Rev. Mother Cecilia...Mother Superior Of The St. John Of God Hospital, Subiaco (1925).
Religious orders and nuns from those variety of orders played an essential role in the establishment of early Western Australia and Subiaco assisting the sick, needy and poor in the community under extremely difficult circumstances.
One of those early nuns from the Order of St. John's was Mother M. Cecilia. Sister Cecilia was one of a group of early pioneers nuns who arrived in the colony in 1885 on the ship Orizara. The nuns lived in a house in Adelaide-terrace until the hospital site was chosen in Subiaco. She worked around the State in Coolgardie and Kalgoorlie helping to establish hospitals and schools.
During her time Sister M. Cecilia rose to the position of Mother Superior in Subiaco and was mistress of novices. Mother M. Cecilia died in December, 1935 shorty after attending a mass for the golden jubilee for her profession in the State.
The articles are from Trove, the database of the National Library of Australia. The photograph of the group of nuns including Sister Cecilia at their house in Adelaide Terrace in 1886 is from the official Congregation of the Sisters of St. John of God Order webpage. No copyright infringement intended.
West Australian, 7 December 1935.
A PIONEER NUN.
Jubilee Celebrated.
Mother M. Cecilia, the only surviving pioneer Sister of St. John of God in Western Australia, last week celebrated the golden Jubilee of her profession. She attended pontifical high mass on the anniversary day, the Archbishop of Perth (Dr. Prendiville) being the celebrant, assisted by the Rev. Father Winston, as deacon, and the Rev. Father Lyne as subdeacon. The Rev. Father MacDermott was assistant priest and the Rev. Dr. Sullivan was master of ceremonies.
Mother Cecilia, who is over 80 years of age, arrived in Western Australia 40 years ago with the pioneer group of Sisters of St. John of God. The party lived in a hired house in Adelaide-terrace until the site of the future foundation was chosen at Subiaco.
In due course the Sisters opened their hospital and since then the order has extended to other parts of the State and Commonwealth. In Western Australia there are over 200 trained nursing sisters with centres at Perth, Kalgoorlie, Bunbury, Belmont and Geraldton. In the early nineties Mother Cecilia went to the goldflelds when a hospital was established there. Since then she has served both at Coolgardie and at Perth.
Mother M. Cecilia was superior of the head house at Subiaco and she also served as mistress of novices for a long period.
Advocate, 26 December 1935.
LAST SURVIVING PIONEER
St. John of God Nun Honoured
On Friday, 29th in the convent chapel of St. John of God, Perth, Grace the Archbishop of Perth, Rev. Dr. Prendiville, celebrated Pontifical High Mass on the occasion of the golden jubilee of profession of the only surviving pioneer Sister of the institition in W.A. - Mother M. Cecilia.
Exactly forty years ago, Mother Cecilia arrived in Western Australia, one of the first group of pioneer Sisters to establish their institute in Australia. At that time Perth was but its infancy. The Sisters lived in hired house in Adelaide Terrace for a while - until the site of their future, foundation was chosen at Subiaco. Part of the wood and iron building which they first occupied there is still standing and at that time it was one of the few buildings in the district.
The Sisters opened their hospital in course, and the need for their service was great. That necessity has increased so much that their progress through the years has been marked by extensions, not only in Perth and Western Australia, but throughout the Commonwealth.
HER MEMORY REVERED. In W.A. alone there are over 200 trained nursing Sisters, with centres at Perth, Kalgoorlie, Bunbury, Belmont and Geraldton. It is a remarkable history of progress in forty years, and the jubilarian had played an important part in that development. Mother Cecilia went to the goldfields in the early nineties, as soon as they could satisfy the demands of that newly-founded centre for a hospital and school. Between Kalgoorlie, Coolgardie and Perth, Mother Cecilia's work was cast, and in each place her memory is revered. She was many times Superioress of the head House at Subiaco, and was also Mistress of Novices for a long period. In all that time she endeared herself to all.
The jubilarian is now over eighty years of age, and until recently enjoyed good health. She was, however, sufficiently recovered from her recent illness to be able to attend the Pontifical High Mass. At the conclusion of the Mass, Archbishop Prendiville extended his congratulations to the jubilarian, to whom he had previously tendered the blessing received from the Cardinal Secretary of State on behalf of the Holy Father, and spoke in terms of high eulogy of the Order.
