By Sr Jan Ryan, Australia (Province of Australia and Aotearoa/New Zealand)

On August 30, 2024, six sisters, mission partners, staff, pupils, friends, and, most importantly, three former residents gathered to unveil a plaque at Mt. Maria College in the Brisbane suburb of Mitchelton, Queensland, Australia.

Now a Catholic co-educational secondary school under the administration of the archdiocese, this building was once under the care of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd.

Having been invited by Archbishop Duhig of Brisbane to establish a home for girls, three Good Shepherd sisters arrived in November 1930 to consider the proposal.

While the sisters were still considering the situation, the archbishop took the bold decision to lay the foundation stone within days of their arrival and arranged for a large number of people to gather at the cottage on the property to celebrate the occasion.

Located 11 kilometers from the city and with a dairy farm and woodland, the sisters—thankfully—considered it a suitable location, and the new foundation received approval from the then Province Leader, Mother Mary of the Archangels O’Connor.

With the help of their kind neighbors, the sisters managed to have everything in place within days, and the gathering happened on time, seemingly effortlessly!

Despite its hasty beginnings in early 1931, life at Mt. Maria took on its own rhythms and proved to be an energetic, vibrant part of the sisters’ mission in Australia. The weather, being subtropical, encouraged sporting and outdoor activities. Over the years, opportunities were created to offer education, training, and employment to the women and girls.

The sisters provided many interesting activities for the girls, encouraging them to participate in arts and crafts activities, musical events, plays, and concerts. The hope that the women and girls living at Mt. Maria might find healing, renewed confidence in themselves, and the ability “to live life to the full” remained central to the day-to-day activities. We have also acknowledged that life at Mt. Maria was not a positive experience for all the girls, and for this, we have apologized.

During the seventies, developments in understanding how young people should be cared for and supported meant that we sought new and creative ways to support girls and young women and encourage their personal growth. These new evolutions brought about the closure of many institutions, including Mt Maria, which closed in 1976.

Notwithstanding this change, the environment continued with the aim of educating young people so that they, too, could “live their life to the full.” In 1978, under the administration of the Marist Brothers, Mt. Maria Senior College commenced operations.

The college has always been conscious of its earliest foundations and welcomed our offer to place a plaque in the building to remember, honor, and acknowledge the women and girls who had lived at the home during the 45 years it was under the care of the Congregation.

In his speech on the day, the school’s principal reminded us of the Gospel in which the Shepherd seeks the lost one – he remarked how wonderful it is that our God notices when one out of 100 is missing!

As we gathered to ritualize and remember the past, we celebrated the ongoing spirit of hospitality, remembrance, and life now so evident in this fine establishment.