Sister Mary Barbuto

Having migrated to Australia in 1926, little did the Italian-born parents of Mary Barbuto, who ran a fruit shop in Middle Brighton, realise they were nurturing a future leader of a community of Catholic nuns.

They sent their daughter to the primary school attached to Saint Joan of Arc parish in Brighton, then to Star of the Sea College at Gardenvale, before she began her training at the Presentation Teachers' College in Elsternwick.

That College is now a Jewish school, a happy indication, perhaps, of where her education has taken Sister Mary, who was elected Provincial of the Sisters of Our Lady of Sion in Australia and the Philippines in February this year, 2005.

While teaching at St Mary's Ascot Vale, a primary school conducted by the Sion Sisters, Sister Mary was impressed by their openness and friendliness and in 1966 began her novitiate in Sale. She was professed in 1968 and so, like many others, was caught up in the dramatic changes of the second Vatican Council, even though Sion Sisters throughout the world had been working towards change, particularly in their relationship with the Jewish people, well before that.

'I was impressed by the foresight of the Sion Community,' she told Gesher. 'Our present understanding of our charism has developed as a result of the experience of the many sisters who came in to contact with Jewish people fleeing Nazism during World War II. It was this experience that compelled the sisters to begin to seek ways with Jews so as to bring about understanding, healing and reconciliation between Christians and Jews. This led to the developments that have taken place over the last fifty years.'

Sion's charism, though difficult to define, enlivens and motivates all the works of the sisters. Primarily, it is deeply rooted in God's universal project of life and peace, revealed in the Bible and seen in the light of the Jewish tradition, the lived experience of the Jewish people today, and the spirituality of Sion. 'The study of the Hebrew Bible as well as the New Testament is an important dimension of our charism and forms the basis of our prayer life,' Sister Mary explained. 'The Biblical imperative to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with our God (Micah 6:8b) and the knowledge of the injustice in the relationship between the Church and the Jewish people over the centuries, form the bases of our work today. Each sister, in her own ministry, brings awareness and understanding.'

Sister Mary said most of the sisters would have been involved in education. They were responsible for several primary schools as well as three secondary Colleges for girls. These Colleges also took in boarders. The genuine care of the sisters is still remembered at past pupils' reunions. She herself has never stopped teaching, and is currently coordinator of Religious Education for children attending government schools in the parish of Werribee. She also sees an educational role for the sisters in the field of Christian – Jewish relationships. 'Making the Bible an open book and making known our roots in Judaism are two important aspects in our faith that colour my teaching', Sister Mary added.

The understanding and the role of leadership has also changed over the years. Leadership includes listening to the scriptures and people, giving encouragement and service. It is very much a shared responsibility. There is a leadership team of four sisters, Angela Bayliss, Patricia Watson and Mary herself live in Melbourne and Sister Oonah O'Shea lives in the Kiloloron, a poor fishing village east of Manila in the Philippines.

At present the province has 23 sisters living in Australia and three sisters and two novices living and working in the Philippines. Three Australian sisters are living and working in Jerusalem at Ecce Homo. Sister Helen Frawley, the former Provincial of the Australia Philippines province, is now serving on the general leadership team based in Rome.