St. Mary’s Convent History

On July the 30^th, 1889, a meeting was held for the formation of a committee to organise the building of a Convent in Beaudesert for the Sisters of Mercy and in 1901 the two-storey wooden Convent was opened. Archbishop James Duhig travelled by train from Brisbane to dedicate and bless additions to the Convent in February of 1914.

On November 5^th, 1929, the Convent was destroyed by fire, but through God’s mercy all inside at the time were saved, the following is an extract of the Beaudesert Times report on the event.

“Shortly after 8 O’Clock Tuesday evening St. Mary’s Convent at Beaudesert was discovered in flames and the whole building, which was of wood and comprising two floors, was totally enveloped in a very short space of time. The blaze started at the rear of the building and as some of the sisters were upstairs and the others and the children were in the front portion of the building, they knew nothing of the fire until the alarm was raised outside”.

“So sudden was the blaze that the lives of some of the occupants were very nearly lost… Fortunately the nine children boarders were on the ground floor and had no difficulty in getting out. Sister Mary Dominic who was ill in bed and the sister in charge, Sister Mary Cristina were trapped upstairs and their only escape was by the front balcony. The bed ridden sister was unable to save herself, but Sister Cristina at the risk of losing her own life rescued her, carrying her outside and dropping her over the balcony. Sister Dominic received a broken rib in the fall. Before making her own escape, Sister Cristina secured the Monstrance containing the Sacrament. By this time her whole Habit was blazing and she leaped to the ground, her fall being broken by Messrs. Schmidt and Drynan who also extinguished the burning clothing”.

“The origin of the fire is at present a mystery, although from the facts to hand it is believed in some quarters to be a case of incendiarism. A tin, smelling strongly of methylated spirits, was found near the building. No one can account for the presence of this tin and it had not been seen there before, whilst no methylated spirits had been used in the Convent. Recently two mysterious fires were discovered in the Convent, but on this third occasion the discovery was made too late. The Police are making diligent investigations and it is hoped that if the suspicions are correct, the culprit, who must either be a lunatic or a criminal of the deepest water, will be caught.”

It was at this fire that the district Volunteer Fire Brigade faced their first real fire, arriving soon after the alarm was raised, by which time the building was fully ablaze and the roof was beginning to fall in. Realising the building could not be saved the Brigade turned their attentions to preventing the fire spreading, initially a light wind was blowing the flames toward the nearby school room and they worked hard to save this, but within minutes the wind had changed direction and intensity and was now endangering the church. Turning their attention to the saving of the church which was becoming badly scorched, the Brigade directed their hoses to it whilst the Brigade Chief arranged volunteers to work the pump and keep the school walls wet with buckets of water. Due to the high and changeable winds, the brigade stayed on site until 10:00am the following morning.

Mr and Mrs M.J. Enright generously placed their home at the disposal of the Sisters until the Convent could be rebuilt, it was less than 12 months before the Beaudesert Times was again reporting on the Convent of Mercy, although this was for a more joyous occasion, that of the opening of the new brick convent on August 31^st, 1930, an extract from the report on September 5^th, 1930 follows:

“Sunday last saw the streets of Beaudesert crowded with traffic and pavements thronged with people as hundreds made their way towards the Roman Catholic Church grounds, to take part in the opening of the new Convent”. “At the outset, Rev. Fr. Hennessy (Parish Priest) and the Roman Catholic community are to be congratulated upon the fine building they have erected in our town – a building that will stand as a monument throughout the ages”.

“The ground measurements of the building, which is of brick are 70 feet by 60 feet. The two floors contain sixteen rooms and a beautiful chapel.

There is accommodation for a limited number of boarders. A feature of the building is the spacious verandahs. Water supply is provided by an underground tank, from which water is pumped to a concrete tank on the roof. The whole of the building is plainly but artistically decorated and finished and is a credit to the architect (Mr J.P. Donoghue) and the contractor (Mr H. Cheetham).

Prior to the Convent’s Blessing and Opening, 112 children were confirmed by Archbishop Duhig.

A Marquee had been erected in the grounds and about 50 ladies served a lunch, after which, the Service of Blessing and Opening was proceeded by a procession, led by the Archbishop and accompanied by Rev. Frs. Hennessy and O’Çallaghan, the Altar Boys and the 112 Confirmees, this procession moved from the church along an avenue formed by the members of the local Hibernian Lodge.

Following the Blessing and Opening, Rev. Fr. Hennessy addressed the large gathering, the following is an extract from the Beaudesert Times report on this address: “It is with great pleasure that I look upon this great achievement, I take it as a great compliment to the Sisters of Mercy that people have come today from all over the district. I am grateful to you all, from His Grace down to the smallest child for your attendance. I am sure that when His Grace makes an appeal you will all respond to it.

Today I have to thank His Grace for a two-fold duty, for this morning he administered confirmation to 112 children. I trust they will grow up worthy men and women of the Catholic faith. And if they are that they will be worthy citizens”.

Fr. Hennessy went on to thank the Enright family for giving the Sisters the use of their home, he gave credit to the Architect and the Builder then went on to discuss the loss to the community of the Convent the previous year in financial terms.

The new construction was done at a cost of £8000, with another £600 added in extras. With Insurance of   £2000 and collections of £3000, the shortfall was £3600, however the Sisters of Mercy had agreed to meet any costs over £7000, as such there was a £2000 debt owing on the Convent.

The Times’ reports on the Archbishops address follows:

His Grace said: “This day stands out for its brightness and for its joyousness in marked contrast to the fifth of November last, when a shadow of sorrow fell over our community by the burning of the Convent of mercy. Still, in that sad day there were bright spots, one of which was the wonderful bravery of the Sisters. The Superior came out of the ordeal a heroine and I may say she is not the first heroine nun we have had. At about the same time as this fire, we were reading in the cables and news from America where the Sisters had risked their lives saving children from a fire in an orphanage and soon after that we heard of the Sister at Perth who lost her life endeavouring to save a sick patient from a fire.

We see from this; their faith and love make them fearless from the ordinary dangers.

I wish to join with Fr. Hennessy in thanking the family of Mr and Mrs M. Enright junior for giving up their home to the Sisters. I think their sacrifice was all the greater, because they are only a young couple.

I may add that this family made no charge for the use of their home for the ten months.

Last year the local butter factory distributed £184,000. Now you dairy farmers – to you the debt of £2000 remaining on the convent is a mere bagatelle. I am sure you will be able to come forward today and give further evidence of your generosity and I think there will be very little of the £2000 remaining after this afternoon.

Our thanks are due to the following, who have assisted towards the furnishing of the Convent:

The late Mr S. Mylett for the Altar; Fr. Steele, chalice and paten; Mr and Mrs M.J. Smith, statue of the Virgin; Mr and Mrs Jas. Drynan, statue of St. Joseph; Nurse Hayes, crucifix and six candlesticks; the Deerain family, Stations of the Cross; Mrs P. Smith, gold key, chain and cross.

Mr T.F. Plunkett, M.L.A Member for Albert, proposed a vote of thanks to His Grace”.