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The Sisters of Charity of Australia (who use the postnominal initials of RSC) is a congregation of religious sisters in the
Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwide . It is am ...
who have served the people of Australia since 1838.


History

Mother
Mary Aikenhead Mother Mary Frances Aikenhead (19 January 1787 – 22 July 1858) was born in Daunt's Square off Grand Parade, Cork, Ireland. Described as one of nursing's greatest leaders, she was the founder of the Catholic religious institute, the Relig ...
, who had founded the Religious Sisters of Charity in 1815 in
Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of the Wicklow Mountains range. At the 2016 ...
, Ireland, then part of the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was a sovereign state in the British Isles that existed between 1801 and 1922, when it included all of Ireland. It was established by the Acts of Union 1800, which merged the Kingdom of Grea ...
, was requested by John Bede Polding OS., the first Catholic bishop in Australia, to send some sisters to help the many female convicts who had been transported to Australia as penalty for their crimes. Arriving in New South Wales, then still a colony of the
British Empire The British Empire was composed of the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It began with the overseas possessions and trading posts e ...
, on the ''Francis Spaight'' on 31 December 1838 the five Sisters who had volunteered to go to Australia from Ireland were the first Religious Sisters to set foot on the Australian continent. They were led by Mother Mary John Cahill. The other sisters were Mary Lawrence Cater, Mary Baptist De Lacy, Mary Frances de Sales O'Brien and Mary Xavier Williams, who was a novice. The Sisters of Charity of Australia have operated independently of the congregation in Ireland since 1842. St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, was founded by the Sisters in 1857. In 1925, the Sisters of Charity ventured to Queensland, Australia to open a school, Mt St Michael's College - originally known as Grantuly until 1941 - in Ashgrove. The
spirituality The meaning of ''spirituality'' has developed and expanded over time, and various meanings can be found alongside each other. Traditionally, spirituality referred to a religious process of re-formation which "aims to recover the original shape ...
of the Sisters of Charity derives from the life of St. Vincent de Paul and the vision of
Mary Aikenhead Mother Mary Frances Aikenhead (19 January 1787 – 22 July 1858) was born in Daunt's Square off Grand Parade, Cork, Ireland. Described as one of nursing's greatest leaders, she was the founder of the Catholic religious institute, the Relig ...
, their foundress. In addition to the three vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, the Sisters of Charity take a fourth vow, of service to the poor. For the Sisters of Charity, "Service of the Poor" denotes not only the alleviation of a present affliction by immediate action, but also includes having a "preferential option for the poor".


Services

The ministries of the Sisters of Charity of Australia have been varied in nature from the time of their founding. From ministering in prisons to managing hospitals and acting to conserve environments, they have been quick to "read the signs of the times" and move to where they have been most needed, in the greatest service to the poor. One of their most prominent ministries was the establishment of St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney in 1857. St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne was opened in 1893. The health care ministries of St Vincent's Health Australia are now under the stewardship of Mary Aikenhead Ministries. In 1957, the Sisters opened Mt Olivet Hospital as a
hospice Hospice care is a type of health care that focuses on the palliation of a terminally ill patient's pain and symptoms and attending to their emotional and spiritual needs at the end of life. Hospice care prioritizes comfort and quality of life b ...
in
Brisbane Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Queensland, and the third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of approximately 2.6 million. Brisbane lies at the centre of the South ...
. It now provides a wider range of hospital services and has been renamed St Vincent's Private Hospital.


Heritage Centre and Archives

In June 2019 the Sisters of Charity of Australia opened their Heritage Centre and Archives in Potts Point, Sydney, adjacent to St Vincent's Ladies' College, the Congregational Chapel, and the original site of St Vincent's Private Hospital Sydney. The Centre houses an exhibition space which tells the story of the Sisters of Charity since their arrival in 1838, as well as the archives and meeting spaces.


Schools

Following is a timeline of the schools which were either founded by the Sisters of Charity of Australia, or at which the Sisters had a foundational or otherwise significant impact on the school through teaching and administration. This timeline was authored by Danielle Achikian in her book ''Ministry of Love: The story of the Sister of Charity.''


