60th anniversary of Dominicans in Glenorchy
Last Sunday a larger than usual congregation gathered at St John’s Church in Glenorchy at the 10.00am Mass to celebrate the 60th anniversary since the arrival of the Dominican Sisters in Tasmania.
Several mainlander based Dominican Sisters and former workers in the Lord’s vineyard in Glenorchy were able to be present including Congregational leader Sr Mary Clare Holland, Srs Margaret Mary Brown, June Peck, Pauline Riley, Julianna Drobik along with local, well-known and loved Sr Pam Davis and Sr Mary Rickards.
Sr Mary Clare Holland addressed the congregation in these words; ‘the joys and challenges, the hopes and the struggles were most evident as the Sisters endeavoured with the support of many generous parishioners and the religious congregations already here, to provide the facilities and education deserving of families. Those initial days were not easy, and the first fifteen years saw much growth, development and change.’
In a fine tribute to the education she, and other girls like her, received from the Dominican Sisters, Bobby Court, the second Principal of Guilford Young reminisced: ‘the Sisters were our example of generous service to others of hope and joy. They enthused us to love our learning, to explore and inquire. They taught us to aspire to making the most of our lives and to make a positive difference to the world we would create. We learnt to dance the great ballets, to sing, to appreciate fine art and music, to perform Gilbert and Sullivan as never performed before, to march like soldiers, to play games like champions and to wear our hats and gloves beautifully…the ladies of the northern suburbs.’
The parish choir sang beautifully at the Mass including the singing of a hymn called Sound the Great St Dominic’s Praises which bookended the celebration. Former Holy Name girl students sang along with gusto and knew the hymn word for word. A sumptuous morning tea including a specially made cake marking the anniversary followed Mass. It was indeed a worthy celebration of a significant milestone.
You can view more photos on the College website gallery: Dominican 60th.
Fr Peter Rankin SDB - Rector
A Catholic School in the Salesian Tradition
