For the past seven years the sisters living in Queensland have belonged to the TransPacifico Region of the Congregation.

It spanned Queensland, Aotearoa New Zealand, Peru and Brazil. For the past six years Sister Annette Arnold has been the Regional Leader and was supported in Queensland by a local coordinating group of Sisters Mary Sheridan, Sandra Hopkins, Francine Caesar and Angela Carroll.

Sister Monica Cavanagh, the Congregational Leader, and her Team decided to reconfigure the governance and proclaimed the new Queensland Region. Sr Monica was due to fly to Brisbane for the ritual of closure and proclamation of the new Region but was unable to fly due to the COVID19 Virus. The sisters gathered as planned and Sr Monica came in via Skype and all engaged in a very meaningful Ritual. Unfortunately, the sisters in residential care could not attend.

During the Ritual, Sr Monica closed the TransPacifico Region and proclaimed the new Queensland Region. The candle representing the new Queensland Region was lit from that of the former Region. Sr Annette handed the candle to the new Queensland Regional Leader, Sr Lyn Stabler, who takes up office on St Joseph’s Day 19 March. Sr Lyn has been appointed for three years and will be supported in her leadership with two Councillors, Sisters Jenny Scari and Elaine Smith.

While COVID19 is intruding heavily on everyone’s lives and could have negatively impacted this significant moment in the life of the sisters in Queensland, it didn’t. Mary MacKillop was a communicator par excellence, so no doubt she was taking good care of all.

Annette Arnold rsj

You’re invited to watch Sr Monica’s address to the Queensland sisters below: