Many people gathered at St Therese’s Church, New Lambton to celebrate the Mass of Christian
Burial for Josephite Sister Therese Connolly who had died on 11 May 2026 at Calvary St Martin de
Porres Aged Care facility, Waratah.
Sr Therese who was fondly know as Sr Tess was baptised Dahl Therese in St Therese’s church-school
and grew up and went to primary school in New Lambton. This explains why she had requested to be
farewelled from St Therese’s Church New Lambton. She had come full circle.
Fr Greg Arnold who had ministered with Tess in parish work, presided at the Mass where family members,
a number of her Sisters of St Joseph and many friends came to pray for her eternal happiness and to
honour a life well lived.
The scripture readings and hymns were carefully chosen to reflect the way Tess lived her vocation. The
quote from Romans, printed on the cover of the Mass booklet, Hope will make you cheerful said a lot about
her approach to life. So too, did the words from Luke’s Gospel speak of her desire to work for the building
of the kingdom of God in the world : (Jesus) sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and So they set
out and went from village to village, proclaiming the good news and healing people everywhere.
As a Sister of St Joseph, her work for the Kingdom began as an Infants School teacher, a school principal
and as a parish pastoral associate before becoming engaged in the Movement for a Better World (MBW)
that aimed to promote inner renewal of individuals, communities and structures to create a more humane
and Christian society.
During her time with MBW, Tess worked with many colleagues from interstate and overseas. She wrote
that other members came ‘to know the Sisters of St Joseph as an Australian order and I trust I show our
charism to many. Such was her commitment to her Josephite Congregation.
With her health declining, Tess moved to Calvary St Martin de Porres Aged Care facility in Waratah.
It was there, on the morning of Monday 11 th May, that Tess breathed her last, having completed the work
that God had given to her.
Following the Mass, the funeral cortege drove to Lochinvar where Sr Therese Connolly was laid to rest
with all the Sisters who had gone before her in the Sisters’ section of the parish cemetery.