MFIC's Reflect on Eighty Years in Kedron

Celebrations are always more enjoyable when the whole community takes part, and this is what happened on 8th August, the feast of Blessed Mary MacKillop. It was the occasion when the parish also celebrated with the Missionary Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception, their 80 years’ residence and various ministries in Kedron.

The celebrations began in the parish church of St Therese and St Anthony with Mass where Father Peter Clifford, OFM was chief celebrant. Friars, religious from many other communities and the Franciscan Sisters themselves with the Kedron Youth choir celebrated both our new saint and vocation to the Church. The Sisters renewed their vows in the presence of the local church.

At the conclusion of the Mass many of the congregation responded to an invitation to wend their way across the street to the front lawn of Delamore for refreshments and for an “open day” which included a very special ceremony. Mardi Kearney, a sculptor, had fashioned bas-reliefs to commemorate the pioneer sisters. These were blessed in their place on the wall of the convent.

What a delight they are in their expression of the joy that the sisters found in praying, teaching, wondering about nature and caring for quite a variety of animals over the years! The sisters and some of the residents showed the visitors around.

Treasures from the Sisters’ archives and a power point presentation of the history of the Sisters’ 80 years helped to recall memories of the beginnings in what is now the parish hall and to highlight the extraordinary growth which not only enabled development in Kedron but also made possible significant missionary endeavours in other parts of Australia and overseas. In 1935 the sisters acquired the Delamore property with its eleven acres which was dedicated to Our Lady of the Angels. Over the years this property came to support St Anthony’s primary school, Mt Alvernia Secondary College and the Delamore Retirement Community -- while continuing to retain the central convent of the MFICs.

From Kedron over the last 80 years Sisters have been sent out to many places ministering within Australia in Aspley, Bardon, Burleigh Heads, Caloundra, Cairns, Carinya, Coolangatta, Coorparoo, Dajarra, Dysart, Emerald, Goondiwindi, Kingaroy, Kingston, Loganlea, Marsden, Merrimac, Rockhampton, Silkwood Toowoomba, Woorabinda, Coomera and Laidley in Queensland and to Bradbury, Evans Head, Kingscliffe, Pottsville, Elanora, Canterbury, Earlwood and Lakemba in New South Wales, Morwell in Victoria, Port Augusta in South Australia, Perth and Fitzroy Crossing in Western Australia and Tennant Creek and Bathurst Island in the Northern Territory.

In addition sisters were sent in significant numbers to missionary endeavours overseas – at Sissano, Lumi, Aitape, Fatima, Lemieng, Ulau, Wewak and Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea; Rome & Molfetta in Italy;, Braintree & London in England; Dublin in Ireland; Portadown & Lurgan in Northern Ireland; Xiaman in China; Coroico in Bolivia; Egypt, Tchad and Sudan in Africa and Bangkok in Thailand.

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