Sunday the 18th of February was a fitting day to farewell the Dominican Sisters from the Palmerston North diocese. It was almost 75 years to the exact day that Sr.’s M. Stanislaus and Sr. M. Rose OP began their involvement with the Deaf on the 19th February 1943. One year before the official opening of St. Dominic’s School for the Deaf at Island Bay in Wellington, Sr.’s Stanislaus and Rose began their training with Catholic Deaf children at another Dominican Deaf school—Waratah School for the Deaf in Newcastle, N.S.W., Australia.

While New Zealand’s Catholic Church is very young compared to those in much older countries overseas, here at least, 75 years of commitment to a specialized ministry in the Church is a very significant contribution worthy of suitable recognition by the Bishops and the local Church nationally. Thankfully the wonderful turnout to the farewell and celebrations in Palmerston North on Sunday 18th February was a well-deserved tribute to the dedicated work of the Sisters with the Catholic Deaf community in New Zealand. The latest issue of  Deaf Southern Star contains a detailed article sharing about the celebration including many photos and some reflections.  You can read this online at:

https://www.dominicans.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Deaf-Southern-Star-Vol-40-No.-1.pdf