Sisters of Charity celebrate 100 years in Brisbane and SE Queensland

This year marks the extraordinary milestone of 100 years of work and selfless contributions to society across health, education, aged care and community care by the Sisters of Charity in Brisbane and south-east Queensland.

When Mary Aikenhead founded the Sisters of Charity in Ireland in 1815 as a direct response to the poverty that surrounded her, it would have been inconceivable to her that the work of the Sisters (who first travelled to Australia in 1838) would have touched so many lives; that it would be omnipresent in so many aspects of the city’s and region’s life; and that it would be so vibrant over 200 years later.

With their ministries inspired by the ethos of ‘serving the poor and marginalised’ and ‘filling a pressing need’, the Sisters of Charity have been dedicated and unwavering as they have carried a lamp of care and compassion for a century now in south-east Queensland.

The motto chosen by Mary Aikenhead, “The love of Christ impels us” and the actions that the Sisters implement, inspire those who serve today and are just as relevant as ever.

Their work began in Brisbane with Mt St Michael’s College which was founded in 1925 at Ashgrove by these women of faith in response to the need for Catholic education for the young women of Brisbane. They began accepting students around the same time as an adjoining Sisters of Charity primary school, St Finbarr’s was opened.

Originally named Grantuly, after the spacious house which housed the school and convent, the College became known as Mt St Michael’s College in 1941. St Michael the Archangel was chosen as patron for the College.

Another three schools followed over the years – St Mary’s Primary School, Kingaroy (1929); Mater dei Catholic primary school St John’s Wood (1951); and St Peter Chanel’s Primary School the Gap (1972)

A call to heal the sick

The needs of the sick, the dying and the elderly were attended to by the opening of Mt Olivet in 1957; by the creation of St Vincent’s Private Hospital Toowoomba (in 1922); St Vincent’s Private Hospital Northside (formerly Holy Spirit Hospital) and St Vincent’s Private Hospital Brisbane; and the acquisition and construction of 12 aged care facilities and six retirement villages in south-east Queensland over more recent decades.

One does not have to go far in Brisbane to meet someone who has in some way been connected to the Sisters of Charity through the schools, hospitals and aged care facilities – or someone who will articulate fond memories and gratitude having been touched by the compassion and care shown to them, or to a loved one, friend or colleague.

In fact, you can travel well beyond Brisbane and find plenty of rural, remote and regional residents who have also been the beneficiaries since 2007 of the generosity of the Sisters of Charity’s, the Downs and West Community Support.

The registered charity has brought hope, support and very practical help in the form of food, clothing, furniture and social services to rural and remote communities. It also offers financial support to those people struggling to pay bills or pay for essential items.

The driving force behind the charity is founder and executive officer Sr Christine Henry (herself a country girl, born and raised in Allora, a town between Toowoomba and Warwick) who has devoted herself to the various communities in southern Queensland or 18 years.

While the charity began with the goal of assisting farmers during an enduring drought (one of the worst on record), Sr Christine and the charity have been a pillar of strength for all seasons, including in the aftermath of fires and the 2025 floods and general increasing economic hardship.

Sr Christine is supported by occasional grants and with a vehicle sponsored by St Vincent’s Care, as well as a decommissioned ambulance (from QAS) and is aided by several volunteers who all play a role helping to distribute donations and assisting at events.

She personally drives out to the region to distribute goods and provide spiritual nourishment, covering up to 90,000km year.

The charity provides pastoral, emotional and social support for people on the land and in rural locations in southern Queensland. It raises funds and provides essential provisions for those suffering the impact of climatic change and other matters beyond their control; as well as organising gatherings for farming families and those in rural and remote communities.

Across all of its activities in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria, St Vincent’s today is Australia’s largest not-for-profit provider of health and aged care services – a shining beacon in Australia’s care sector.