IN 1847 SIX SISTERS LEFT FROM THE FOUNDATION AT CABRA IN IRELAND TO ESTABLISH A COMMUNITY IN KINGSTOWN ALSO IN IRELAND. IN 1866 BISHOP MURRAY APPROACHED THIS COMMUNITY IN WHICH SEVERAL OF HIS RELATIVES WERE PROFESSED TO PROVIDE SOME SISTERS TO STAFF A SCHOOL IN MAITLAND, HIS DIOCESAN SEAT. BISHOP MURRAY HOPED THAT THAT THROUGH THIS MEANS YOUNG WOMEN WITH FINANCIAL BACKING AND SOCIAL STANDING WOULD BE INSPIRED TO BECOME THE FIRST GENERATION OF CATHOLIC TEACHERS FOR HIS PEOPLE. IN 1867 M. M. AGNES BOURKE AND SEVEN COMPANIONS MADE THE ARDUOUS JOURNEY TO AUSTRALIA AND ARRIVED IN MAITLAND. ONCE IN MAITLAND THEY ESTABLISHED ST MARY'S GIRLS SCHOOL AND FROM THERE QUICKLY SPREAD TO OTHER PARTS OF NSW. SINCE THEN THEY HAVE EXTENDED THEIR APOSTOLATE TO QUEENSLAND, VICTORIA, TASMANIA AND THE ACT AS WELL AS OVERSEAS TO THE SOLOMON ISLANDS AND THE PHILIPPINES.