Sr Carmel humbled at new leadership role

By Wendy Shaw

Sr Carmel Jones of the Sisters of St Joseph has taken up a regional leadership role with the order.

Sr Carmel, who grew up in Devonport, was elected by the Sisters of the Victoria-Tasmania Region to the leadership team for the next three years.

The new team of three Sisters was missioned to the ministry during a ritual on St Joseph’s Day, 19 March.

Sr Margaret Malady is the new Regional Leader. She takes over from Sr Sue McGuinness, who grew up in Launceston. Sr Jan Wadley and Sr Carmel will assist Sr Margaret in her role. 

Sr Carmel said: “Together we will facilitate the Sisters’ wellbeing, mission, ministry and spirituality during the next three years.

“In this role we will be guided by the Congregational Leadership Team based in Sydney.  The CLT have oversight of all our Regions—Queensland, NSW, Vic-Tas, CentreWest and New Zealand, a total of about 400 Sisters, 70 of whom live in Vic-Tas.

“While this ministry will mean more of my time will be spent in Melbourne, Tasmania will always be ‘home’.

“I feel very humbled that the Sisters have asked me to serve in this role and my hope is that I can work closely with them and our administrative co-ordinators as we move into our ever-changing future together.”

Sr Carmel entered the Tasmanian Sisters of Saint Joseph more than 50 years ago. She was a teacher and principal at Catholic schools in Moonah, New Town, Geeveston, Smithton and Devonport. She has been a member of various Boards of Management, Governing Councils of Tasmanian Catholic Secondary Colleges, National Catholic Education Commission and Tasmanian Catholic Education Office committees.

Sr Sue McGuinness was educated by the Sisters of St Joseph at St Thomas More’s School at Newstead. They inspired her to enter the novitiate in Hobart. During more than 55 years as a Josephite, Sr Sue has had roles in Catholic education as a teacher and administrator at St Thomas More’s, St Brendan-Shaw College in Devonport and at Sacred Heart College in New Town; as an auditor in the Archdiocese of Hobart’s Marriage Tribunal Office; at the Josephite Mission and History Centre in Hobart; and in Penola, South Australia where the congregation was founded. Sr Sue was the regional leader for six years.