New South Wales

1858 St Vincent's Primary School. Potts Point 1871 St Vincent's High School, Potts Point 1882 amalgamated to become
St Vincent's College , motto_translation = Religion and Knowledge united , established = , type = Independent single-sex secondary day and boarding school , gender = Girls , denomination = Roman Catholic , ...
1879 St Mary's High School, Liverpool 1882 St Mary's Primary School, Liverpool 1920 primary and high schools amalgamate to become an intermediate school 1950 primary and high schools separate 1881 Bethlehem College, Ashfield 1882 St Charles Primary School, Ashfield later rename
St Vincent's Primary School
188
St Mary's Primary School
Concord 1883 Sacred Heart Primary School, Darlinghurst 1883 St Mary's Cathedral School, Sydney 1883 St Thomas Becket Primary School, Lewisham 1883 St Francis' Primary School, Paddington 1884 Nazaretto School, Bega 1885 All Saints' Primary School. Bombala 1885 All Saints High School, Bombala 1886 St Michael's Parish School. Hurstville later renamed St Mary's Star of the Sea Primary School 1888 St Anne's Orphanage School, Liverpool 1892
St Canice's Primary School ST, St, or St. may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Stanza, in poetry * Suicidal Tendencies, an American heavy metal/hardcore punk band * Star Trek, a science-fiction media franchise * Summa Theologica, a compendium of Catholic philosoph ...
, Elizabeth Bay 1892 St John's Primary School, Auburn 1892 St Joseph's School, Rockdale 1893 St John's Girls High School, Auburn 1895 St Mary's Star of the Sea High School. Hurstville 1895 St Patrick's Primary School, Mortlake 1901 St Canice's Primary School, Katoomba 1901 Mt St Mary's School, Katoomba later renamed Mt St Mary's Ladies College 1903 Mt St Patrick's High School. Paddington 1907 St Declan's Primary School, Penshurst 1912 Convent Infants, Primary arnd High School become Monte Oliveto College. Edgecliff 1913 St Thomas High School, Lewisham 1924 St Ambrose's Primary School, Concord West 1926 St Mary's Cathedral Commercial College, Sydney 1929 St Raphael's Church School, South Hurstville 1935 Sacred Heart Primary School, Cabramatta 1939 St Thomas More's Catholic Primary School, Brighton-Le-Sands 1939 St Gabriel's Primary School, Bexley 1952 St Peter's Primary School, Mt Pritchard later renamed Our Lady Or 1952 Mt Carmel Primary School 1958 Stella Maris Primary School Shellharbour 1964 St Joseph the Worker School, Auburn South 1982 Marion Primary School, Horsley Park 2000 Nazareth Catholic Primary School, Blackbutt


Tasmania

1847 St Joseph's School, Hobart (primary and secondary) 1924 St Joseph's Secondary School (also known as St Joseph's College) 1957 Secondary classes transferred to Mt Carmel College, Sandy Bay 1869 St Luke's Ragged School, South Hobart 1879 St Joseph’s Orphanage School, Hobart 1926 St Brigid's Catholic School, New Norfolk 1942 Mt Carmel Primary School, Sandy Bay later renamed Mt Carmel College 1960 St Aloysius Primary School, Kingston 1965 St Francis Xavier's Primary School. South Hobart


Victoria

1889 St Patrick's Primary School. Fitzroy later renamed St Patrick's Cathedral Convent School 1890 St John's Primary School, East Melbourne 1891 St Joseph's Primary School. Collingwood 1894 St John the Baptist, Clifton Hill (primary and secondary 1896 St Monica's School, Essendon 1897 St Patrick's Cathedral Convent School, Fitzroy demolished and relocated to East Melbourne 1902 Catholic Ladies College, East Melbourne later relocated to Eltham 1897 St Columba's College, Essendon (primary and secondary) 1897 St George's Primary School, Carlton 1923 St Therese's Primary School, Essendon 1931 St Philomena's Scholarship School, Moonee Ponds 1937 St Vincent de Paul Primary School, North Essendon (parish later renamed Strathmore) 1955 St John Bosco's Primary School. East Keilor 1955 Corpus Christi Primary School. Glenroy 1961 St Francis de Sales Primary School. Oak Park 1962 St Christopher's Primary School Airport West 1967 Sancta Sophia College. Glenroy 1971 Our Lady Help of Christians Primary School. Eltham 1971 Sacred Heart Primary School. Diamond Creek 1974 St Leo the Great Primary School, Altona North 1983 St Charles Borromeo Catholic Primary School. Templestowe


