Sisters of St Joseph Tasmania
The first foundation of the Sisters of St Joseph was made at Westbury, Tasmania on 24 May, 1887. Monsignor Daniel Beechinor had visited Bathurst and called in at Perthville to ask for a community of sisters to be sent to Tasmania. The five sisters chosen to come to Tasmania were Sisters Francis McCarthy, Patrick Nolan, Joseph Eather, Stanislaus Doyle and Teresa Prendergast.
Other foundations followed this pioneer beginning at Westbury and in time Sisters of St Joseph were working in schools all over the state, in the Huon, south of Hobart, along the North West of the state, on the West Coast and in Launceston.
Today these schools are administered from the Catholic Education Office by competent lay staff who continue to keep the Josephite charism and the story of Mary MacKillop and Julian Tenison Woods alive in their school communities.
The sisters retain responsibility for Sacred Heart College, New Town. Staff and student leaders from the College belong to a network of Josephite schools. They participate in the Josephite educative experiences which are provided at MacKillop Place, North Sydney and in Victoria. This enables the Josephite charism to be imbibed and passed on to others, and ensures that the school culture nurtures the values and the vision of Mary MacKillop and Julian Tenison Woods
Vision
Our vision as a congregation of consecrated religious women is to be a powerful witness to communion in a fragmented broken world and in our struggling Church. We work collaboratively with others and strive to build communities that are in touch with the sacred and are committed to just, right relationships.
Mission
Our mission is reaching out in compassion. Each sister ministers according to her gifts. She uses these gifts for the ongoing life and mission of the congregation. Sisters have a pastoral presence in parishes and become involved in the lives of families in a variety of supportive ways.
Centres for Spirituality and Adult Faith Formation
Sisters of St Joseph in Tasmania have centres for spirituality and adult faith formation at the Emmanuel Centre, Newstead (contact) with an outreach at Moonah, Hobart and at MacKillop Hill, Forth (contact). Here the sisters work with committed lay people to accompany others on their spiritual journey and to nurture the spirit of God within.
Josephite Mission and History Centre
At New Town, we are establishing the Josephite Mission and History Centre. From here, programmes such as Origins will be offered to school communities to educate both young and adults about the Josephite story and the distinctive Josephite charism. A ministry to Young Adults also invites young people to enter into a process of theological relfection using the Cardign method of See, Judge and Act in the spirit of Mary MacKillop (contact).
