Sister Gabrielle Jennings was a Staff member of Sacred Heart College Shepparton from 1962 - 1968. Sister Gabrielle was a well-known academic and educator within the Melbourne Mercy Congregation and the Catholic Education Offices of Melbourne and Sydney.

She was appointed Congregational Leader of the Melbourne Mercy Congregation from 1978-1988. During this time the Religious Order Schools and Colleges were moving towards amalgamating, to provide facilities that would accommodate co-educational as well as other extended facilities that tertiary and further education was demanding. Shepparton was responding to these needs and it was during this time that St Colman’s College and Sacred Heart College amalgamated. Sister Gabrielle Jennings was a founding member of the Governor’s Council of Notre Dame College.

This was a period of growth within the Victorian Catholic school system and the Sisters of Mercy were encouraged to answer the call by moving from their comfort zones and live in small groups within new parishes, establish Parish Primary Schools then hand them over to Lay Administration and move on. This called for radical leadership.

As Congregational Leader, she was instrumental in establishing and supporting the Mercy presence in Pakistan. In 1991 she was appointed Director of Notre Dame Institute in Karachi and with other Australian Sisters of Mercy, she also established Notre Dame Teacher’s School in Karachi.

Her love and interest in these projects continued until her death in January 2003.

Born in Geelong in 1857, Teresa Mungovan, a brilliant and successful Teacher with the Victorian Education Department, joined the Sisters of Mercy in Bendigo in 1879.

She was Superior of Bendigo Community from 1898-1903. In 1899, she founded the branch house of Tatura and in 1902 accompanied five Sisters of Mercy to Shepparton to commence a new foundation. She returned to Shepparton in 1905 as Superior.

After the general amalgamation of the Sisters of Mercy Victoria in 1907, Mother Augustine joined the newly appointed Leadership Team at Ascot Vale and from there was re-appointed Superior of Bendigo in 1917. She was then appointed Superior of Shepparton in 1923 but died from a serious illness before she commenced this term and was buried from St Brendan’s Shepparton on 16 January 1923. In each of these communities, Mother Augustine worked tirelessly for the growth and development of Catholic primary and secondary education. The College Chapel was named 'The Mother Augustine Mungovan Chapel' as part of the College’s Centenary Celebrations in 2002.

Saint Mary of the Cross MacKillop was born in Melbourne on 15 January 1842 and died in Sydney as Mother Mary of the Cross on 8 August 1909.

In 1867 Mary became the first Sister, and Mother Superior, of the newly formed Order of the Sisters of St Joseph and moved to the new Convent in Grote Street Adelaide.

Dedicated to the education of children of the poor, this was the first Religious Order to be founded by an Australian.

In January 1890, the Sisters of St Joseph began their work in Victoria at Numurkah. Here, Mother Mary of the Cross helped the sisters settle in and wrote from Numurkah in January 1890 of the “humble beginning of a great work.” Mother Mary was beatified by Pope John Paul on 19 January 1995 at Sydney’s Randwick Racecourse. Mary was canonized as a Saint of the Catholic Church by Pope Benedict XVI on 17th October 2010.

St Mary of the Cross MacKillop’s public achievements are historical facts in Australian history but for those who knew her personally, the most striking thing about her was her kindness. She encouraged, respected, and showed great care for people, making no distinction between the rich, high-born, nor the lowly, jailbirds and the outcasts of society. Everyone was treated with dignity and respect.

Venerable Catherine McAuley

Catherine McAuley was born in Ireland in 1778. Throughout her life she was deeply aware of the human suffering caused by social, economic and religious persecution.

Her faith in the God of Mercy and her commitment to the Good News of Jesus Christ, led her to dedicate herself to serving the poor, sick and uneducated of her time. In 1831 Catherine founded the Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy in Dublin, Ireland.

Today, Sisters of Mercy, inspired by the ideals of Catherine McAuley, work throughout the world for the wellbeing of people in need.

In February 1902, six Sisters of Mercy arrived in Shepparton from Bendigo at the invitation of the Dean Timothy Murphy. They accepted responsibility for the administration of St Brendan’s Parish school and commenced Sacred Heart College.