MATER DEi , MATER MEA

PICTURE OF ST. LUKE 'S MADONNA U8RUJI(8

"Tttche-toi, d'etre vaillante et bonne- ·ce sont Jes grandes qualites des femmes.''

Cfjecemher, 1949 REVEREND MOTHER GERTRUDE KENNEDY, l.B.V.M. Superior-General of the Irish Branch of the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary (1936-1948).

Contents :

Page Editorial 5 1.BV.M Abroad 6 Photographs . . Loreto Abbey, Schoo l Vignettes 7 Photog raphs . . Loreto Convent, Dawson S1 Thi s Australi a ...... 16 Photographs . . Loreto Convent, Portland March of Time ...... 23 Photog raphs .. . Lo reto Convent, Norma nhurst Interesting Experiences ...... 32 Photographs .. . Loreto Convent, Kirribill i Vi ews and Opi ni ons ...... 39 Photographs Loreto Conven t, Claremont Scenes I Have Loved 43 0 Sweet Fa ncy 49 Photog raphs . Lo reto Convent, Mar ryatvi lle f or the Jun io r Schoo l 51 Photographs . .. Loreto Convent, Toorak The Wider Apostolate ...... 56 Photog raphs . Loreto Convent, Persona l Items of 01 ~ Girl s ...... 60 Photographs Loreto Conven t, Nedlands Overseas Con t ri butions ...... 64 Photog raphs . . . St. Mary's Hall Ob ituary ...... 76 Editorial . Our re-estab li shed magazine, now in its fifth year, receives appre- ciative mention in letters from overseas Houses, and was given a laudatory review in the Brisbane "Courier-Mail" la st yea r. We are glad to be pub­ li shing in this number severa l interesting articles from Old Girls, and to have received news of so ma ny of those who have been taught in our school s. Those among them who are wives and mothers have our special sympathy in the difficulties now facing young home-makers, espec ially in the cities. The more thoug htful parents view with concern the en­ croaching influence of the cinema, comic papers, radio and the whole network of commercialised entertainment, for they rightly see in it a snare of the neo-pagan wo rld to mould the young and impressionable To protect their children from the evi Is of suc h recreation demands great se lf-sacrifice on the part of parents. It means planning the week-ends and hol idays, and providing home amusements or family outings. To the credit of these young parents, it must be said that very few of them take the easy way in the recreati on problem: sending the chil­ dren every Saturday afternoon to t he local cinema. The effects on those un fortunate children ca n be seen even now in their instabi lity and sophis­ tication. Thei r perso na li ty is receiving an injury from which it may neve r recove r. The schoo ls can do only half t he ta sk of character­ bu i Iding ; they lead t hei r pupi Is to love truth and bea uty an d goodness, fi nding out their tastes and encouraging t hem in their hobbi es, so that they wil l be ab le to make their hou rs of leisure times of real joy. The neon letteri ng at the picture theatre is not a signpost on the road to happiness It is good to see so many of the mothers among ou r Old Girls teach­ ing their children in this noi sy wo rld to appreciate the quiet beauty of God's ~reation ; to love the stillness of dusk; to look fo r the lonely bright­ ness of the evening star, and, when night has fallen, to wonder at the starry sp lendour of t he sky. To hear and recognize bird-call s; to note the ma rks of the changing sea so ns and to en joy the soft swi sh of waves on the beach-all this alertness to the wonder of natural beauty is a tonic to the body and spirit of every chi ld. The calm power of Divine beauty pa sses into the soul s of the parents themselve s. And who will say that we have not- a 11 of us-need for reserves of peace and strength to meet the demands of life;:> Many adu lt rea ders ha ve probably read Professo r Sorokin's book, "The Crisis of Our Age"; they wi II remember that after traci ng the decadence of our civil ization he decla res that recovery wi II come from small groups of peop le, wit hdrawi ng, perforce, from the co rruption of the age, forming themsel ves, as it we re, into a fort re ss of unwo rldliness . Is it fanciful to see the nucleus of thi s movement already forming in the good homes where parents and children withdraw as far as possi ble from commercialized entertainment;:> Parents will require courage and wisdom to row against the stream, but the reward wi ll come soon in an increase· of peace and happiness. Page Five l.B.V.M. Abroad

