RIP, Sister Joan Tierney OLSH, Eulogy

“God is love and anyone who lives in love lives in God, and God lives in them.”

These words from the first letter of St. John capture well the driving force behind our dear Sister Joan’s life, a deep faith in the one who called her and loved her unconditionally. At approximately 6.15pm on Monday 10^th June, our dear Sister, Joan came face to face with the one she had lovingly and generously served for close to seven decades as a Daughter of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart.

To Joan’s niece Margaret and her husband Bernard, her nephew Michael, and her relatives, and friends, who loved her so much and are deeply saddened by her death, we offer our deep sympathy and love. You know well her deep love for you, her pride and joy in you, and her gratitude to you.  We also offer sympathy to those who join us via live streaming especially our Sisters in Bentleigh where Joan spent many happy years.

Joan Monica Tierney was born in Sea Lake, VIC on 21^st June 1932 to Bartholomew and Hannah Tierney, the last born of 7 children. Her father was a saddler, and the Depression was very hard on those in small rural towns and so, when Joan was five, her parents made the decision to move to Melbourne. Life was difficult and her father struggled to find regular work, after a short time in Melbourne Joan’s father suffered a heart attack and died. The following year Joan’s mother, Hannah died of Pneumonia. What a sad time this was for such a young child. Joan, being the youngest went to live with her aunt and uncle in Ascot Vale. Soon after, WW11 broke out Joan was sent to board at Our Lady of Sion, Sale where her sister had joined the Sion Sisters. At age 13 Joan returned to her Aunt and completed her schooling at Academy of Mary Immaculate in Fitzroy.

Joan was a prudent young woman and on leaving school she was convinced that Jesus was calling her to follow him in religious life but upon completing school Joan decided to get a job as a bank clerk in Melbourne. Knowing how social Joan was it is not too difficult to imagine her enjoying life as a young woman, going out with friends, dancing, singing and of course reading. Joan's friends and colleagues commented that she was staunchly loyal and supportive in all circumstances, someone who would always have your back, no matter what. She was known as a down to earth, practical person, whose dry sense of humour made her surprising and endearing company.

In July 1952 Joan wrote to the Provincial of the time; ‘Our Divine Lord has left the way clear for me and I would like to enter in the Congregation of the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart and being a decisive young woman added ‘in November’. Joan was drawn to our Congregation through her close relationship with Sisters Carmel and Julienne Mack whose mother was great friends with her mother and her Aunt.  Also, Joan’s cousin, John Tierney was an MSC priest.  In November of 1952 Joan entered the Novitiate at Hartzer Park and made her first vows in 1955.

Thus began Joan’s lifelong ministry and her epic journey as a passionate, enthusiastic educator and missionary in schools across Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania, Northern Territory, NSW and Queensland. She also ministered overseas in Nauru. She was an excellent teacher and had a genuine love for her students and their families.

Later Joan was responsible for school administration in a number of schools as the principal. In this position she took great interest in the education and welfare of the students in the schools, and she cared for the staff. Joan enjoyed organising various activities and trips for the staff and the students. She had a particular gift with those students who struggled with school and in her later years chose to work with remedial students. Joan was greatly loved as a teacher and principal.  Parents kept in touch with her and appreciated what she did for their children when they were struggling.

After Joan completed her teaching Apostolate she worked tirelessly as a volunteer for the St Vincent de Paul Society, supporting the poor and marginalised who held a special place in her heart.  

In 2006 Joan returned to the place where she first heard God calling her to religious life, Melbourne. Her years here were spent as a member of the Bentleigh community. These were happy years living in a loving community sharing faith and friendship. She enjoyed her daily household tasks, helping with the liturgy and garden, she enjoyed watching her favourite TV shows, reading her many novels, sharing conversations with the Sisters, regular chats and visits with her family and so much more. Joan was a good friend to many.  Whilst Joan was living at Bentleigh, she was able to catch up with parishioners whose children she taught years before especially at Moorabbin. She was always interested in their families and how they had progressed over the years.

