HERITAGE

Founding Sisters at Lochinvar

MOTHER MARY IMELDA FLOOD

Catherine Flood, the eldest of the children of Thomas Flood and Julia Cullen, was born at Blaney in Western New South Wales in August 1862. In March 1881, she entered St Joseph's Convent Perthville, and was professed in January 1883. Later that year she was to leave the "Vale" as one of the four sisters from Perthville to make the foundation at Lochinvar. There she taught the junior classes in the school at Lochinvar till she was appointed superior of the new foundation at Quirindi in 1885. She was there in Quirindi till she was withdrawn to make another new foundation at Burwood in Newcastle in 1888.

In 1889 she was appointed Novice Mistress but in June 1890 she was appointed Sister Guardian, an office she held till June 1893. During her term as leader, foundations were made at Knockfin and Krambach. Eight sisters were professed and thirteen postulants entered. Courageously, she initiated a building program to provide an adequate and substantial Mother House for the congregation.

After resigning as sister guardian she went to Burwood and later to Largs. She was appointed congregational bursar in 1899. Her health began to fail and she was confined to the infirmary. She died in February 1900 at the age of thirty-seven.