Overview

Some 127 years ago, a group of twelve FCJ Sisters - Faithful Companions of Jesus - boarded the SS Liguria at Gravesend, England, and set off for Australia. After a voyage of six weeks, the little group arrived on 1 June 1882 in the Great South Land of the Holy Spirit. Within twelve days of their arrival, the Melbourne Catholic paper reports that the Sisters had opened their high school and free school. The first group of twelve, mostly in their 20s or early 30s, kept a journal of the vogage, a series of letters addressed to Mother Josephine, the General Superior, and sent back from each port at which they broke the voyage. It is an intriguing first hand account of the travel of the day, though necessarily given through unworldly eyes. Further groups arrived in 1884, 1885 and 1888, and their world rapidly expanded. Again the author draws on contemporary accounts of setting up schools, teaching, parish and devotional activities, and aspects of society. 'Everyone,' says one comment, 'seems to be education mad...We were expecting to find a crowd of unruly god diggers' children, but I can assure you that for intelligence and good manners these little colonists would put to shame their sisters in England. This book recounts the work of those pioneering Sisters, and of the three other groups who arrived over the next six years. It draws upon journals kept of the sea voyages and correspondence and early accounts of establishing their mission. What marvellous women they were, as they met the needs of God's people with ingenuity and generosity! We are proud of them and remember their legacy with gratitude. - Barbara Brown-Graham fcJ, Provincial Leader

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9780646526843

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Author Information

Sr Aileen Ryan is the Archivist for the FCJ Sisters at their Congregational Centre in Richmond, Victoria.

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