RATHF ARNHAM: Mother General lost no time At Allahabad the Bavarian nuns have flourish­ after her election in setting out on the awaited tour of ing native missions. A letter from Jhansi, U.P., the various provinces. She began with Spain, where , tells of the pleasure our 1948 "Loreto" she won all hearts by her kindness and ability. She gave them: " .. . I made use of it in class by giving hopes to go to India in a few months. We, in Aus­ the children a composition from there, 'A Family tralia, may then look forward with pleasure to our Affair'- the pussy is giving his opinion of the family turn. he lives with, and I got nice little compositions in A recent letter from an Australian visiting Ire­ return."* land told of an evening spent with some "charming nuns" at Loreto, Killarney. One of them was M. M. SPAIN: We have been glad to hear that Mrs. A. Eucharia Ml:Evoy, I.B.V.M., cousin of Rev. J. P. Mackerass () , visited our nuns several Meagher, S.J., (), who has many friends in times in Madrid during her recent trip to Portugal . and Spain. We are looking forward to her return, when she will have an interesting report to make to ROME: The House in via Abruzzi had to be us. vacated, so the community moved to the Generalate house in via Nomentana, where the English and BAVARIA: Though suffering no little stress them­ Bavarian Council have long been in residence. Dur­ selves, the I.B.V.M., in Altotting, prepared a house int; this year we received some photographs of the in the town for the reception of the aged and delicate house and remarked on the solid, old Roman building nuns who were among those expelled from Rumania and the artistic interior of the chapel. It has been lately. A beautiful charity that is an adornment to a haven to hundreds of nuns during the past year our Institute. An American Jesuit gave the Altotting on their arrival from the I.B.V.M. in Rumania and nuns a retreat during the year. They write with Hungary. The account of their journey to Rome gratitude of the parcels that present and past pupils under Communist escort is an epic. of Australian Houses have sent.

ENGLAND: A recent letter from the provincial AUSTRIA: Here, also, the I.B.V.M . write grate­ House at Ascot states: "We have several from Ru­ ful letters thanking for parcels. A group of nuns mania and Germany in the province now. The news from St. Polten met the Rumanian nuns on the way from Rumania is sad-there are about ten nuns left to Rome, cheering them with their affectionate greet­ in that huge house at Bucharest, and, of course, they ings and providing hot refreshments. There must can do nothing. Many nuns are still in the Buda­ have been many tremulous hearts as the train sped pest house, giving (I think) private lessons. But on its way to Rome. Many of the exiled nuns were the news from Czechoslovakia is very threatening. Bavarians, but the orders to their ·Communist escort Numbers of Germans who were in Rumania have now were that they should be taken straight to Italy. The gone out to Brazil, Chile and India. So are Our Hungarian nuns were whirled through the Austrian Lord's words very literally fulfilled in the Institute: station. No interlude- no sisterly greetings. 'When they persecute you in one city .. .' " : We gratefully acknowledge the receipt INDIA: Our Houses in India (under Rathfarn­ of the spring issue of "The Loreto Rainbow," which ham), receive a good deal of notice in this magazine. we read with keen interest. Hearty congratulations Their magazine, PALMS, grows more interesting to the sponsors of the essay contest on "Mary Ward each year. The 1948 issue is beautifully produced, and the Modern World." The winning essayists and first place is given to an inspiring article on our certainly wrote from glowing hearts and clear-think­ Foundress, Venerable Mbther Mary Ward. There ing heads. And we love the book marks. are several Australian nuns scattered among the houses - in Lucknow alone are five Australians. *Congratulations, Marryatville! [Ed.]

