Founders’ charism continues to inspire ‘Heart People’
By Wendy Shaw
The charism of the founding order continues to inspire the 200 students of St Brigid’s Catholic School in Wynyard a century after its opening.
In October 1922, the then-Archbishop of Hobart, William Barry, laid the foundation stone of the school and convent at the site of the former Catholic Church in Jackson St, Wynyard. St Brigid’s Catholic School opened the following year.
Current principal Charlene Best explained: “We continue the charism of our founders, the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, which saw five sisters arrive at St Brigid’s in May 1923.
“St Brigid’s calls our community ‘Heart People’ and we work in partnership with families with our hearts beating with the values of care, curiosity, courage and connection, and living out the spirit of Jesus in our everyday lives.”
The founding sisters are remembered for their dedication not just at the school but also to the children of Catholic families living in rural and remote areas.
After 49 years, the Sisters of St Joseph took over responsibility for the school. The first lay principal was appointed in 1984.
To mark the milestone, a centenary mass on 3 May was concelebrated by Archbishop Julian and Burnie-Wynyard Parish Priest Fr John Girdauskas.
In his homily, Archbishop Julian said that fewer than 1,000 people lived in Wynyard when the school opened with 54 students. Fr Patrick Fanning MSC was the Parish Priest.
Archbishop Julian said: “Jesus shows us the way we should live. Jesus reveals the truth about God and about ourselves. Jesus offers us a fulness of life now and the promise of eternal life in heaven. Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life.
“One hundred years ago, Fr Fanning would also want us to know that Jesus has a heart full of love, burning with love, for us.
“My dear students always stay close to Jesus.”
Among those at the mass were the provincial leader of the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Sr Philippa Murphy, and Sr Lorraine McCleary, both from NSW; and Sr Carmel Jones and Sr Val Becker, of the Sisters of St Joseph; Catholic Education Tasmania’s Matt Jones and Shayne Kidd; past principals and former students.
There were more celebrations on 5 May, with students and staff dressing up in olden day clothes, enjoying hopscotch, marbles and sack races, and feasting on sausages and cake.
Later that day student leaders took guests on a tour of St Brigid’s taking in pupils’ art works depicting the history of the school; followed by an evening function.