Sister Mary Justina Kelly

Sister Mary Justina Kelly was born on 3 September 1897 at Millchester near Charters Towers, Queensland and was baptised Alice Maud in St Columba’s Church, Charters Towers.

She was the fourth child in a family of six children, three boys and three girls. Her father, Michael Alexander Kelly, also born in Millchester, was an amalgamator in the Venus gold crushing mine. Her mother, Annie Kelly (neè Morris) had migrated to Australia from Cambridge, England. Alice attended St Patrick’s School in Millchester, conducted by the Sisters of the Good Samaritan who came by bus each day from Charters Towers.

After completing her schooling at 14 years of age, she became a pupil teacher at St Patrick’s School until she entered the Good Samaritan Novitiate in Randwick, Sydney along with four other young women from St Columba’s – Sisters Aloysius Moles, Enda Donlevy, Mel O’Malley and Stanislaus Harrington – on 19 March, 1920.

Alice was professed on 6 January, 1923 and took the name of Sr Mary Justina. After profession Justina taught in Good Samaritan schools in New South Wales and South Australia but mainly in Queensland. In all she taught for over fifty-seven years as a Good Samaritan.

In 1985 she retired to Lourdes Hill Convent until she took up residence at the Holy Spirit Hostel, Carseldine in 1995. In September 1997, many family members and friends gathered at the Pines Hostel to celebrate Justina’s 100th birthday. It was a truly joyous occasion when so many memories were shared.

To live to see the new century I was her next desire and great was her joy when the new Millennium dawned and she was there to greet it! Now Justina could say she had lived in three centuries! During this year of 2000, Justina and three other centenarian residents of the Holy Spirit Hostels were presented with the Millennium Medal by the local MLA.

Recently Justina was transferred to the Nursing Home. To the last she retained something of her sense of humour and only recently gave up reading the daily newspaper and her beloved poetry books. On the 20th October Justina quietly slipped away. She was in her 104th year and her 81st year as a Sister of the Good Samaritan.

Vale Justina.