE THREE MOTHER HOUSES AMALGAMATED INTO A SINGLE CONGREGATION WITH A NEW MOTHER HOUSE AND CENTRAL NOVITIATE IN GOULBURN. TODAY THE CONGREGATION UNDERTAKES A WIDE VARIETY OF WORKS INCLUDING MOTOR MISSIONS TO RURAL SCHOOLS, AGED CARE AND PASTORAL ASSISTANCE TO PARISHES ALL IN THE SERVICE OF GOD.

FOUNDATIONS
THE GOULBURN SISTERS OF MERCY WERE AN AMALGAMATION OF THREE INDEPENDANT FOUNDATIONS EACH WITH THEIR OWN BRANCH HOUSES. AFTER 1907 ALL NEW FOUNDATIONS WERE MADE BY THE AMALGAMATED CONGREGATION. THE FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF ALL FOUNDATIONS MADE IN AUSTRALIA BY THE SISTERS FROM GOULBURN, YASS AND ALBURY EXCEPT FOR THE HOLIDAY HOUSES AT AVALON, MANLY, MORNINGTON AND MENTONE. THE LIST ALSO DOES NOT INCLUDE AUTONOMOUS FOUNDATIONS MADE IN WILCANNIA AND DENILIQUIN, AMALGAMATED WITH THE WILCANNIA-FORBES CONGREGATION, OR WODONGA AND DELORAINE WHICH JOINED WITH THE MELBOURNE CONGREGATION. THESE FOUR WILL BE FOUND UNDER THEIR INDIVIDUAL CONGREGATIONS.
ALBURY 1868	BARMEDMAN 1906	BETHUNGRA 1914	BINDA 1924	BOOROWA 1882
BRADDON 1955	CAPTAIN'S FLAT 1948	CHISHOLM 1996	COOTAMUNDRA 1882	COROWA 1887
CRONULLA 1914	CROOKWELL 1903	DEE WHY 1923	FINLEY 1913	GALONG 1911
GOOLOOGONG 1916	GOULBURN 1859	GOWRIE 1993	GRENFELL 1887	GRIFFITH 1921
GUNDAGAI 1886	GUNNING 1900	HACKETT 1996	HENTY 1924	HOWLONG 1927
JERILDERIE 1902	JUNEE 1888	KAMBAH	LAVENDER BAY 1944	MARIAN HILL 1926
MURRINGO 1917	MURRUMBURRAH 1882	STIRLING 1981	STOCKINBINGAL 1914	TOCUMWAL 1906
TUMUT 1882	WEST GOULBURN 1900	WEST WYALONG 1895	YASS 1875	YOUNG 1923

SISTERS OF MERCY INFORMATION