Sr Mary a woman of great faith and devotion

SISTER Mary Hereward was born on March 20, 1924 in Boorowa NSW, to John – a grazier, and Mary (nee Dwyer) who cared for home and children. Baptised Mary Josephine, she had a brother, Basil, who pre-deceased her. Mary’s closest living relative is her cousin Veronica Henderson, who lives in Binalong and turns 100 in May.

Mary Hereward entered the Sisters of St Joseph on the July 16, 1946 and in religious life was given the name Sr Mary Jane Frances.

Sr Mary Hereward passed away on January 20, aged 91. She had been a Josephite Sister for almost 70 years. PHOTO: SUPPLIED

After primary teacher training, Mary taught in many schools across the Canberra and Goulburn and Wagga Dioceses, some of these with more than one appointment. Schools included Goulburn, Koorawatha, Ardlethan, Quandialla, Yoogali, Leeton, Temora, Yenda, Narrandera, O’Connor, Batlow, Coolamon, Holbrook, Barellan and Taralga. Sr Mary moved to Neutral Bay in 1991 before moving to Nazareth House, North Turramurra in 1998. She lived at Nazareth House until 2011, when she moved to Mary of the Cross Apartments in Goulburn. In 2013 Sr Mary’s home became the Southern Cross Care Tenison Apartments, Goulburn.

Sr Mary Hereward is remembered as a woman of great faith and devotion. She was a woman of prayer, and constantly ‘on mission’ reaching out through prayer, support and relationships with those in need and those she met on life’s journey. Totally devoted to St Mary MacKillop, Sr Mary loved her years of teaching; she loved little children, and loved the Australian bush. She continued active ministry in various forms for as long as her health would allow. Sr Mary was greatly loved by all who came to know her in her years of ministry.

In the past two years Sr Mary’s health declined gradually, and she slipped home to God very peacefully in Tenison, on the morning of Wednesday, January 20, at 4.10am.

Sr Mary Hereward was prayerful and faithful. She gave her all to the God who gave her so much throughout her life. Sr Mary had deep affection for her family, relatives and cousins, and her Sisters in the Congregation. She held in high esteem and valued the many people who became her friends throughout her life’s journey.

The Mass of Christian Burial for Sr Mary Hereward was held at Our Lady of Dolours Chapel, North Goulburn, on January 28, followed by interment at St Patrick’s Cemetery, Kenmore.