Sisters of St Joseph, Lochinvar celebrate 140 year milestone

The St Joseph's College community gathered with the Sisters on Monday, September 4 at the school chapel for a mass of thanksgiving, celebrating 140 years since the Sisters of St Joseph first arrived in Lochinvar on September 2, 1883.

Over the years the Sisters' network has grown from one building at Lochinvar to now 50 primary schools and 10 secondary schools across the Hunter, Mid Coast and Port Macquarie-Hastings.

Former Lochinvar teacher Sister Patricia Bowland was at the school on Monday, and said the Sisters have had a profound influence on the Catholic world.

Sr Patricia said while you'd think the teenagers she taught over the years would have kept her on her toes, she was the one keeping them on theirs.

A stand-out memory from her teaching years is a 'muck up' day prank by a graduating class in the 1960s.

"This particular year my modern history class decided to stage a revolution, we'd done so many revolutions in the course so they summoned the whole school to an assembly, they locked the principal and deputy in the toilet, and they took over the microphone and told them they were staging a revolution," she said.

"That afternoon when I went into the classroom you know what they said to me? 'Sister did we do it right?'."

Sr Patricia became a postulant in 1960, and was professed in 1962. Using her degree from the University of Sydney she taught modern history, English, Latin and a bit of maths.

"It's a blessing to teach maths because you don't have to mark essays," she said.

Currently, there are 59 Sisters of St Joseph Lochinvar.

During the thanksgiving mass, Bishop Brian Mascord said as a student of the Sisters of St Joseph Lochinvar himself, he knows their impact first-hand.

"I can honestly say I am who I am today in a big part because of Josephite women, alongside my parents, and my family and friends, and for that I will be forever grateful," he said.

"To the Sisters themselves, all we can say is we love you and thank you."

St Joseph's College, Lochinvar principal Patricia Hales said it's a privilege to host the Sisters and celebrate with them.

"The hymn we sang in mass 'standing on the shoulders of those who have gone before us' is a really significant aspect of that and trying to celebrate with our young people what it means to be a part of the Josephite charism and the strength they bring," she said.

"Today is about honouring them and the establishment of the school."

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