Anecdotes from the Archives

Missionary Presentation Sisters: King Island 

Last newsletter, I wrote about the Presentation missionary work on Flinders Island. This time, we look at their missionary work on King Island.

In 1963, the Parish Priest of Penguin, concerned about the Catholic people of King Island–which was part of his parish–invited the Presentation Sisters to minister on the Island.

There was already a Catholic church in Currie, the Church of Our Lady Star of the Sea, and a convent was soon built to accommodate the Sisters. This was the first time the Sisters had a convent to live in, but no school to teach in.

At the time, there were 200 Catholic students in the state schools and 690 adult Catholics on the Island. The intention was that the Sisters would spend their time preparing the children to know and understand their faith and visiting the adults in all the far‑flung parts of the Island.

The first Presentation Sisters arrived on King Island on 19 February 1963 to a very warm welcome, with a cosily furnished house to live in and a well‑stocked kitchen and pantry. In addition, the grateful and hospitable Catholics of the Island gave them a car. The first Sisters were Sister Ellen Hogan (Sister Paul) and Sister Paschal (Katie) Philbin.

Sister Ellen was chosen for her creative giftedness, and Sister Paschal, a talented musician, was chosen in the hope that her musical gifts would bring joy, as well as some income from her piano and singing lessons. Sadly, Sister Paschal died at the end of 1963. Her replacement, Sister Veronica Lacey, added the Art of Speech to her teaching. The music and Art of Speech lessons were so successful that, in 1973, the State Department of Education requested that the Sisters take over the teaching of music at Currie High School. Later, another Sister, Sister Peter Philips, added guitar teaching to the usual music lessons.

During the time of Sister Marjorie Boutchard on the Island, Archbishop G. Young gave the Sisters permission to conduct the Liturgy of the Word with the distribution of the Eucharist. This was the first time such permission had been given in the Archdiocese of Hobart.

The Presentation Sisters brought joy, comfort, compassion and a wide array of gifts to the people of King Island over many years. In December 1999, the Islanders farewelled, with great regret, the last of these fine missionary women, Sister Monica Shelverton.

Over the years, King Island was served by Sisters Ellen Hogan, Paschal Philbin, Martha Shea, Columba Stephenson, Veronica Lacey, Finn Barr Mackey, Patrick lacey, de Sales McGregor, Peter Philips, Marie Connolly (now a resident at Maryknoll, Blackmans Bay), Francis Burgess, Elizabeth Finn, Marjorie Boutchard and Monica Shelverton (now the Parish Sister for St Mary’s Cathedral).

As Sister Raphael Considine wrote in her poem, To Nano Nagle

…Go out! For need calls loudly in the winding lanes

And you must seek Christ there.

Your pilgrim heart

Shall urge you still one pace beyond,

And love shall be your lantern-flame.

From Songs of the Journey

Raphael Considine pbvm