News and Events

Sisters of St Joseph Celebrate the Life of Sister Mary Alacoque

On Monday 28 June, a large number of relatives and friends joined the Sisters of St Joseph at Sacred Heart Church at New Town to farewell Sister Mary Alacoque Cornish. Archbishop Adrian Doyle was the Principal Celebrant. Concelebrating priests were Fathers Denis Allen, John Williams and Graeme Howard.

Sister Mary Alacoque entered the Sisters of St Joseph in 1934 and was professed on 6 January 1938. Sister Alacoque was an educator par excellence and she has left her mark on Catholic education in Tasmania.  She taught in Josephite schools throughout Tasmania at Moonah, Zeehan, Cygnet, Colebrook, Newstead, Richmond, Ulverstone, Rowella, New Town and Devonport.  

Earlier in her life as a Sister of St Joseph, she spent many years in the more remote areas including Colebrook and Zeehan.    Sister Alacoque was a born teacher and had a great love for children.   She always had a special care for the children from poor families and for those who struggled with their learning.   She gave of herself generously, spending extra time outside normal class hours with them to ensure that they had grasped the three Rs before they left her class.    She loved teaching and she gave her whole life to the education of children throughout our island state.   

In the 1950s Sister Alacoque, with one other Sister and a young woman as an aide, ran the boarding school for primary aged children at St Joseph’s ‘Waterton Hall’ at Rowella.  Together they made a home away from home for the children, while, at the same time, providing them with a good education including music.   Sister Alacoque was responsible for the building of the school there.   That was, of course, in the days before there was any government funding for Catholic schools and she used her considerable talents as a cook to raise much needed funds to assist with cost of building and running the school.

Sister Alacoque became quite an identity on the North West Coast where she spent 16 years as Principal at Our Lady of Lourdes in Devonport.   She knew every child in her school, she knew each child’s capability and she did everything she could to ensure that each achieved his or her potential.    She was very proud of the school, both of the children and the staff.  

During the latter part of her time at Devonport, Fr. Bresnehan became Parish Priest.     He and Sr Alacoque became firm, life-long friends. Together they worked to extend the school, providing eight new classrooms, a library, staff room, toilets and a covered way.  After she retired from school, she continued to work with children in the state schools in the Westbury district where she taught the religious education programme.    She also prepared the Catholic children in the parish for the Sacraments.

In more recent years, Sister Alacoque lived with the community at St Joseph’s in New Town until she needed nursing care.   She moved to Rosary Gardens Nursing Home a few months ago.     She died peacefully at Calvary Hospital, Lenah Valley on 24th June after 75 years as a faithful Sister of St Joseph.