Kathy remembers these scripture lessons fondly.

“My first scripture teacher was Sister Regina, it was her interest and influence that made me realise this was something I wanted to do when I was older,” Sister Kathy said.

Kathy and her twin sister Meg began high school at St Columbus in Harden, a Sisters of Mercy influenced school, which they attended for only a term.

The then St Columbus parish priest Father Dermond O’Hurley granted Kathy and Meg a scholarship to attend boarding school at Mount Carmel in Yass, again another Sister of Mercy school.

“While at Mount Carmel I was given responsibilities as a leader and looking after the church and chapel, responsibilities I really enjoyed,” Kathy said.

With so many positive influences by the Sisters of Mercy in her childhood and high school years, by Year 10 Kathy knew exactly what she wanted to do after school – become a Sister of Mercy herself.

Kathy received guidance and advice from Sister Carmella, ironically the Mercy sister who had baptised Kathy and Meg when they were born years earlier, in preparing Kathy for

congregation.

Ministerial career and studies begin

After graduating from Year 12 in 1968, Kathy was accepted into Saint Michael’s Novitiate in Goulburn, where she began studies on March 7 the following year.

Kathy spent the next three years studying spiritual and teaching formation.

On February 2, 1972 Kathy, along with eight other women, was professed as a Sister of Mercy.

Kathy then spent the next two years undertaking teaching training to gain her junior and secondary teaching certificate at the Catholic Teacher’s College in North Sydney, which is today part of the Australian Catholic University.

The Catholic Teacher’s College is a significant site where Sister of Mercy Mary McKillop is buried, in 2010, Kathy along with her niece Anne Steinke, travelled to Rome for the canonisation of the iconic Mary McKillop.

First duties as a Sister of Mercy

The first school Kathy worked at after graduating was at Mount Carmel in Yass, the same school she attended during high school.

Kathy taught secondary students religious education, art and craft, science and social science.

In 1978, Kathy was appointed to the Catholic High School in Cootamundra, as it was then known, where she taught

secondary.

Three years later, Kathy returned to Mount Carmel where she taught for the next six years also filling the role of religious education coordinator and bursar, responsible for the financials of the boarding school.

In 1987, Kathy returned to Cootamundra.

This time was different with the then Catholic High School and Catholic Primary School amalgamating into one school, known as Sacred Heart Central School.

While back in Cootamundra, Kathy taught religion and art subjects to students from Kindergarten to Year 10.

She was also appointed as the superior of the Mercy community and was responsible for nine other sisters and the running of the convent.

Kathy took on the role of religious education coordinator for the whole school and also filled in as deputy principal and for a short time was the acting principal.

More study

In 1994, Kathy was granted leave by the congregation to undertake further studies.

“I was given the choice of one year overseas or three years studying in Australia, I chose Australia so I could remain close to my family,” Kathy said.

She studied theology for three years full time at the Melbourne College of Divinity, which is part of the Melbourne University.

She graduated in 1997 with a Bachelor of Theology and Graduate Diploma in Religious Education majoring in systematic and moral theology and church history with minors in philosophy, cannon law and

scripture.

Dreams come true

Kathy was appointed to the Marian College in Goulburn where she taught religious education and art and also served three years as the school’s religious education coordinator.

This was a significant time for Sister Kathy being part of the amalgamation of Goulburn’s Marian and St Patrick’s Colleges to form Trinity College, the name which remains today.

“I was the last Sister of Mercy to work full time at Marion College,” Kathy said.

During this time, she was elected to

the leadership team for the Goulburn

congregation.

For five years, Kathy continued working at Trinity College and was appointed the

congregational vicar and bursar.

Kathy played a part in closing the Mercy headquarters in Goulburn and moved the congregation offices to Canberra.

Kathy spent two years solely working in the administration of the congregation based in Canberra.

In 2003, Kathy was appointed to Darmalan College at Dixon in the ACT.

This was a massive career change and enjoyable challenge with Kathy taking on the position as assistant principal of religious formation.

This was one of six assistant principal duties within Darmalan College, this was a large secondary school with 1600 students and 170 teachers.

She also had the duties of being chaplain to the college community and taught religious studies to Years 11 and 12.

“This was a highlight and one of the biggest challenges in my career, one I had always dreamed of,” Kathy said.

Midway through 2006, Kathy left Darmalan College, taking three months leave to enjoy some travelling.

Towards the end of 2006, Kathy was approached by Father Kevin Barry-Cotter who invited Kathy to Cootamundra to fill the role of Sacred Heart Parish assistant.

In February 2007, Kathy returned to Cootamundra for the third time taking on the role as pastoral associate, a role she remains in today.

Kathy resides at the Mercy Convent with three fellow Sisters of Mercy, Sr Roberta, Sr Mary and Sr Margaret Anne, who are now retired.

Thanks

Kathy would like to thank a number of people for their support over the past 40 years.

“I would like to express my gratitude to the way in which Cootamundra has always embraced my return especially to the Sacred Heart Central School family and my own family for their support and encouragement,” Kathy said.

“I would like to thank everyone who was involved in organising my surprise celebratory barbecue.

“A big thank you must go to Father Kevin Barry-Cotter for allowing me to share in his priest ministry,” she concluded.