As Joan reflected on her life as a Daughter of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart it was Alice Springs, where she spent twelve years, that she said had a significant impact on her. Joan had a deep respect for our first nations people and enjoyed the layback lifestyle in a town like Alice with salt of the earth people.

The above words speak of Joan’s achievements, and they were many and significant but behind the achievements is wonderful woman and committed, faith-filled Daughter of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart.

I would dare say that anyone who ever met and chatted with Joan never forgot her. The first words that come to me at the mention of Joan’s name are: spirited, determined, courageous, as well as persistent, in love with her vocation and the Congregation. She was a very forthright person who had a great sense of justice and was attentive to people’s needs especially those who were sometimes forgotten. She had a sharp and curious mind, a great sense of humour, and an appetite for good conversation and was an excellent storyteller. Joan was a people’s person, she loved being with and talking to people on any level. Joan could sit over a cup of coffee and chat about any topic that was of interest to the other person or herself. She loved her family and her Sisters in community whom she referred to as friends.

In 2021 as Joan’s mobility and health were declining, she moved to Holy Family Community at Kensington to receive more care, not long after with her health failing, Joan went to St Joseph’s Aged Care Facility. Initially this was a time of struggle for Joan but within a few weeks Joan told me that she had received a beautiful grace from God, she felt content and completely at peace at St Joseph’s. It was here she was beautifully cared for until her death.

We thank God for the many gifts given to our dear Joan, we thank the Tierney family, whom Joan loved greatly, for sharing her with our religious family.  

We thank you Joan for your interest in us, your friendship. May your courageous soul now rest in peace.

Philippa Murphy FDNSC

Provincial Leader

Acknowledging Claude Mostowik MSC, 75

Claude Mostowik made his profession as a Missionary of the Sacred Heart on December 4^th 1971, studied at Sacred Heart Monastery, Canberra, then at Croydon, with a degree in Theology from the Yarra Theological Union. He was ordained on May 25th 1976.

Golden Jubilee of Profession, with Roger Purcell, MSC Mission Office

After working in the Northern Territory, he studied, 1982-1986 at Luigi Rulla SJ Institute for Psychology at the Gregorian University in Rome. On his return, he worked in MSC Formation and continued in his work in psychology.

For many years, he has been MSC Director Justice and Peace. He has been strongly involved in justice organisations, President, Australia, Pax Christi, committed to Acceptance, working with the Edmund Ignatius Rice Centre.

At the Provincial Chapter, April 2023

He hosts a Facebook page, regular posts on current issues of justice, war and peace. He has prepared for many years extensive notes and commentary for the Sunday liturges throughout the year.

Claude has the courage of his religious and justice convictions, statements, protests, demonstrations. We add this story from 2015, an arrest in solidarity with statements by Catholic and other Christian leaders.

Book launch of street poet, David Marsh

Five Catholic bishops, including a bishop of Australia’s largest archdiocese, put their names to a public newspaper advertisement at the weekend calling on the Federal Government to give children in immigration detention “the gift of freedom” this Christmas.

Bishop Terry Brady, auxiliary bishop of Sydney, joined the Bishop of Wollongong, Bishop Peter Ingham, the Bishop of Port Pirie, Bishop Greg O’Kelly SJ, the Bishop of Maitland-Newcastle, Bishop Bill Wright, and the Archbishop of Melbourne, Archbishop Denis Heart, in signing the advertisement, sponsored by Catholic Religious Australia (CRA).

Declaring it to be “a critical moment in the history of this nation”, the advertisement called on all MPs to “do the right thing” and release “children and their families” from immigration detention.

Other signatories included the Anglican Primate, Archbishop Philip Freier, and the President of the Uniting Church, Stuart McMillan, as well as the congregational leaders of some of Australia’s most prominent religious orders.

CRA Justice Network co-ordinator Fr Claude Mostowik MSC and Hillsong attendee Kylie Beach were among a group of eight Christians, including three ordained ministers, who began a peaceful sit-in at Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s electoral office in Edgecliff on Monday.

