Mary MacKillop Spirituality Centre, Josephite Mission, Hobart

Chapel

The chapel is available for personal prayer, prayer meetings and celebrations of the Eucharist and liturgy. Pray with the intercession of all the Tasmanian Sisters of Saint Joseph, whose names are acknowledged on the Memorial Wall.

Museum

Foundation Room

In this room visitors can listen to the story of the arrival of the first community of Sisters of Saint Joseph in Tasmania, at Westbury in 1887. Sister Francis McCarthy recalls the voyage of the founding group of sisters and their pioneering work in establishing the early schools and religious communities in Tasmania. A brief biography of each of the five sisters is presented, as well as Father Julian’s writings about the community and school lives of the sisters.

History Room

The History Room tells the story of the Sisters of Saint Joseph’s involvement in Tasmanian Catholic Education and Parish life since 1887. The History Room will transport you back in time to the last half of the nineteenth century, to witness the day-to-day life of the sisters living in a religious community and in service to Catholic education. Biographical information on every Sister who has lived, served or died in Tasmania is on display, including information about each Sister’s birth, family, reception, profession, service, death and burial.

Father Julian’s Room

Father Julian’s room depicts the co-founder of the Sisters of Saint Joseph in his multi-gifted dimensions — as a missioner-priest, educator, geologist, environmentalist, artist, poet and writer. Selections of his illustrations and writings about the Tasmanian environment and its flora and fauna are presented, as well as a selection of books he authored and artifacts from his time as a missioner in the Huon area.

Artifact Rooms

The Artifact Rooms contain artifacts from the schools which the sisters founded or held custodianship of, artifacts from the time of Mary MacKillop’s canonisation and well-loved personal articles of prayer and daily industry.

Heritage Schoolhouse

The Heritage Schoolhouse takes visitors back in time to view an early school classroom complete with the Josephite timetable for learning each day, wooden desks with ink wells, blackboard and teaching methods of the time. The Schoolhouse showcases the innovations in education made by Mary MacKillop as a pioneer educator and her pioneering Sisters of St Joseph in Tasmania who commenced teaching in Westbury in 1887 and on the Sacred Heart College site in 1888.