150 years of Sisters of Mercy in Albury

Originally, they came in habits. Starched, stiff, formal.

For decades the Sisters of Mercy taught young minds, nursed the sick, and listened to those without a voice. 

Later, through Vatican II and again in the 21^st century, the Sisters of Mercy’s appearance and roles changed. But rather than clinging to the past in a changing world, the nuns did what they’d done for so many years – they found an unfulfilled need and helped people.

Sisters Bernice Keane and Shirley Garland joined the order in 1962 and 1961, both experiencing life before and after the Vatican reform. Sister Liz Rothe joined in 1974. 

This weekend the Sisters, along with former students, patients and colleagues will celebrate the 150^th anniversary of the first eight Sisters of Mercy arriving in Albury from Goulburn on July 22, 1868.

“For me, it is about remembering all the work those women did, how tough it was in those early days yet they managed to pass onto us an enormous legacy,” Sister Garland said.

“It’s amazing what we’ve got from it and what Albury has.”

The Sisters were asked by a priest to move to the town and teach.

In 1870, their convent – a sky scraper in its day – was built, the highest building in fledgling Albury’s skyline.

The Sisters came, starting a school for girls which allowed them to stay in school beyond 12 years old.

But rather than being content with helping Albury children, the sisters expanded into the regions – from Henty to Wodonga and Deniliquin –  bringing their teachings and music, which was a precious resource.

“They weren’t the only ones, but in a lot of country towns the Sisters taught music and it brought music to a whole lot of people that didn’t have it,” said Sister Garland. 

“It was part of life in England but people in the colonies didn’t have pianos and the Sisters provided that music.”

The Sisters also played a vital role developing the Mercy Hospital and St John’s Orphanage, which went on to become St John’s Children’s Home, St John’s Family Care Centre, Mercy Centre and finally the modern iteration of Mercy Connect which works with people in the community with disabilities. 

Sister Keane, who previously worked as a nurse, said the Sisters were instrumental in developing Mercy Hospital, now Mercy Health provides vital services.

“It has the first designated palliative care in the region,” Sister Keane said. “It had a hospice care but also took up the community – staff educated staff in other regional hospitals about the difference between palliative care and acute care.”

Outside the major ministries of health and education, the Sisters visited prisoners, the elderly, mothers and anyone in need – helping hasten the region’s development in many fields.

But the life of a Sister of Mercy has never been static, and although their habits were stiff, the women in them proved themselves adaptable to new towns, generations and community needs. 

One of the biggest changes came a few years in to Sister Garland and Sister Keane’s time with the order when Vatican II (1962-65) introduced many changes within Catholicism to make the faith more relevant to people in the 20^th century.

On the outside, one of the biggest changes was getting rid of the formal habits nuns wore daily, but Sister Garland said to the Sisters the reforms were about a lot more than clothes.

“It was our view of how we lived in the world, our associations and relationships with other people outside ourselves – that was the big change I think,” she said.

“It was symbolised by dress but virtually that was the outer sign of it, not the depth of what was going on inside or how we were reviewing ourselves. 

“The dress, making it more simple, it helped people talk to us and made us more approachable.

“We saw ourselves then becoming more associated with the life of the community around us rather than just within our own community.”

That spirit of inclusion and change has continued, with many of the Sisters up-skilling and adapting their ministry to the needs of the modern era. 

Sister Rothe, a former teacher, said although nuns remained linked to schools and hospitals, ministries have branched out and very few nuns could be found walking the corridors of convents.

“As numbers have decreased Sisters have started to be involved in ministries that are very much focused on what the needs are for today, because obviously education is cared for and health is cared for,” she said.

Four years ago, 17 Sisters of Mercy from Griffith to Wodonga formed the Along the Murray Ministry.

Some women, like Sister Rothe, have become Spiritual Directors who help people who want to talk to about their life, troubles and what God means in their life today. 

Others work with Indigenous communities to help close the gap educationally, like former teacher Sister Garland, while others Sisters work with refugees.

One Sister is even a trained psychologist who travels to Finley and Yarrawonga, where psychological services are sparse. 

“It’s about seeing what the need is and if it’s not being addressed by someone else and if we’ve got the skills – of course a lot of us have reskilled – then let’s try help,” Sister Garland said.

In modern Australia, where fewer people report having a religion, the Sisters of Mercy have still found a way to remain a vital part of the Albury community.

But with an aging order and few young recruits – what do the Sisters see for the next 150 years?

The Sisters want to see the spirit of the eight women who traveled to Albury continue. 

How that will look, they’re less certain. 

“There was one time in my life where I thought we should be trying to promote more about religious life,” Sister Rothe said.

“But, I think now it doesn’t worry me personally anymore. 

“It’s more about passing on the spirit and commitment to justice issues, environmental issues and women’s issues.”

Sister Garland said in the past women needed the protection of religious orders to undertake certain work.

“In the early days this was the way women could do that, women desperately needed a structure otherwise they were vulnerable,” she said. 

“You couldn’t do it on your own, but nowadays people can take on the works we do, not necessarily the religious life, but the works we do and they don’t need to be religious to do that.

“We certainly would like to be passing on the adventure and spirit.

“You watch young people today and they pick up a lot of the same themes that have obviously been important for many, many years and run with them in their own way.”