Pase Six LORETO ABBEY, MARY'S MOU T, BALLARAT. SENIO R AND J NIOR SCHOOLS Back Row : J oan F;:iulkne l', Pam By rne, H elen Baker. Judy Bcseme res, Elizabeth Wimpole, P a m Broad. Ma u reen McTie n1an . Man.!":ll'et Holmes, G?.y Joshua, Cleta Mc M:.-th on, M ar~ot P odge!', M ~ugot Hayde n. Denise Fhi he t·ly, Janice Col vin. 2nd Row : Ann Rynn, J oan fJedfol'd, Annetta E1·macOl'i:l. Ann Vaug-han, Betty Glavin. Judith H:-11Ti ~ . Me li ssa Jaffcl'. Ga;.r Fla nag-an . Mal'i C' O'Donohuc. Diane George, Annette Bongiorno. C'11'ina O'Oonohue. Claire H aJ.!"el' . Helen O'Brien, Maura Sheales. 3rd Ruw : Manrnret Hid;:a l'cl, J oy Phillips, Patsy O'Sulli\' ::-tn. H elen Hyland. Maureen I3ol ;.re r . He len McGoldrick. Elinor Drum, Judith Mt Bride. Barbara Tobin, Roylyn Phillips . Betty Boylan. FB~ ' Park, Pat McEncroe. Janice Be ~ emeres, Janet Hayden. 4th Row: Fl01·a R ya n, Zitn O ' Oonohue. Lynette J o~ hua. "I sabelle Wharton, Juanita J affel', Marg- ;uet T obin. Pauline 0:-l\'is, Loyala O'Donohue, Mary Hylnnd, Maureen Reidy, Mal'y Man:nuet Wils·. lll, Cecil Joshua, Lilian \Vhiting-, Nanette Crameri, J e nnifer Co llins, Joan O'Rourke. fith Row: Anne O'Conno r. Sonia Dillon. Elizabeth Holmes, Elizabeth Walshe. Therese O'Donohue. Ma n:~·a r et Dl'um. Elizabeth E skdalc . J ennifer Water ~ . Mary Btll'ke, Maureen Shinnic k. Mnry Robinson. Colette Chri!-;tie, Anne H eatley, Beth Bal'fielcl. J oan O'Donohue. Man.nuet O'Donnell. Aileen Bo lp:c r . Front Row: Mal'g:1 L'et Creati. Eileen Besem eres. M:.ni.lyn .T enkins, Helen Powell. Nanette Mc Donald , Margaret O'Log hlen. Man:rnret Be:-:e meres, Finola J oyce, Elizabeth Fra ~er . J anet O'LoghlPn, Jm1et lloll e ma n, Lorna H o lm e~ . Annette F aulknel'. Absent: Ma n:rnl'et Rina ldi. P at Rinaldi. Janette Pl'it<' h a l'CI. P a uline Nelson. Ge ra ldineGrant. HEAD OF THE SCHOOL AN D AND COUNCILLORS, MARY'S MO UNT 194 9 Left to R ight: J oan O'Donohue, Ma l'garet Drum. Mal'y Robinson (H ead of the School ). E li zabeth E s kdale, Mal'garet O'Donnell.

Ri .l{ hl: Eliz.abd.h Es kdale (win­ ner o f Ba llarat Schoolgi rl T c'"'!!! i "' C h~1mp i onship, 194~)) . Le fl: Man.?;a ret Or um (1· unner­ up with Elizabeth in the Doubles Championship) .

KIN DE RGAHTEN - 1949 Left to Right: Fay Faulkner, Michael Maguire, Louise Po

The Fete Kirribilli

Smiling a welcome the green iron gates in the Then the Pete. But how to describe it? It long cream wall stand open revealing Kirribilli in seems best to state first the wherefore, the why. Spring charm. On each side of the gravel drive The needs of the Missions are pressing: by means the thick lawns spread luxuriantly, shrubs and of a Pete Kirribilli helps to supply them. Hence trees are at their greenest, and two Jacarandas the Jumble Stalls, where eager young pupil!1 sway their blue blossoms gracefully in the warm gain their first experience in salesmanship, and breeze. Over all reigns an air of nonchalant endeavour to force their wares on smiling parents, beauty, and yet ... and yet, somehow the breeze seems to murmur of the excitement in the near­ by courtyard and hall, where stalls display their wares. But that is not yet.

