the Sisters of Mercy and Sacred Heart Parish
We can learn much about the building we see here from a feature article in the 22 October 1914 edition of the Catholic Advocate. There it excitedly proclaimed the opening of:
“A convent and a Catholic School at Cunnamulla, over 600 miles south west of Brisbane! Such an undertaking had not until a few months ago emerged from the realm of dreams. It was too much to ask and too good to be expected by a people who thought themselves happy if they had Mass and the Sacraments fairly regularly for themselves and their children.
“But today the Archbishop dedicated to God a building that is a credit to the Catholic community and that will stand for many a year to come as a home of piety and culture, and of everything else implied in the term Catholic education.”
And indeed, today the Sacred Heart Parish School here continues to bear out this 1914 prediction of Catholic education being a part of the Cunnamulla community for “many a year to come”.
While there was still further work needing to be done on the convent at the time of its opening, the Bishop was confident the building could soon be completed.
Thanks in part to the £420 received from the congregation on the day of the opening, the works still outstanding were completed in time for classes to start the following year – 1915.
Another intriguing feature of the Catholic Advocate article from 1914 is its description of the arrival of the nuns in Cunnamulla on the day before the blessing of their new home. It noted that:
“Yesterday (Saturday) was a memorable day for Cunnamulla. By the mail train reaching here at 6.30pm, the first two nuns ever to set foot in the town arrived, and were cordially greeted by old and young. The curiosity of the children who had never previously seen the garb of a Siter of Mercy, except, perhaps, in pictures, was very much in evidence. As the convent was not quite ready for occupation, the Sisters became the guests of Mrs G. H. Beardmore during their short stay.”
You can read the full account of the newspaper story below.
THE CHURCH IN THE SOUTH-WEST
“Out West” is a familiar expressionto all Queenslanders, but it is only those who have travelled over our back country that can realise the limitless areas the “West” stands for.
There are parishes out West each larger than all Ireland — some, indeed, are more extensive than three Irelands.
It would be difficult to define the limits of the parish through which his Grace the Coadjutor-Archbishop is travelling just now, and which is under the devoted care of Rev. Fathers Cashman and Kelly.
Information gleaned from the Archbishop during his stay here to administer Confirmation and bless our new convent showed that he arrived in Charleville from Brisbane on Wednesday last.
That same afternoon, accompanied by Father Kelly, he proceeded by car to Langlo Crossing, 50 miles out on the Adavale Road, where on Friday morning he confirmed 15 candidates, who had been prepared for the Sacrament by Miss Connolly, of Charleville, the local school teacher. So pleased was his Grace with the children’s knowledge of the Catechism that in the presence of the little congregation he praised Miss Connolly’s work, and presented her with a gold cross.
The Confirmation and the couple of days Masses and devotions preceding it were held in the school house. The Archbishop and Father Kelly were the guests of Mr. and Mrs. D. J. Lynch, at their new hotel, during their stay.
The Archbishop had some vivid recollections of Langlo since last year when he and Father Cashman and Mr. J. Tully, of Ray Station, arrived there in a waggon in pouring rain at 4 o’clock one July morning.
Mr. Tully’s motor, in which they had covered over 400 miles of back country, having had to be abandoned nine miles out on account of the heavy state of the roads. Confirmation was to be given at Langlo on that occasion, but it had to be deferred, as the only conveyance by which the travellers could reach Charleville was leaving early that morning.
“ ‘It was Cobb’s coach, with Billy Mitchell in charge of the ribbons.
It took all day, with five changes of horses, making 25 in all, to do the journey, and it was often remarked on the coach that day that it was only a driver of Mitchell’s grit, experience and knowledge of the road that could get them through at all.
Billy was one of the proudest men in Charleville when he subsequently received a letter of thanks and a memento from the Archbishop. Better weather conditions favoured his Grace’s visit on this occasion, and the presbytery car was back in Charleville by 1 p.m. on Friday. Off to Cunnamulla. Having lunched in Charleville and prepared the car for a much longer run, his Grace and Father Kelly set out for Cunnamulla — a journey of 160miles — on Friday afternoon. Rain and darkness, and the difficulty sometimes of finding roads, somewhat impeded their progress. But the car behaved splendidly, and by 9.30 p.m. they were safe under the hospitable roof of Mr. and Mrs. B. Cressoni, at Quilbury Station, 14 miles from Wyandra.