The protest was ended five hours later when six of the protesters, including all three ministers, were arrested and removed from the premises.

Fr Claude Mostowik MSC and Hillsong attendee Kylie Beach were among eight Christians, including three ordained ministers, arrested after a peaceful sit-in at Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s electoral office in Edgecliff on Monday. Photo: Facebook

Some weekend stories and photos

The Vocation team recently visited the two Pauls.

Paul Cashen and Paul McCormack are still actively involved in chaplaincy work in Adelaide, and they are very committed to spreading our heart spirituality in their ministries.

Vocation pamphlets display

Chevalier Institute: Anne provides us with the following.

Most recently, the Institute was with leaders from the three OLSH schools, presenting an abridged Heart-Centred Leadership programme at the annual OLSH Links Leadership Conference, this year hosted by OLSH Adelaide.

The Journey to the Heart programme was offered 27 May-31 May at St Mary’s Towers, and was well supported by each of the MSC schools.  The wonderful group of retreatants enjoyed greatly engagement with Fr Kimi and Fr Claude and others, beautiful weather and traditional MSC hospitality in the peaceful and picturesque surrounds of St Mary’s Towers. A special thanks to Greg McCann for transporting participants to and from the airport with an informative tourist commentary on the way.

Bishop-Elect Simon Mani MSC first visit to Kiribati after his appointmentm - his episcopal ordination will take place in July.

MSC news from Holland

The Dutch MSC Province is now officially a community under the Generalate.

Our Dutch MSC community will later become part of the European Union to be established.

 Our work is done, as I said during the General Chapter. What we can do now is: continue to follow you all with interest in your work, and certainly we will accompany our interest with our prayers.

On behalf of the brothers of our Dutch MSC Community,

Theo (te Wierik), msc

 Tribute to the Dutch province:

Establishing the MSC in the Philippines, in Indonesia, in Brazil.

Two Dutch Generals, Adrian Brocken and Kees Braun.

Fr Hubert Linckens, who founded the MSC Sisters, was born in Holland.

In Googling Tilburg, one of the major communities of the Dutch Province, this photo and article came up. Graveyard of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, Tilburg

The Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, popularly known as 'Rooi Harten', have been a large part of the Tilburg missionary society for over 150 years. They moved into the impressive Mission house on the Bredaseweg  204 in 1890, which included a large garden with graveyard. As the congregation dwindled, the complex was sold to a housing corporation in 2010, which converted the Mission house to apartments and build about 60 houses in the garden. The churchyard however, was maintained.

The churchyard, in which an estimated 100 missionaries are buried, is plain yet meticulously maintained. All grave markers are the same: a white cross, which shows only the name, birth date and death date. Some graves contain multiple missionaries. At the back of the yard is a small chapel with statues and the inscription "Lord, grant them eternal rest" (Heer, geef hen eeuwige rust).

From Hoang MSC in Vietnam

I would like to update 2 news of MSC Vietnam community:

On May 30th, 2024, there are two MSC students who graduated from Jesuit Institute in Vietnam.

VU Quoc Vuong graduated from the Philosophy program of 3 years 2021-2024. LE Van Thanh graduated from the Theology program of 4 years 2020-2024. They got a very good outcome from their study. Vuong will continue his Theology for 4 years. And Thanh will go for a one-year pastoral program.

Congratulations and we pray for them when they continue their journey. 

Vuong and Thanh with VN MSC

From Jun 3-5, 2024, we gathered all together for the whole community annual study.

 There are two topics in this gathering.

• The first topic is about the zeal for evangelization. We invited one SJ brother who spent more than 30 years working in evangelization for the minority peoples in Vietnam, to spend 1st day sharing his experience in this matter. He is a true missionary who has a heart for mission, esp. for the poor. This is really helpful for all of us MSC members in Vietnam to keep fire in our hearts for mission: bringing God's Heart to everyone everywhere.

