HERITAGE

Sister Hyacinth Quinlan

Sister Hyacinth Quinlan was born Brigid Mary Quinlan at Clare in South Australia on the 23rd August 1852. Her father Richard was a farmer. Brigid entered the Novitiate of the newly formed order of the Sisters of St Joseph in Adelaide in August 1868 and was professed on Christmas Day 1869. 

She was a young woman of faith and commitment to the vision of the founders. With Mary MacKillop she endured the hardships of the early days and worked tirelessly as an infants’ teacher in several schools in the Adelaide area. In 1872 she was one of four sisters chosen to make a foundation in the Bathurst Diocese of New South Wales. 

As the Sisters established themselves in the different environment, Bishop Matthew Quinn of Bathurst took the initiative to form a diocesan institute from volunteers among the Sisters. In December 1875 he gave the Sisters a choice, to remain members of the original group, with centralised government recently approved in Rome, or to be members of a separate diocesan Josephite institute. Half the community opted to remain in the original institute and at Mother Mary’s instruction, returned to Adelaide.

Sister Hyacinth prayerfully discerned to stay and be involved in the formation of the remaining sisters in the spirit of the institute: she recognised the extremity of the moment for the local novices and the new arrivals from Ireland, who had come to Perthville at Quinn’s invitation to be members of the diocesan institute. As the first Sister Guardian at Perthville, from 1876 to 1880, Sister Hyacinth was able to share with the sisters what she had learnt from her experience with Father Julian and Mary MacKillop during the early years of the order.

Father Woods was supportive of her and the little community at Perthville. Many young women joined them and foundations were made to New Zealand, Goulburn, Lochinvar and Tasmania. Hyacinth’s openness to possibilities enabled directions not dreamed of in the original dream. This continues to be our experience of life that is lived in God, with God and for God.

In 1880, Father Woods chose Sister Hyacinth to lead the foundation to Wanganui in New Zealand. She stayed there for eleven years – six as Sister Guardian and the rest at a school in Hawera. She returned to Australia, going to Tasmania in 1891 where she remained for the rest of her life. She was well loved and respected by all the sisters being elected Sister Guardian three times. She died at New Town on the 12th September 1933 aged eighty one years. 

Though Sister Hyacinth did not live or work at Lochinvar, her role as the first Sister Guardian at Perthville and her work of formation of the sisters who carried the Josephite charism to New Zealand, Goulburn, Lochinvar and Tasmania was foundational. We commend her courage and commitment and marvel at the action of the Spirit in her life. 

In 1876 Sister Hyacinth Quinlan would have had no idea where her choice would lead her or the impact her decision would have on the development of the Australia – New Zealand Federation of Sisters of St Joseph. We acknowledge her fidelity to the Josephite charism and her openness to the Spirit. We thank her for her contribution to where we are now – sharing the Josephite charism as the Spirit leads us into the 21st century and beyond. 

God’s will is to be your only guide,
Your only dependence
Your only comfort
(Julian Tenison Woods 1870)