Sister Anselm Shannon

Mary Marjorie Shannon was born at Dennington, Victoria, on 16 April 1916, the third child born to William and Catherine (Noonan) Shannon, a sister for Eileen, Mona, Joan and James. She was baptised at Warrnambool on 7 May 1916 and confirmed by His Grace Archbishop Mannix at St Brigid’s Church, North Fitzroy on 9 October 1932.

Her primary education was with the Mercy Sisters as was her secondary education, at the Academy of Mary Immaculate in Fitzroy. Marjorie sought admission to the Novitiate of the Sisters of the Good Samaritan on 22 October 1932. She received the religious name of Sr Mary Anselm and made her first profession of vows on 24 May 1935.

As a registered teacher Sr Anselm undertook a dedicated ministry in the education of children in Infant and Primary Schools. This ministry continued until 1976 and in those forty-one years she taught in New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory, Queensland and Victoria. Her lessons were always thoroughly prepared and she developed effective methods for teaching children of all abilities, but especially those who had any kind of learning difficulty. Her patience and perseverance with her students were outstanding, as were her keen sense of humour and her ever sharp wit.

Sr Anselm continued her active ministry in education as Assistant Librarian at Sacred Heart Preston from 1977 until 1982. Her next appointment was to the community at Reservoir. In a voluntary capacity, she helped out in the library at St Gabriel’s School, she undertook the teaching of a few small groups of children and she also formed enduring associations with some of their teachers. When she took up residence at Marian House in 1993 she continued, for a few years, to travel to Reservoir several mornings a week to continue her teaching ministry.

Her love of reading gave her great joy and relaxation at every stage of her life. In the community at Marian House, she took great pleasure in having more time to indulge this love. She enjoyed books on a wide variety of topics and delighted in learning about different places, people and ideas as well as extending her already broad general knowledge. She loved to discuss what she had read, even if she usually preferred to do this on a one to one basis. Reading was also a great comfort to her in her periods of ill health and hospitalisation, and indeed right up till the day before her death.

Following the closure of Marian House towards the end of 2004, Anselm moved to South Morang Mews on 29 November and entered the final stage of her life. She adapted to the new situation with grace, and with greater ease than she had anticipated. She was greatly assisted by her deep faith, by the cheerful and caring staff and by the support of her sisters in religion, her family and some loyal friends. However her health gradually deteriorated and she died after a very brief illness on 20 July, in her ninetieth year of life and in her seventy-third year of religious life. May she rest in peace.