Missionary Sisters of Service

OUR SISTERS : VICTORIA

Sr Bernadette Wallis : Melbourne

Bernadette Wallis as the Congregational Leader of the Missionary Sisters of Services lives in Melbourne and works from the Administration Centre at Vermont. While she travels to visit Sisters in various parts of Australia and Singapore, she meets regularly with other members of the Leadership Team in a spirit of shared leadership within the Congregation. Bernadette is involved with the Victorian branch of Catholic Religious Australia (CRV) which offers support to Religious orders and addresses issues of concern for the Church and society.

Bernadette was previously on the pastoral team and worked in areas of pastoral counselling, spiritual direction, advocacy, family support and outreach in the Deaf Community through the John Pierce Centre for Deaf Ministry in Victoria. Bernadette is still involved on a consultancy basis, particularly with staff and signing Deaf people and their families.

Sr Julianne Dunn : Melbourne

Julianne ministered for many years in Tasmania, including as secretary to Archbishop Guilford Young in the 1970's and 1980's and more recently in pastoral ministry in the parish of Wynyard/Burnie. Julianne was previously working with migrants and refugees in Canberra and with the Jubilee year and other projects. She was in leadership in the congregation for 12 years.

Julianne is now living in Blackburn, where she provides hospitality to members of the Leadership team and other sisters when they are in Melbourne and require short-term accommodation.

She also enjoys her voluntary work with Seniors Information Victoria and the Council on the Ageing, where she has contact with many people, as well as reading and walking and meeting with family, friends and neighbours in the street.

Sr Therese Healy : Melbourne

Therese has spent 50 years as a Missionary Sister of Service ministering among people on the fringes of society, particularly to families in isolated and rural areas.

In 2005 Therese moved from Whyalla to Melbourne to be closer to her family and the Missionary Sisters of Service in Melbourne. Therese continues to have a call to reach out to those on the fringes and is a regular presence at "Open House" in Ivanhoe. Therese celebrated her Golden Jubilee of Profession in August, 2008 with many family and friends.

Sr Margaret Kenny : Melbourne

Margaret lives in an independent living unit in her home-town of Melbourne which enables her to keep in touch with family and friends as well as being in contact with a wider group of MSS. Previously, Margaret ministered for 22 years in Whyalla in the Diocese of Port Pirie which provide her with many rich memories and friendships.

In the recent years Margaret has been involved in the financial office of the congregation, where she has used her book-keeping skills, which she previously developed both in the Hobart and Whyalla Catholic bookshops. Margaret celebrates her Golden Jubilee of profession on March 25, 2009.

Sr Marcia McMahon : Melbourne

Marcia McMahon lives in Melbourne, where she has spent several years as an Industrial Chaplain and is now involved with the Pastoral Care Team at the Epworth Private Hospital at Box Hill. Marcia also endeavours to keep up her computer skills, as well as enjoying her love for painting/art work, gardening and music. Being a regular walker allows her time to enjoy meeting other daily walkers as well as meeting interesting people whilst travelling on the public transport system. Marcia is passionate about her journey with God within her own life and in the world.

Sr Mary O'Connor : Melbourne

Mary O'Connor, originally a Queenslander, has lived for many years in Melbourne. Previously she was in Tasmania, where she was responsible for Scripture Courses for teachers in Catholic Schools, as well as with Adult Correspondence Courses in Scripture. Mary completed her studies at Monash University in Melbourne where she gained her M.A. in Religion and Theology. She is now hoping to turn her thesis on Evelyn Underhill into a book about this amazing woman of God.

Mary enjoys walking and reading the things of God in today's world, and is an ardent fan of the Hawthorn team of the A.F.L. - through thick and thin!

Sr Agnes Ryan : Melbourne

Agnes Ryan left home in 1944 to join a group of four women beginning life as missionaries in the outback. From her childhood she had a yearning to be one with self, others, Jesus and the whole of creation, a call to 'communion'. She has been involved in the holistic formation of adults in areas of Tasmania, New South Wales and Queensland. She was director of C.C.D. in the Archdiocese of Brisbane and lectured in Pastoral Catechetics at Banyo Seminary. In later years she resided in the Sunshine Coast, Queensland and was involved in the formation of leaders, acting as guide to Spirituality groups, facilitating workshops on subjects relating to holistic spirituality and engaging in some retreat work and individual spiritual counselling. Agnes is now in Melbourne.

Sr Corrie van den Bosch : Melbourne

Corrie van den Bosch is living at Boronia, Victoria. She sees life as an exciting journey of becoming who we are created to be, in wholesome relationship with people, the world, and all of creation - and the God in whom the universe and each of us "lives and moves and has our being" _{(Acts 17:28)}.

For many years Corrie has been in the ministry of counselling for personal and spiritual growth, working in creative ways with people from various faith and non-faith backgrounds, individually and in groups. She sees her role as something of a midwife, supporting people in giving birth to their fuller self. She has also been involved in training people as counsellors, sharing with others what has been a rich and rewarding experience in her own life and ministry.

This year Corrie is working part-time in counselling. Her main focus is on writing about the work she has been doing and insights she has gained from her life experience and from the writings and experiences of other people. For this purpose she has enrolled at Latrobe University where she has the benefit of guidance and the resources the university offers.

The website for her counselling ministry is www.themeetingplace.org.au.

Sr Stancea Vichie : Melbourne

Stancea Vichie lives on Wurundjeri Country at Boronia in Melbourne and has the lovely advantage of being able to see the beautiful Dandenong Ranges every day as they are close by. She is involved with the Good Shepherd Social Justice Network at Abbotsford and works against the trafficking of people around the world for servitude in a number of areas. Her previous work was with asylum seekers both in the community and in detention. Stancea loves to take time for walking in the bush. As well as the guitar which she has played for many years, she has taken up African drumming.