Sr Catherine of Christ (Pauline Guilfoyle) was Professed in 1952 She was a happy vibrant person in apparent good health and used to joke about pushing around the wheelchairs as the founding Sisters grew old. A capable person, she was elected as Sub Prioress though the youngest professed Sister. Her health began to fail and it was discovered that she had serious kidney failure. She died 15th February 1961 and was the first of the Community to reach her goal in heaven.
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Sr Paul Marie of Jesus Crucified (Sarah Kane) entered Dulwich Hill Carmel NSW and was Professed in 1927. She went on the Foundation of the Carmel of Auckland where she worked hard to help establish that Carmel. In the early 40s she came to Nedlands WA as the Sisters were in need of help and spent her life here helping to build up the Community spiritually as well physically. In her last years her voice gave out which made communication difficult. She struggled on to attend all Community acts, even on the morning of the day she died 11 May 1999 - at home as she had wished, at 92 years of age.
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Sr Frances and Sr Josephine
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Sr Frances of the Mother of Sorrows (Frances Docherty) was in her forties when she entered as an Extern Sister.Her dry wit and good heart endeared her to the many people she came in contact with. She was a great support and help to Sr Josephine till the latter's death then reigned supreme till her own health began to fail. She used to say she wanted to 'die in harness' and battled to keep her independence till she had a major stroke in 1999. As she grew weaker she needed more nursing care than we could provide and The Little Sisters of the Poor cared for her for 2 years till her brave heart gave out on May 10th 2001.
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Cutting her Diamond Jubilee cake
Sr Mary Joseph of the Sacred Heart (Bona Greig)
entered Nedlands Carmel in 1937 after having
traveled alone from Sydney by train and turned
17 during her journey. She had many talents, both
artistic and secretarial and did a lot of 'behind the
scenes' work. In 1978 she volunteered to go to help
the Carmel in Parkes NSW and moved with that
Community to Varroville when the Dulwich Hill and
Parkes Communities merged. In her last years she
needed more nursing care than that Community
could provide so she moved to a nursing Home
where she died in 2003.
entered Nedlands Carmel in 1937 after having
traveled alone from Sydney by train and turned
17 during her journey. She had many talents, both
artistic and secretarial and did a lot of 'behind the
scenes' work. In 1978 she volunteered to go to help
the Carmel in Parkes NSW and moved with that
Community to Varroville when the Dulwich Hill and
Parkes Communities merged. In her last years she
needed more nursing care than that Community
could provide so she moved to a nursing Home
where she died in 2003.
Sister Miriam of the Visitation (Rose Meriems), entered Nedlands Carmel after escaping from Egypt with only her mother, because of the persecution of Jews at the time. She was of Jewish background, but came to believe in the Christian, Catholic Church when she arrived in Western Australia. She was in final vows here when her mother’s condition of loneliness, without close relations, caused Sister to seek a Dispensation from Rome. She had skills as a Secretary, and, at about the time when The Emmanuel Covenant Community gathered in Queensland, she became Secretary to the Leader, Brian Smith. When her mother was reaching the end of her life - having become a Catholic herself, Rose told her that the Nedlands Carmel would receive her again as an Extern Sister, after her mother was gone. She made her Profession again lived out her Carmelite vocation to the end. She died in 2017-notable to the end for her love of St Edith Stein and all things of her Jewish background.
- Sr Philomena of the Immaculate Conception (Eileen Brigid Brennan) was known as “Biddy” to her family of 9 brothers and 2 sisters. The family travelled around Western Australia, as her father was employed as a Head Teacher in various country Schools. Biddy loved the Aussie bush, and animals. She had a pet squirrel when young, but her favourite animals until the very end of her life were dogs. From an early age she knew she was called to the Carmelite way of life. Without meeting any of the Sisters beforehand, she entered the new Carmel founded at Nedlands 2 years previously. She was 17 years old and was the first W.A. person to share the hardships which Founding Sisters face. Small of stature, she worked hard to do her part in building the wall, which our founding sisters undertook with the help of 2 men too old to go to WW 11. She lived a life of prayer for family, Church and all souls. When her brothers and sister married, the succeeding generations were all included in her love—and they were many. She had to be in Care at Glendalough for the last months of her life, (very hard after 81 years in Carmel) but she was looked after with great love there. She died in 2018 at the age of 98.
