Presentation Sisters Frances Dengate and Kaye Bryan
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Amid declining numbers of nuns entering the church, five Catholic Presentation Sisters each celebrated a jubilee at Wagga’s Sacred Heart church over the weekend, reports The Daily Advertiser.
A special mass of thanksgiving and celebration was held on Saturday to recognise the achievements of Sisters’ Ambrose O’Shea, Bernadette Creede, Judith Kohlhagen, Frances Dengate and Kaye Bryan.
Celebrating 50 years of life in the church, Kaye Bryan said it was the experience of nuns teaching her in school that made her devote her life to the church and live in service of others.
“I always felt there was so much purpose, friendliness and humanity in the nuns that taught me,” she said. I felt being able to share my life with God and help people in that capacity was something that I could live out and realise a fulfilled life.”
The number of Catholic nuns in the country has dropped from 15,000 to just 5565 over the last four decades with the church struggling to attract new clergymen and women.
Sister Frances Dengate, who was also celebrating a diamond jubilee, said remaining relevant was the key to attracting young people to a life in the church. “There has been a shift in the church and it now focuses a lot more on celebrating the humanity of the individual,” she said.
FULL STORY Sisters celebrate jubilee (Daily Advertiser)