Sisters of St John of God

Heritage Centre—Broome

Issue 7: — August 2019 Sisters of St John of God Heritage Centre 1

9 Barker St, PO Box 7442, Broome WA 6725

Tel: 0428 692 993 Website: heritage.ssjg.org.au Email: exhibition@ssjgheritagebroome.com.au

Sharing Precious Memories

Jenny Howden brought her 84

year old mother, Marie, on a

nostalgic journey to visit their

many friends in Beagle Bay

and Broome.

Marie displaying their fishing catch in 1967

at Beagle Bay with her daughters Jenny

and Karen (who is holding Doris Victor).

In early 1967 the first attempt to provide formal secondary education in the Kimberley was made by Bishop

Jobst. John Howden, a secondary teacher, with his wife Marie took up the challenge and went to Beagle Bay

Mission where they worked for two years. Both Marie and Jenny agree that those two years made a

powerful, positive and enduring impact on their family. Marie and Jenny visited the Heritage Centre twice and donated photographs of their Beagle Bay time,

including one of Sr Marcella Morris SSJG outside the hospital clinic with two pelicans she had befriended.

Normah and Rahmah bin

Buyong visited their mother

Mary Brigid (Bridie) Ambrose for

her 80th birthday. Both had

attended St Mary’s Primary

School. It’s fantastic, Rahmah said

of the Relationships Exhibition.

Mercy Me! Sr Breda brought a group

of Sisters of Mercy to visit Broome

where she used to work. All had been

wanting to visit the Kimberley and

finally it happened. They loved looking at photos of the

Sisters of Mercy who worked in various

places in the Kimberley. Since 1970

Sisters of Mercy have come from

dioceses from across Australia and

participated in a range of ministries

here. Almost all have been identified in

the public digital collection. The Sisters of Mercy continue their

Kimberley link through the involvement

of MercyCare.

Standing: Srs Veronica

Lawson and Barbara

Bolster. Sitting: Srs Breda

O’Reilly and Jan Molahan

Issue 7: — August 2019 Sisters of St John of God Heritage Centre 2

Relationships Exhibition An historical exhibition reflecting relationships between Sisters of St John of God and people in the Kimberley

L to R back: Bridget Mudji Nampitjin, Madeleine Nowee Napaltjarri, Philomena Baadjo Nangala

and Agnes Gimme Nungurrayi. Front Left: Name unknown

A group of women who grew up in Balgo but now live in Broome to attend the Dialysis Centre have

banded together, with volunteer help, to form a group called Kimberley Authentic Art. During

NAIDOC week the Heritage Centre was glad to respond to their request to use the grounds to paint and

sell their art. These women have had a strong relationship with Sisters of St John of God who worked in

Balgo, as have their parents and indeed their own children. They felt very comfortable and safe painting

on the grassed area and talking to visitors as they came and went.

Allister Young, Anthony Young and Addy

Young visited recently as par t of their journey

to research the family history of their maternal

grandfather, Philip Corpus, who in turn was a

grandson of Sebero Corpus.

The Corpus family from the Philippines has a long

history with Broome, the Catholic Church and the

SSJG. These descendants said they found their

visit very helpful and they plan to make further

contact as we digitise more photographs and

documents for public access.

Donna Missen, nee Johnson has been travelling

the Kimberley and when she arrived at the Beagle

Bay Church she had a strange sensation that she

knew the place. She contacted her mother who

confirmed that Sr Therese Doolan SSJG her great

aunt, had sent photos of Beagle Bay to the family

and visited them at their home in Victoria.

This led Donna to the Relationships Exhibiton to

find out more about Sr Therese who, at the age of

15, entered religious life in Broome in July 1930.