Our Pioneering Sisters

Kilbreda owes much of its origin to Echuca, as it was from there that our pioneering sisters came to start our school in 1904. Only Mother Alacoque Bourke had been born in Ireland, coming to Australia to the Echuca Convent in 1891. Born in Wicklow, Brigid Bourke had been educated by the Brigidines and at 17, entered the Convent at Tullow. She was professed as Mother Mary Alacoque and joined the teaching staff there. Sixteen years later, she was sent to Echuca and, after only a year there, became Superior of Wangaratta Convent. From 1897 to 1908 she was Provincial Superior of Victoria, and, in that role, travelled to Ireland for the General Chapter in January 1908. On her return in July, she was accompanied by her niece, Bridie, who was to become Kilbreda’s longest serving Principal, Mother Margaret Mary Bourke. Alacoque died at Echuca in February 1938, aged 82.

When the Mentone Convent opened, Alacoque brought with her a group of sisters, all professed at Echuca: Agnes O’Keane (1895), Fidelis Callanan (1897), Ligouri Quinn (1904), Margaret Mary Murphy (1899), Michael Shea (1902) and novice Angela Molony, who returned to Echuca for her profession in 1906.

Agnes O’Keane was said to come from ‘an exemplary Catholic family well known in Ballarat’. Professed in Echuca in January 1895, she died at Mentone in January 1954 having spent 40 years here. She taught mostly in the cottage, which was where the VCEVM rooms are these days. Students recall her allowing them to take off their wet shoes in winter, dry them by the fire and wear slippers they had brought especially. However, Mother Agnes always warned that slippers were never to be worn in public.

Fidelis was the daughter of Michael Callanan, the first surveyor-General of Victoria and head of the Lands Department. He had a property called Coronet Hill on the beach and Sandringham, which comes into the Kilbreda story. Sisters from Echuca had come to Coronet Hill to get respite from the heat of Echuca. While here they had travelled by horse tram up to Mentone to attend Mass at the first St Patrick’s Church. Following a conversation with the priest after Mass, it was decided to found a convent and school here in Mentone. Fidelis was not only a foundress at Mentone, but also at Malvern in 1917 and Hawthorn in 1922. Fidelis died on Christmas Day 1938 after 41 years as a Brigidine.

Michael (Maggie) Shea, died in 1964, having entered from Bendigo in 1899, 65 years before. Born at Bridgewater, she was a lay sister, who tended to household duties, being the first in that role at Mentone. She was said to be ‘a busy figure carrying tea leaves to the gulley trap in one hand and her rosary beads in the other, reciting as she went’. She once said “I wish the sisters who were aiming at perfection were aiming at the sink!” Her pride and joy in later years at Malvern was her vegetable garden and would allow the small children to help her feed the chickens and collect the eggs as a special treat.

Mother Liguori was born Kate Quinn at Warrnambool in 1880 and was educated at Sacred Heart, Ballarat East. She was professed at Echuca in January 1904 and after only a few months, was among the pioneers at Mentone. She taught in the little wooden St Patrick’s church school from 1904-1930, among her pupils my own grandmother, before moving to St Brigid’s in Mordialloc. She had a special affection for mischievous young boys which “established between them and her a lasting affection and esteem. It was remarkable the number of these boys, who, down the years, turned in from time to time for a ‘word with Sister Liguori’. They left her invariably renewed in spirit. Her simplicity and deep faith endeared her to all who had the privilege of knowing her.” Liguori died, aged 70 in July 1950.

Mother Margaret Mary, the first Principal of the College, was born Frances Murphy in Tongala, between Kyabram and Echuca.  Educated by the Brigidines at Echuca, she entered the Novitiate there in 1896 and was professed there on 12 Jan 1899. In 1914, she replaced Mother Benedict as Superior at Mentone and the following year was elected Mistress of Novices in 1915, when the Novitiate moved briefly to Mentone Parade (the former home of Sir Matthew Davies). She left Mentone in 1918 and was later Superior of Malvern and Echuca. She held the position Provincial of the Victorian Province from 1938 to 1944, twice travelling to Ireland to attend the General Chapter there. She became ill on her second trip and “her patience and resignation during her final illness were a constant source of edification to all who came into contact with her. She was a saintly woman, a woman of faith, whose charity, humility, purity of intention and perfect trust in God, imparted strength and calmness to her soul in the midst of trials.” Margaret Mary died in  June 1948, at Malvern. Her sister Kathleen was an early pupil of Kilbreda and became the mother of the Myers girls, Linda, Margaret, Barbara and the late Sr Mary csb.

Angela was born Mary Molony to Mr and Mrs James Molony of Boorhaman, near Rutherglen, was educated St Patricks’s Wangaratta. She was professed on the first of August 1906  at Echuca and died in Feburary 1968 after 61 years as a Brigidine. Angela taught Grades 3 and 4 at Echuca in the 1930s before moving to Beechworth in the 1940s. She was Superior of Kyabram convent at one point.

Angela and Alacoque returned to Echuca in May 1905, replaced by Vincent Brennan and Benedict Moore.

Damian Smith
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