In 1717 eight remaining Sisters set themselves up as seamstresses, secret upholders of the Catholic tradition, in a back street in Dublin, where the Order remained for 100 years. These brave women left behind wonderful written records of the religious lives they were forced to live by stealth.

By 1808, at the end of one of the most disastrous periods in Irish history, they were destitute. The five remaining Sisters risked everything and borrowed money to buy a large property called Cabra in 1819. They were aware that education in Ireland was at a turning point, and that if they were to carry on a mission of Catholic education in order to meet the needs of the day and survive, drastic measures had to be taken.

The Sisters flourished and between 1860 and 1870, 50 very young Sisters with roots in Cabra, volunteered to bring the Gospel to communities in South Africa, New Orleans, Australia and New Zealand. They also took up the challenge to educate those with impaired hearing.

In 1847, at the height of the Irish famine, a Mrs Daly approached Cabra begging for some Sisters to educate the poor in Kingstown, now Dun Laoghaire, the port of Dublin. Six Sisters soon established a boarding school for young ladies there in order to fund their efforts for the poor. Hundreds came to be fed each morning with oatmeal and to be given a basic Christian education. By 1867 the fledgling community numbered 44 sisters caring for 867 poor children on the roll: 56 Boarders and 36 Day students.

On the other side of the world, the diocese of Maitland was created in 1866, and the bishop-elect approached the young Kingstown community - made up of cousins of his, and cousins of cousins… His was a huge diocese extending to the Queensland border. Catholic teachers were a priority. Dr. Murray was realistic enough to see that a couple of groups of religious from Ireland would scarcely scratch the surface. Dominican Sisters provided a unique possibility. Not only would they continue the work of the schools for the less fortunate, but they could also educate young women who would have the financial backing and social standing to become the first of generations of Catholic teachers for the people of the Maitland Diocese.

The Kingstown community responded willingly to the need for education in the faith in "a foreign land ‘neath an alien sky, among an unknown people" and fully supported Mother M. Agnes Bourke and her seven companions who volunteered to come. After an eventful journey on the "Martha Birnie", they arrived in Maitland on 10^th September, 1867-220 years to the day, after the initial foundation in Galway.

For 8 years they remained the only congregation of women in the diocese. Within 50 years they were joined by a further 26 Irish women - 20 of whom were one year or less professed, and 138 Australian Sisters. They had founded communities and schools in Maitland, Newcastle, Tamworth, Sydney, Moss Vale and Mayfield and had established a school for children with impaired hearing at Waratah.

After 130 years, Dominican descendants of the Maitland pioneers are found ministering in the Solomon Islands, Northern Territory Queensland, New South Wales, Canberra, Victoria and Tasmania and the Philippines. The one hundred and seventy five Sisters are involved in primary, secondary, tertiary, special education, administration and research; country and city parish ministry; RCIA; Ecumenism; hospital and university chaplaincy; in nursing and family planning; retreat centres and spiritual direction; pastoral care, counselling and welfare; working among aboriginal and migrant communities; with the materially poor, with those who have a physical or intellectual handicap, drug and alcohol dependence and Aids; with the homeless and those in prison.

Partnership with the Dominican friars and laity through membership of the Dominican Family, with its headquarters at Santa Sabina in Rome is valued. Together with three other congregations of Dominican women in Australia the Sisters form the Federation of Dominican Sisters of Australia, and rejoice in being foundation members of Dominican Sisters International.

The Sisters continue to discern and articulate their charism as Australian Dominican women, and live out a pastoral plan that encourages them, in the footsteps of those wonderful women who have gone ahead, to be vital, open, effective and faithful in their response to the call to preach the Gospel in the contemporary world.

Like all Dominican Orders and congregations the motto is VERITAS (Truth)

References:

Emilsen, S. Dancing St. Dom ‘s Plot: A History of Santa Sabina & Santa Maria del

O’Hanlon, M. Assumpta Dominican Pioneers in New South Wales.

Sydney. Australian Publishing Co. 1949.

Dooley, A. To be fully alive: Australian Dominican Education of History

Purcell, Maureen The original sin - submission as survival. Women religious in the early

Essays in the History of Women and the Church in Australia. Dove.

Lane, Alice M. A critical evaluation of the Congregation of Dominican Sisters of

If further information is required about individual Sisters, the following address is given.

The Archivist

Dominican Sisters of Eastern Australia

P.O. Box 353

Strathfield NSW 2135

In writing to the Archivist, it would be appropriate that a financial contribution be made for the Archivist’s time and expertise.

Religious Orders or Congregations have released the details on their members. It is understood that the copyright of any material (including the listing of the names of the Sisters) relevant to a particular Order or Congregation in this publication remains with the relevant Order or Congregation.