From the Director of Identity and Mission

Catholic Mission Month | Socktober 

Catholic Mission is the Pope’s international mission agency in Australia. It partners with communities around the world, helping them to flourish by supporting grassroots projects, including healthcare, education, and spiritual care. The agency shares in God’s mission to reach out, to give life by proclaiming the Gospel, to serve people in need and to act for peace, justice and creation.

During October, Catholic Mission holds its annual Socktober awareness-raising and fundraising appeal. Socktober is a comprehensive education, formation, and fundraising program that engages the heads, hearts, and hands of entire school communities in the global work of mission. Through Socktober, students are invited to learn about, pray for, advocate for, and financially support children and communities in need around the world.

At St Mary's, we celebrate Socktober each year with our annual Crazy Sock Day. Held today, students from Kinder to Year 12 supported this appeal by wearing colourful and interesting socks with their uniforms and bringing in a gold coin donation. 

Take a look at our photo gallery below to see some of the fun and creative socks on display across the school! 

Members of the Senior School’s Justice Action Network also attended the Catholic Mission Mass this morning, celebrated by Archbishop Tony Ireland at Corpus Christi Church. These students heard about the important work of Catholic Mission and were encouraged by the work they have done, and will continue to do, in the area of social justice this year.

For more information about Catholic Mission or to donate to their charitable projects, visit the Catholic Mission Homepage.

Sister Pat Kingsley 

On15 October, we said goodbye to Sister Patricia (Pat) Kingsley pbvm.  At 101 years old, she had lived a long life, including over 80 years as Presentation Sister. 

Pat was one of seven children born to a devout Catholic family in Launceston. She recalled with deep fondness the hard work and self-sacrifice of her parents, Leo and Charlotte, in raising and educating their large family. 

Pat began her education with the Presentation Sisters at St Mary's School in Launceston. As a young girl, she was deeply impressed by the Sisters and felt inspired to follow in their footsteps and teach young children. Pat's parents were very supportive of her vocation, and at 18, she entered the Novitiate in Launceston.  When an uncle asked how long she would spend in religious life and she replied, 'Forever', she realised the full weight and beauty of her decision. 

Pat was officially received into the Congregation in early March 1944, taking the name Sister Leo and wearing the white veil. Following her profession in 1946, Pat was sent to teach Year 8 at St Mary’s College for several years. As she and some of the other Sisters had little formal training to teach Science, they had special classes each Saturday with Brother Hessian from St Virgil’s College. That way, they felt that they were at least a step ahead of their students!

In1948–49 Pat returned to Launceston to teach at Sacred Heart College, followed by two years (1950–51) at her old St Mary’s School. Over the following years, Pat taught across most of Tasmania's Presentation schools – including those in Beaconsfield, Lindisfarne, Newnham, New Norfolk, Invermay, Bellerive and George Town – serving as principal in several of them. 

In her later years, Pat resided at Woodburn at Maryknoll. Initially, she succeeded Sister Sarah in running the Spirituality and Retreat Centre and was always a very friendly and efficient presence. She later lived quietly at Woodburn, where she remained a welcoming and hospitable host to visiting Sisters. 

Pat will be remembered for her devotion to Catholic Education in Tasmania. Her funeral was held today (28 October) and was attended by Mr Damian Messer, Mrs Sharon Lawler and next year’s Head Prefect, Matilda Greenhill and Deputy, Lucinda Washington.