Page 4 - Unity Edn 44

Canossian Sisters

50 Years of making Jesus known and loved

The Canossian Sisters in Darwin

1970-2020

Italian community. This service,
which has evolved over the years,
still continues to this day.

It was also around this time that
the Sisters began offering their
services to the Parish of St. Paul’s
Nightcliff, which included teaching
catechism at Sunday school and in
Government Schools in Darwin.

Cyclone Tracy in 1974, and the
subsequent destruction of Bakhita
Village, saw an abrupt end to
the Sisters' service of residential
care for children. The service had
lasted just three years. However,
the convent was repaired for the
Sisters who continued to live at
Bakhita Village, carrying out their
Opening of the Community at Nightcliff (1983) ministries from those premises
"Jesus is not loved because He is not for another nine years. In 1983
known”. These words of St Magdalene of they moved into the present convent purposely
Canossa, Foundress of the Canossian Daughters built for them on the grounds of St. Paul's Parish.
of Charity, have been part of the inspiration of the The property of Bakhita Village, returned to the
Sisters who have served in Darwin for the past 50 Diocese, was passed on to the St. Vincent de
years. The desire to make Jesus known and loved Paul Society which transformed it into a hostel for
motivated the first missionary Sisters to embark homeless men.
on a ministry to the people of Darwin, which has
seen a variety of services to those in greatest Throughout
need in the local area. their time
in Darwin,
The first two Canossian Sisters, Teresina Franguelli the Sisters
and Irene Mottta, arrived in Darwin on the 31st of have always
October 1970. At the invitation of the late Bishop been open
John O'Loughlin, they were asked to establish to respond
Bakhita Village, a complex of five family type to emerging
homes for children in need of long and short term poverties and
residential care. needs. This
was again the
On the arrival of the Sisters, Bakhita Village was case when,
not yet complete. In the interim, while waiting for shortly after
its completion, the two sisters - who were soon the plans for
joined by a third, Sr. Susanna Castelli - were Bakhita Village
given lodging in a house at the Catholic Mission were halted,
Headquarters where they lived for 14 months. a n oth e r
During those months, since the Sisters were Sr. Irene Motta with some of the children at great need
all missionaries from Italy, Bishop O'Loughlin Bakhita (1971) in the local
entrusted to them the pastoral care of the Italian area became
migrants who had made Darwin and other towns evident – assisting the Timorese refugees who
in the Northern Territory their new home. While fled to Darwin to escape the 1975 civil war. The
some of the migrants had been in Darwin for quite city of Darwin readied to welcome them, as did
some time, others had only recently arrived from our Sisters, who provided invaluable support to
Italy and were still struggling to adjust to the the various Timorese communities. This service is
new country. The Sisters were greeted with warm another ministry that continues to this day.
hearts and great joy, a God-send in the struggle
towards acculturation. The needs were many, so, In the past 50 years, 34 different Canossian
even after Bakhita Village was opened in January Sisters have served in Darwin in a variety of
1972 and children started to come into care, the ways. With hearts open to the local needs, Sisters
sisters decided to continue their service to the have not only provided pastoral welfare for the

4 Catholic Community of the Northern Territory, Diocese of Darwin