Australia

FMDM Hospitality

Monica Weedon & Pat Murnane (back, L – R)
Marina Chai & Sue Fairbairn (front, L – R)

In February of this year Monica Weedon (a member of the Congregational Leadership Team) spent some time visiting Patricia Murnane, Marina Chai and Suzanne Fairbairn in Victoria, Australia. Monica received a warm FMDM welcome and wonderful hospitality.

While there Monica celebrated her Silver Jubilee with the sisters and her own sister who is an FMM. They all joined with two good friends of Monica’s who are Mercy sisters and Fr Andy Granc, a friend and Franciscan friar, celebrated the Eucharist at Mercy Place, Parkville where Pat and Marina live.

Sisters Patricia Murnane, Gloria Tonzing and Marina Chai

FMDM have been present in Victoria, Australia for over 50 years in different places and involved in many different ministries, including education, healthcare, prison, school and university chaplaincy as well as parish ministry.

As Franciscans and as Missionaries we have responded to the call of the Spirit and to the signs and needs of the times resulting in our presence being very significantly reduced in recent years. Sisters who have served for many years in Australia now find themselves in Rome, England, Zambia, Singapore and Ireland.

However our FMDM spirit lives on in in our small group of sisters still in Australia and in places such as St Mary’s and St Francis schools in Nathalia and in Mount Alvernia hospital, Bendigo.

We welcome any enquiries via our fmdm website www.fmdminternational.org.uk