Many Josephite Sisters, extended family members and Dominican friends attended the Mass of Christian Burial for Sr Catherine Grant at Christ the King Church, Mayfield on Wednesday 15th May 2024
Her cousin, Father Anthony Crook presided and concelebrated with Father Garry McKeown who had worked with Sr Catherine in the Bathurst Diocese. The chalice used during the Mass had special significance as it had belonged to Father Julian Tenison Woods, co-founder of the Josephite congregations.
The Mass began with the whole-hearted singing of All Creatures of our God and King. Many family members, Josephite and Dominican Sisters and long-time friends participated in the liturgy.
Sr Kathleen Luchetti delivered the Words of Remembrance on behalf of the Sisters.
Catherineโs much-loved nieces, Gemma and Donna Rygate spoke about Catherineโs early life and recalled the many different paths she took during life.
Catherine was born in Canowindra to Doug and Myra Grant in 1933. She grew up with three sisters, Mary, Monica and Elaine and a brother Max. Margaret and Aidre had died in infancy.
After her schooling, first at St Edwardโs in Canowindra and then at St Maryโs Bathurst, Catherine entered the Perthville Sistersโ Novitiate in 1951 where she was given the name of Sr Maria Goretti. She was professed as a Sister of St Joseph on 30 March 1954 and sent out on mission.
From 1954 to 1977, Sr Maria Goretti ministered as a primary school teacher and school principal across the Bathurst diocese, from Gilgandra in the north to Canowindra in the south, Portland in the east and many places in between. During this time, in 1969 Catherine reverted to her baptismal and family name.
In 1978, Catherineโs life and ministry changed when she was followed the call to become a nurse. She completed her nursesโ training at St Vincentโs Hospital in Bathurst, before moving to the Mater Hospital North Sydney for a year. Then it was on to Mt Druitt Hospital for four years before returning to Gilgandra as a community nurse.
Catherine worked in Gilgandra from 1985 until her retirement in 1998. There she is remembered not only for her competency as a nurse but also for her generous care and respect for all with whom she came in contact.
The next ten years until 2009, Catherine cared for her fellow Josephite Sister, Jenny Buckley on the Central Coast.
Another change in Catherineโs life came in 2013 with her decision to become part of the Lochinvar Josephite congregation. Her new homes were in the Hunter Valley town of Muswellbrook and then the Newcastle suburb of Windale where she visited the sick and elderly.
Finally, in retirement Catherine enjoyed the hospitality of the Dominican Sisters in their community arrangement in Waratah. She was in close contact with Sr Mary Stafford, her good friend from Novitiate days.
It was in her unit in Waratah that Catherine died unexpectedly and peacefully in her sleep on 3rd May 2024, a couple of weeks after returning from hospital after a fall. She was in her ninety-second year and seventieth year of her religious profession.
After the completion of the Mass, the funeral cortege travelled to Lochinvar where Sr Catherine Grant was laid to rest in the Sistersโ section of the parish cemetery. There with all the Sisters buried in the shade of the gum trees she awaits the Resurrection.
