MSC leave their marks in unusual places.
Fr Gilbert Buisson MSC and the seventh Station of the Cross, Narellan.
When officiating recently at a wedding at Narellan, John Mulrooney saw the seventh Station of the Cross in the Chapel and sent a photo. The reference is to Fr. Gilbert Buisson MSC. With thanks to John.
The main reference in Google is to the parish of Queenstown, the parish notices for 31st of October, 2013, remembering Fr Buisson and Albert Cuneo (in fact, they do have the same day of death).
So, back to Jim Littleton’s books on Deceased Missionaries of the Sacred Heart – and, in his 1992 book, a photo, details and the following rather unique story.
Gilbert Buisson was on loan from the French Province, one of a number of early missionaries whose ideals and intentions were above reproach, but who were unsuitable for the sort of work expected of them in Papua New Guinea.
He studied theology and philosophy in Rome and arrived in Papua New Guinea in 1888. He spent 17 years in the Yule Island Mission, stationed mainly on Thursday Ireland. He was a scholar and a hermit rather than an evangelist. He spoke little English and had very little contact with his surroundings.
He was transferred to Australia and was engaged in Parish work in the diocese of Lismore. He was attached for a short time to the parishes of Bowraville and Bellingen (1904), and then was sent to various parishes in Tasmania: Campbell Town, Fingal, Longford… Finally he got permission to live alone as chaplain to the Good Samaritan Sisters and their orphanage at Narellan outside Sydney.
From Narellan he was a regular visitor to St Mary’s Towers, Douglas Park. He corresponded with his MSC friends and invariably in Latin hexameters, in the composition of which she was something of a genius. He died in his sleep at Narellan in his solitary cottage in the convent grounds.
(Sorry, no examples of his letters available!!)
