Archivist

Since 1867, 35 Irish, 352 Australian and 35 local Solomonese Sisters have been professed to our Congregation.  As Archivist it is my privilege to collect their stories and document and preserve the legacy of these interesting women.

Our Archives, based in Sydney, comprises records of Congregational governance and administration and the 77 ministries and other activities undertaken by the Sisters over more than 150 years.  As well as fulfilling our legal and social responsibilities, the archival holdings promote access to our cultural heritage by documenting and preserving relevant, historically significant, records and artefacts, along with other information. This documentation helps to preserve the history, spirit and charism of our place in the wider 800 years old Dominican story.

My role as Archivist is to build up the Collection primarily to be useful, to provide some answers, however partial, to questions already framed and to questions not yet asked.  It is my responsibility to write about the community for the community, to provide a window into how our convent culture has changed, evolved and yet remains constant.  As Archivist and Historian, I am challenged to look at a wide variety of different types of records, to make links, to collect and document the raw data required to understand and communicate the past in a living and relevant way.

Perhaps most of all, I enjoy spirit-linking our women of former times with their current families.  Family history responses seem to bring joy and awe and a reminder that the hand of God writes large.

 Sr Elizabeth OP