Queensland

1925 St Finbarr's Primary School. Ashgrove 1928 St Finbarr's Secondary College. Ashgrove (also referred to as Grantuly College) later renamed Mt St Michael's College 1929 St Mary's College, Kingaroy 1951 Mater Dei Catholic Primary School, St John's Wood 1972 St Peter Chanel's Primary School, The Gap 1955 Notre Dame Primary School, Coorparoo


Australian Capital Territory

1966 Holy Trinity Primary School, Curtin


Hospitals and health care services

*1996: The Sisters of Charity Health Service established *2009: Mary Aikenhead Ministries established


New South Wales

1857 St Vincent's Hospital, Tarmons, Potts Point 1870 relocated to Darlinghurst site 1882 School of Nursing established 1886 St Joseph's Consumptive Hospital, Parramatta 1890 Sacred Heart Hospice for the Dying. Darlinghurst 1988 Sacred Heart Hospice for the Dying. Darlinghurst - new building 1892 St Joseph's Hospital Auburn 1908 Casualty Department established at St Vincent's Hospital Sydney 1909 St Vincent's Private Hospital Sydney 1977 St Vincent's Private Hospital Sydney - new building 1920 first Orthopaedic Department in Australia established at St Vincent's Hospital Sydney 1921 St Vincent's Hospital Lismore 1922 St Vincent's Hospital Bathurst 1923 St Vincent's Hospital Sydney approved by the Senate of the University of Sydney as a teaching hospital and clinical school 1925 Sacred Heart Hospital, Cootamundra 1937 St Joseph's Hospice, Lismore 1937 Almoners (Social Work) Department established at St Vincent's Hospital Sydney 1945 Physiotherapy Department established at St Vincent's Hospital Sydney 1945 Department of Experimental Medicine established at St Vincent's Hospital Sydney 1949 Department of Neurosurgery established at St Vincent's Hospital Sydney 1952 Cardiovascular Unit established at St Vincent's Hospital Sydney 1961 Babworth House, Darling Point established as a convalescent annexe of St Vincent's Hospital Sydney 1962 Caritas Psychiatric Centre, Sydney established as a psychiatric day centre and later became an inpatient psychiatric service 1962 Rheumatology Department established at St Vincent's Hospital Sydney 1963 The Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney 1984 incorporated as an autonomous., non-profit institute under the Garvan Institute of Medical Research Ad 1966 St Brigid's Infirmary, Potts Point 1981 named St Brigid's Nursing Home 1967 Coronary Care Unit established at St Vincent's Hospital Sydney 1981 Diabetic Day Care Centre established at St Vincent's Hospital Sydney 1982 Gorman House, Detoxification Unit, Sydney 1984 Rankin Court Alcohol and Drug Service 1983 Centre for Immunology. Sydney 2008 becomes part of St Vincent's Centre for Applied Medical Research 1989 The Centre for or Immunology established at St Vincent's Hospital Sydney 1990 St Vincent's Clinic 1991 Tarmons, St Joseph's Village, Auburn 1994 Victor Chang Cardiac Research Unit, Sydney 2001 rehabilitation Unit established at St Vincent's Hospital Sydney 2001 Mater Hospital North Sydney is acquired from the Sisters of Mercy, North Sydney and merged with St Vincent's Hospital Sydney, Darlinghurst campus 2002 Xavier Building opens at St Vincent's Hospital Sydney providing 360 new beds 2003 Stroke Unit established at St Vincent's Hospital Sydney 2008 Lowy Packer Building opens as St Vincent's Centre for Applied Medical Research 2008 Cunningham Centre established for research and clinical practice into palliative care