Mission zeal with SJ brother

The second topic is about Safeguarding. Quy BUI, who has just come back from his study of Safeguarding in Rome, spent 2 days sharing his study about Safeguarding with many matters relating to.

He especially helped us to look into Undertaking risk assessment & Preparing guest and visitor policies; and the process of preparing for the Audit. We find it very very helpful from Quy's sessions, esp. for our students when they are to go for summer pastoral. The gathering is very fruitful and successful.

Vigil for the Homeless.  Reminder from Claude Mostowik MSC

Greg Boyle SJ

Claude Mostowik, MSC Justice and Peace Director has a notice for the homeless who have died and the visit of Fr Greg Boyle SJ. Greg Boyle has had a striking ministry – some details below.

There will be a vigil at Martin Place on Friday 21, 2024 for homeless people who have died in the last year. An Australian Tour by Father Greg Boyle, sj. He is founder of Homeboy Industries and author of Tattoos on the Heart, The Power of Boundless Compassion, The Whole Language: The Power of Extravagant Tenderness and Barking to the Choir. 

Gregory Joseph Boyle, S.J. (born May 19, 1954) is an American Catholic priest of the Jesuit order. He is the founder and director of Homeboy Industries, the world's largest gang intervention and rehabilitation program, and former pastor of Dolores Mission Church in Los Angeles.  He entered the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits). Boyle was ordained a priest in 1984.

At the conclusion of his theology studies, Boyle spent a year living and working with Christian base communities in Cochabamba, Bolivia. Upon his return in 1986, he was appointed pastor of Dolores Mission Church, a Jesuit parish in the Boyle Heights neighborhood of East Los Angeles that was then the poorest Catholic church in the city. At the time, the church sat between two large public housing projects and amid the territories of eight gangs. Referred to as the "decade of death" in Los Angeles between 1988-1998, there were close to a thousand people per year killed in Los Angeles from gang related crime.

By 1988, in an effort to address the escalating problems and unmet needs of gang-involved youth, Boyle, alongside parish and community members, began to develop positive opportunities for them, including establishing an alternative school and a day care program, and seeking out legitimate employment, calling this initial effort Jobs for a Future.

Homeboy Industries is the largest and most successful gang rehabilitation and re-entry program in the world. Homeboy offers an "exit ramp" for those stuck in a cycle of violence and incarceration. The organization's holistic approach, with free services and programs, supports around 10,000 men and women a year as they work to overcome their pasts, re-imagine their futures, and break the inter-generational cycles of gang violence. Therapeutic and educational offerings (e.g., case management, counseling, and classes), practical services (e.g., tattoo removal, work readiness, and legal assistance), and job training-focused business (e.g., Homeboy Bakery, Homegirl Café, and Homeboy Silkscreen & Embroidery) provide healing alternatives to gang life while creating safer and healthier communities.

Los Angeles (May 4, 2024) – Homeboy Industries is proud to announce that its Founder, Father Gregory Boyle, S.J., received The Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. in a White House ceremony that took place on Friday, May 3^rd. The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the United States’ highest civilian honor.

“This recognition is heartening because it honors the many thousands of men and women who have walked through our doors at Homeboy Industries since 1988,” said Father Gregory Boyle, S.J., Founder of Homeboy Industries. Adding that, “It acknowledges their dignity and nobility and the courage of their tenderness. It underscores for us all, the invitation to no longer punish wound, but seek its healing. It recognizes the need to invest in people and to create together a community of cherished belonging.”

Bob Irwin MSC, the Spirit of Chevalier

John Mulrooney writes:

After the mass Bob Irwin received the ‘Esprit de Chevalier’ medal in recognition of his contribution to education in Australia. This award comes with the significant medal and looks a little like the Order of Australia medal!! This award started some years ago and initiated by the College Board. John Franzmann, Tyson Donnelly and Chris McDermott have been previous recipients.

At the Chev mass we had student and staff representatives from Monivae and Daramalan College. This has become quite a tradition in recent years. We were delighted the Provincial, Stephen Hackett, was able to be with us for the eucharist celebration.