An early start was made next morning on much improved roads and undermuch better weather conditions, andthe midday angelus bell found theArchbishop and Father Kelly entering town, where they were welcomed by Rev. Father Cashman, who had preceded them to Cunnamulla by Wednesday’s train.On Saturday afternoon his Gracewas able to examine the candidates for Confirmation, and he spent some time looking over the new convent. Arrival of the First Nuns In Cunnamulla.
Yesterday (Saturday) was a memorable day for Cunnamulla. By the mail train reaching here at 6.30 p.m., the two first nuns ever to set foot in the town arrived, and were cordially greeted by old and young.
The curiosity of the children, who had never previously seen the garb of a Sister of Mercy, except, perhaps, in pictures, was very much in evidence.
Their descriptions of the future friends and teachers given at home afterwards would, I am sure, have been well worth hearing and recording. As the convent was not quite ready for occupation, the Sisters became the guests of Mrs G. H. Beardmore during their short stay. Sunday’s Ceremonies.
This (Sunday) morning broke fresh and cool, and the weather all day was ideal. Three Masses were celebrated in the church, the first by his Grace at 7 o’clock, the second by Rev. Father Cashman at 8 o’clock, and the third by Rev. Father Kelly at 9 o’clock. Immediately after last Mass, 43 candidates — most of them children,and very beautiful children, too — were presented for Confirmation.
The Archbishop was assisted by the two priests, and Mr. C. Christensen and Miss LilyTatham stood as sponsors for the boys and girls respectively. His Grace addressed the candidates both before and after conferring the Sacrament, and he also administered to them the usual total abstinence pledge.
Later on in the day the Archbishop took occasion to present handsome gold crosses to Misses Lily and Eileen Tatham and Miss Rose Davis, whose work in teaching Catechism and preparing the candidates for Confirmation he praised very highly.
Father Cashman thanked his Grace for his kind and generous recognition of the excellent work of the three young ladies named. Dedication of the Convent. A convent and a Catholic school at Cunnamulla, over 600 miles southwest of Brisbane! Such an undertaking had not until a few months ago emerged from the realm of dreams.
It was too much to ask and too good tobe expected bv a people who thought themselves happy if they had Mass and the Sacraments fairly regularly for themselves and their children. But what had brought so many blessings on Charleville was not to be denied to Cunnamulla, if Father Cashman could at all help it, and today we were privileged to witness some of the first fruits of his determination and his trust in Providence when the Archbishop dedicated to God a building,that is a credit to the Catholic community and that will stand for many a year to come as a home of piety and culture, and of everything else implied in the term Catholic education.
Statement of Accounts.
Prior to the dedication ceremony, a procession of the Archbishop and the clergy, and of the children who are the prospective pupils of the new school, formed up at the church and marched to the front of the convent, where, on the spacious verandah before the main entrance, his Grace commenced the blessing of the building.When the ceremony was concluded, Father Cashman read a statement of accounts in connection with the work.
The present contract and necessary extras would, he said, amount to close on £1800. Of that amount over £600 was already in hand. If the response that afternoon was generous, as he believed it would be, they could go ahead with all they wished to do.
Otherwisethey would have to defer some of thework, although all of it was really necessary. He thanked all who had assisted so loyally and generously up tothe present, and he felt sure that no money could be put to a better purpose than was the money subscribed to that building.
A Magnificent Response.
The Archbishop, in the course of his address, traced briefly the origin andwork of the Sisters of Mercy, two of whom, and many of whose old pupils, were amongst them on that occasion. He felt sure the coming of the Sisters to Cunnamulla would bring untold blessings on the whole community. His Grace warmly eulogised the workof Father Cashman and his devoted assistant.
Father Kelly.
The happy results of the establishment of the Sisters in Charleville more than justified alike understanding in Cunnamulla. He was sure that neither Father Cashman’s faith in God nor the people would be disappointed.
Father Cashman’s Thanks.
The collection which was then taken up amounted in cash and promises tothe sum of £420 — a magnificent response for a small community at anytime, but particularly so in times like the present. Father Cashman said it was much beyond what even he had anticipated, and he thanked the people from his heart. The Archbishop and Father Kellyleave early tomorrow to visit some Catholics near the New South Wales border, while Father Cashman and the Sisters return to Charleville, where onSunday his Grace will lay the foundation block of a new church.
10. Pine Building
12. Robber Tree