Victoria

1893 St Vincent's Hospital, Fitzroy 1906 St Evin's Private Hospital. Fitzroy 1915 renamed Mt St Evin's Private Hospital 1968 demolished and new St Vincent's Private Hospital built on site 1910 St Vincent's Hospital Clinical School established. It is the first school to have a formal agreement with the University of Melbourne regarding the appointment of teaching staff 1937 St Vincent's Maternity Hospital, Melbourne 1972 merged with St Vincent's Private Hospital Melbourne 1938 Caritas Christi Hospice, Kew 1958 St Vincent's School of Medical Research, Melbourne 1984 St Vincent's at Home at St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne 1984 renamed St Vincent's Institute of Medical Research 1959 Home Care Extension Service established and later renamed 1960 Aikenhead Nurses Home and Daly Wing at St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne 1961 Intensive Care Unit established at St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne the first in Australia 1964 Australia's first clinic for the care of alcoholics and the study of alcohol established at St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne 1970 The O’Brien Institute 1972 St Vincent's Private Hospital Melbourne 1998 merged with Mercy Private Hospital to form St Vincent's & Mercy Private Hospital 2008 Acquisition of Vimy Private Hospital. All three facilities merged to become known as St Vincent's Private Hospital Melbourne 1976 Microsurgery Research Unit established at St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne 1976 Prague House, Kew established offering residential health services for homeless people 1979 St Augustine's Ward established at St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne provide inpatient health services for prison inmates 1988 de Paul House, Fitzroy opens as a detoxification unit 2001 St George's Health Service Kew transferred by the State Government to be part of St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne 2006 St Vincent's Clinical Education and Simulation Centre established at St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne


Queensland

1922 St Vincent's Private Hospital Toowoomba 1952 St Vincent's Maternity Hospital Toowoomba 1957 Mt Olivet Hospital, Kangaroo Point 1977 Marycrest Retirement Centre/Lilian Cooper Nursing Home Kangaroo Point 2000 acquisition of aged care services in Queensland: St Paul's Villa; Magdalene Court; St Patrick's Villa; St John the Baptist Retirement Community; Oxford Park Retirement Community; St Joseph's Villa Hostel; Madonna Villa Nursing Home 2000 St Vincent's Hospital Robina 2002 transferred operations to Queensland Health 2001 The Holy Spirit Northside Private Hospital, Chermside established as a partnership with the Holy Spirit Sisters 2002 Intensive Care Unit established at St Vincent's Private Hospital Toowoomba, the first private unit in Australia


Tasmania

1944 acquired St Margaret's Hospital and renamed it St Vincent's Hospital Launceston 2005 ownership transferred to Calvary Health Care


See also

* Religious Sisters of Charity *
Mary Dunstan Wilson Mary Dunstan Wilson (born Ella, 1870–1959) was an Australian educator and member of the Sisters of Charity of Australia. Early life and education Ella Wilson was born on 21 August 1870, in Maitland, New South Wales, Australia. Her p ...
*
Ellen O'Doherty Ellen O'Doherty (1894–1983), known by her religious name as Sister Mary Alphonsus, was an Australian religious who became the superior general of the Sisters of Charity of Australia. She was a skilled nurse and hospital administrator, and ...
*
Mary Healy (Mother Gertrude) Mary Healy (24 July 1865 – 28 April 1952), better known as Mother Gertrude, was a member of the Sisters of Charity of Australia and hospital administrator. She made significant contributions to the development of St Vincent's Hospital, Sydne ...
*
Mary Catherine Bruton Mary Catherine Bruton (1862–1937) was the superior-general of the Sisters of Charity of Australia from 1924 – 1936 and also served as an educator and a hospital administrator. She was better known as Mother Canice. Early life Mary Catherine ...
(Mother Canice)


References


Further reading

* Cullen, John H., 1938 'The Australian daughters of Mary Aikenhead : a century of charity, 1838-1938', Pellegrini, Sydney *Donovan, Margaret. M. (1979bc). ''Apostolate of Love: Mary Aikenhead, 1787–1858, Foundress of the Irish Sisters of Charity''. Melbourne: Polding Press


External links


Religious Sisters of Charity of Australia Website

Religious Sisters of Charity Website

St. Vincent's Hospital, Sydney Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sisters Of Charity Of Australia Religious organizations established in 1842 Religious institutes in the Vincentian tradition Catholic female orders and societies Health charities in Australia