After the mass the students participate in competitive games with their ‘home room’ (the group they start each day with which includes Year 7-12 students) and includes a bar-b-q lunch which is prepared by a number of past students of the College.

St Paul’s Nightcliff, Darwin, a happy MSC parish occasion

Sunday June 16^th, One Mass, One Parish event,

From the parish Facebook page:

What a wonderful and blessed morning it was as we celebrated as a parish community with parish priest, John Kelliher MSC - one mass and amazing brunch to follow!

It was such a gift to meet some new faces and catch up with some already known.

Together, we celebrated the spirit of our community and faith with great warmth, generosity and fun!

Thank you to our Parish Council, St Vincent de Paul Society Conference and Fr John for bringing us all together in organising a truly memorable morning of great spirit and togetherness!

An annual event for sure!

From the Facebook page of Natasha Fyles, Former Chief Minister NT and still member for Nightcliff, former teacher at St Mary’s primary school.

This morning I joined St Paul’s Catholic Parish for their ‘One Parish One Mass’ service. This was an opportunity for all parish members to come together and celebrate their faith together. Thank you for inviting me and for the work you do to support our community. 

Our MSC Student group, Cuskelly House, Blackburn

Palm Sunday for Social Justice

Trieu and Daniel professed final vows last December, Vincent and Hoa are preparing this year. As we reported here, the students have been working in Vocation Promotion with Frank Dineen during their mid-year Semester break from studies at YTU.

The group with Director, Mark Hanns.

The Kew community thanks them for their work and help

Vincent and the example of St Martin de Porres - just one of those coincidences

Pastoral work in the parish, prison ministry, AIDS house, hospital visitation, CPE training.

And part of the Melbourne community seen at the recent community meeting hosted by Michael Sims at Northcote, the Little Sisters of the Poor and their generous hospitality.

Into the PNG MSC Archives, Bishop Louis Vangeke MSC

The anniversary of the ordination as priest, 1937, of Louis Vangeke MSC, the first Papua-New Guinean Catholic priest and bishop.

Sir Louis Vangeke, M.S.C. KBE (1904–1982) was a Papua New Guinean prelate of the Catholic Church who served as the bishop of the Diocese of Bereina in Papua New Guinea from 1976 to 1979. Prior to that he was the auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Port Moresby, also in Papua New Guinea. Vangeke was consecrated as a bishop on 3 December 1970 by Pope Paul VI at St Mary's Cathedral in Sydney, Australia. He was the first indigenous Papua New Guinean Catholic bishop. Vangeke died in 1982, aged 78. [His Wikipedia entry]

On 3 December 1970 he became the first Papua New Guinean Catholic bishop. In Sydney Pope Paul VI consecrated him titular bishop of Culusi, but he was made only auxiliary bishop of Port Moresby because some European priests were wary of serving under a ‘native’ and because he seemed to lack the administrative skills, although certainly not the spirituality, needed for an episcopal role. At Beipa’a he was installed as a chief; thousands of people witnessed a syncretic ceremony in a temporary ufu (ceremonial hall). Vangeke said he was now ‘a sorcerer for God’ while his nephew, who inherited Louis’s father’s ‘sorcerer’s box’, was there as his ungaunga (protector) to ward off Satan.

In 1976 Vangeke was promoted bishop at Bereina, where he spent the rest of his life. Although he had spoken against early independence for Papua New Guinea, he was appointed OBE in 1974 and KBE in 1980. In 1976 the University of Papua New Guinea conferred on him an honorary LL.D and, that year, five ministers offered to nominate him to be governor-general. He declined because, he said, of ecclesiastical duties but really because, temperamentally, he was neither ambitious nor attracted by secular ostentation. Sir Louis died on 15 December 1982 at Beipa’a and was buried there. A Church spokesman stressed his deep humility and said he was ‘a great man and a great inspiration to Papua New Guinea’. [From James Griffin entry, Australian Dictionary of Biography.]