A Letter from Father Julian Tenison Woods
November 8, 2023
To mark the birth of Father Julian Tenison Woods on 15 November 1832, Sr Carmel Jones imagines a letter written by Fr Julian on his birthday…
As I sit here today on my birthday, pen in hand, I am drawn to reflect back on my life and thank God for the many graces with which I have been blessed.
I am certainly grateful for my parents, James and Henrietta, who gave me the gift of life, and for the many and varied experiences that came with growing up with my family in England. I was blessed to be able to follow my deep desire for priesthood which led me from London to France and then to Australia. I am also grateful for the way my life was so enriched by my love of science and the environment.
Father Julian: Man of Many Virtues
October 6, 2023
“Jesus wept!” This simple verse speaks volumes of the inner life of Christ. The effects on those around were not lost – “See how he loved [Lazarus],” they said (John 11:35). Soon after the death of Father Julian Tenison Woods on 7 October 1889, Mary MacKillop, on behalf of Mother Bernard, Mother General, wrote to the sisters, referring to ‘the gentle spirit of our Father Founder’:
Celebrating the Life of Julian Tenison Woods
October 5, 2023
On 7 October, the Sisters of Saint Joseph celebrate the life of Julian Tenison Woods, our Father Founder. Mary MacKillop wrote to the Sisters on the occasion of his death:
Julian Tenison Woods – A Reflection
Each year as the anniversary of the death of Julian Tenison Woods approaches (7 October), time can profitably be spent reflecting on various aspects of his life and spirituality, particularly in regard to how this can be relevant today.
In the lead up to the coming referendum in Australia, some of Julian’s writing on Aboriginal Australians seems particularly relevant. Below are some excerpts from his writing, presented with an invitation to spend time relating his thoughts to the upcoming referendum question.
A Visit with Father Julian Tenison Woods
September 25, 2023
With Fr Julian Tenison Woods’ anniversary of death on 7 October, I am drawn to reflect on a visit I made to his grave at Waverley Cemetery [1] earlier this year.
Perhaps it was because the weather was so good that day that I followed a sudden impulse to travel across Sydney by train and bus with only my phone as a guide. When I entered the gates of the cemetery, I was amazed to see so many headstones spread out across the hillside below me. The further I walked the more I felt enfolded by so many stories from the past.
The Wonders of Nature in Australia
August 21, 2023
Father Julian Tenison Woods experienced financial insecurity at first-hand. To supplement his meagre income he submitted articles, letters and essays to Australian newspapers. His topics were based on his travels and observations.
The Wonders of Nature in Australia is a series of 10 such letters published in the Saturday editions of Sydney Mail and the New South Wales Advertiser during 1879. As a skilled raconteur and journalist, Fr Julian wrote with the intention of providing his dear readers with accurate descriptions supported by instructive and interesting explanations.
The Traveller
July 21, 2023
Daniel de la Motte shares a narrative meditation inspired by Father Julian Tenison Woods, adapted from a formational prayer he wrote for the students of the Tenison House of MacKillop Catholic College, Mornington, Tasmania.
Julian Tenison Woods and his Early Days in Bathurst Diocese of NSW
May 23, 2023
In a little book entitled Memoirs of Our Founder Rev Julian Edmond Tenison Woods [1] written by one of the first members of the Josephites, we find:
The foundation in Bathurst was a source of great joy and consolation to him. He hoped that there the Institute could be established according to the original Rule. However, he was obliged to make some alterations to suit the Bishop’s (Dr Quinn’s) views, which were to form the Bathurst Sisters into a Diocesan Community. In the early days of the Institute, when it may be said to have had no existence except in his mind, his prayer to God was that while it might accomplish all the good he desired, none of the credit of it might be given to him.
Due to illness Julian experienced after four years of superhuman exertion [2] in Adelaide and a serious fall from his buggy, he was sent to New South Wales (NSW) by the Bishop to rest. It appears that Julian interpreted ‘resting’ as an opportunity to facilitate missions and retreats in the Bathurst and Sydney Dioceses! Perusing a list of dates where Julian visited the Bathurst Diocese between 1871-1883, it is obvious that he took a great interest in what might provide an avenue for his priestly ministry. Arriving in Bathurst it is noted that he preached on 19-20 August 1871. [3] It appears that this began his sojourn within the Bathurst Diocese, as well as other places.