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Home » Themes » Culture » Religion

Dominican SistersPrint Page

28-April-2013

Photographs supplied by Bryan Hardy

The monument located in the former cemetery of the Dominican Priory, commemorates the lives of the Dominican Sisters who served the people of the Geraldton diocese from 1899 to 1957 and who were buried in the cemetery.

The monument was blessed in 1999 as part of the 100th anniversary of Dominican Sisters in Western Australia.

In 1899 a small group of Dominican Sisters from New Zealand moved to Greenough. In 1901 they relocated to Dongara and established St Dominic’s Priory, then in 1928, the Dominican Ladies College. In 1971 severe flooding from the Irwin River made it necessary for them to relocate to Perth. In 1996, a decision was made to transfer the remains of the Sister`s who were buried in this spot to the Sister`s plot in the Karrakatta Cemetery.

Location

Address:	St Dominics Road, Access through Priory Lodge carpark , Dongara, 6525
State:	WA
Area:	AUS
GPS Coordinates:	Lat: -29.254016 Long: 114.938781 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.

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Details

Monument Type:	Monument
Monument Theme:	Culture
Sub-Theme:	Religion
Approx. Event Start Date:	1897
Approx. Event End Date:	1957

Dedication

Actual Monument Dedication Date:	Friday 9th April, 1999

Front Inscription

As their souls, and all of the souls of the faithful departed.

Rest in peace.
Amen

St. Dominic

Pray for us

1899
Foundresses

Mother M. Gabriel Gill 22. 4. 1905

Sr. M. Di Pazzi Miscall 22. 1. 1915

Sr. M. Dominica Murphy 24. 6. 1947

Sr. M. Bonaveneure McEneyre 12. 5. 1957

Back Inscription

On 7 June 1899, the people of Greenough welcomed a small group of Dominican Sisters from New Zealand to their first home in Western Australia.

In August 1901, the Sisters moved to Dongara where they established St Dominic’s Priory, the Mother house of the Congregation and in 1928, the Dominican Ladies College.

The Sisters continued their teaching ministry in Dongara until the damage caused to the Priory building by the 1971 flood of the Irwin River made it necessary for them to set up a new Mother house in Doubleview, Perth.

The Motto of the Dominican Sisters…To contemplate and share with others the fruits of contemplation…has been the guiding force of the lives of the women who lived and worked in this region. The (energy?) and the love of the Sisters for the people and students of the area is attested to by the long-standing friendships of the past 100 years.

The memorial honours the lives of the Dominican Sisters who were buried here – great women who devoted their lives to serving the people of the Geraldton diocese during the years 1899-1957. With them were buried in this cemetery: Clare Grace Punch, a student at the College, and Rev Father O’Hare, the Priory Chaplain.

May they Rest In Peace.

In 1996, the decision was made to transfer the remains of the Sisters who were buried in this spot to the Sisters’ plot in Karrakatta Cemetery, Perth, where maximum care of their earthly resting place could always be maintained.

This Memorial was blessed on 9th April 1999 as part of the 100th anniversary of the Dominican Sisters in Western Australia.

Source: MA

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