wares, indeed, that very often were donated by the same parents. Home-made sweets and toffee apples inevitably make their appearance. The toffee, though delicious, is not always brittle (I wish we could get the trade secret of this) , and There is to the Pete a prologue, a lure, which there is consequent danger of passers-by in the draws parents and friends- the Physical Culture crowd being caught in a coil of ductile sweetness. Display. This is quite a terrifying, though, I am If you are big and strong, you may reach the­ told, spectacular performance. The terraces form Hoop-La. Illusions of easy gain draw customers, an excellent grandstand from which "interested but whether hoops are trained to keep off prizes, bodies" watch rhythmic movements, admire grace­ or whether they do it naturally to help the Mis­ ful carriage, and marvel at the almost military sions, or whether aiming is more difficult than it precision of the drill. seems, certain it is that few manage to ring prizes.

Paiie Seven ------L 0 R E T 0 ------

Hence the profit of this side-show-rather, help And suddenly you see the meaning of it all. The for the Missions. For the same good cause, pro­ blue brilliance of Sydney Harbour merges into the prietors of the Water-Tub suffer the agonies of vast Pacific with its myriad islands teeming with the numbed as they retrieve submerged coins and fuzzy-haired natives, whilst China unfolds in the pay hard-earned prizes. distance with its appalling pagan population; or it is the blue Nile with the dark hordes of Africa swarming from it; or maybe the waterway is the G anges, sacred to India's unenlightened. Then you feel glad that your purse is empty, that you ache all over, that your voice is hoarse and your appearance somewhat dishevelled for you have been, for an afternoon at least, a Missioner suffer­ ing all these things that the pagan world may know Christ. Somewhere, some day, there will be medicine in a Native Dispensary, food in the

T o restore flagging energy, to escape pursuing rafflers, and maybe just to chat, everyone makes a point of having refreshments. These take various forms. You may eat ice-creams directly en plein air; you may drink Raspberry Cordial in Conti­ nental style midst crowds who ebb and flow about larder of a Native Orphanage, equipment in a you in tides of soft drink jerked out of glasses to Native Leprosarium, or even, perhaps, a Native the chagrin of the purchasers; or you may take priest offering his first Mass, and it will have tea conventionally-sit at a table, be served by been your contributions that helped to bring these gracious waitresses, and rest your weariness. things to pass. You emerge from the Pete with its sawdust and MARGARET GALBRAITH, bargaining, its crowds and its clamour, and the Loreto, Kirribilli. peace and beauty of the Harbour envelop you. Illustrated by Joan Hassett and Jane King.

Our Retreat

In June we were delighted to welcome back upon for the whole three days, and spiritual help Father T . Dunphy, C.SS.R., for the Annual was sent on the wings of prayer to distant corners Retreat. He had endeared himself to all during of the globe, to our cities and homes, to all places the previous Retreat, and the re-union was a most where men were labouring for God, to other happy one. places where men were sinning against Him. I We went into Retreat gently. On Tuesday think the Kremlin must have felt the impact of the a fternoon there was a "preliminary" lecture, and prayer on Russia's behalf. on Wednesday morning the school subsided into Breakfast on the morning we came out of silence. The Retreat was on in earnest. Perfect Retreat was the usual happy and noisy affair. weather with blue sky overhead, glorious sunshine Some of the smiles hid the sad hearts of those of all day, and the warmth of Spring in the air, us who knew it was their last Retreat as school­ seemed to express God's blessing on these days girls. of quiet with Him. The needs of the world were ILMA REGAN, not forgotten: A Rosary Crusade was embarked Loreto, Kirribilli.

Paae Eiaht We Present a Play

Towards the end of winter term we became took part, but there were some amusing busy with preparation for the staging of " Toad moments. One of the most popular scen