MARY AIKENHEAD THE FOUNDRESS OF THE SISTERS OF CHARITY WAS MOVED BY THE PLIGHT OF THE POOR IN 19TH CENTURY IRELAND WHERE POVERTY WAS COMMON AND RESULTED IN MANY PEOPLE BEING UNABLE TO AFFORD SHELTER, FOOD, HEALTH CARE OR EDUCATION. IN 1815 SHE FOUNDED THE SISTERS OF CHARITY IN DUBLIN. IN ADDITION TO THE VOWS OF POVERTY, CHASTITY AND OBEDIENCE, THE WOMEN WHO BELONGED TO THIS INSTITUTE TOOK A FOURTH VOW OF SERVICE TO THE POOR IN ACCORDANCE WITH MOTHER MARY'S DREAM TO WORK WITH THE DISADVANTAGED. THE SISTERS VISITED AND ASSISTED POOR PEOPLE IN ORPHANAGES, HOSPITALS, GAOLS AND IN THEIR HOMES. LATER, THEY OPENED A HOUSE OF REFUGE FOR YOUNG GIRLS AND STARTED GIVING RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION IN SCHOOLS. GROWING VOCATIONS AND GENEROUS DONATIONS ENABLED THE ORDER TO SPREAD BEYOND IRELAND TO OTHER PARTS OF THE CATHOLIC WORLD WHERE THEY CONTINUE TO WORK TO THIS DAY.

IN 1834, DR. POLDING, THEN VICAR-APOSTOLIC OF NEW HOLLAND, REQUESTED FROM MOTHER MARY AIKENHEAD A COMMUNITY OF SISTERS TO CARE FOR THE CONVICTS AT THE FEMALE FACTORY IN PARRAMATTA, THE CHILDREN AT THE PARRAMATTA ORPHAN SCHOOL, AND OTHER POOR PEOPLE IN THE COLONY. MARY AIKENHEAD OFFERED HER SERVICES AT ONCE AND DECIDED TO ESTABLISH A MISSION IN AUSTRALIA. IN 1838, SHE SELECTED FIVE OF HER SISTERS WHO HAD VOLUNTEERED TO TAKE PART IN THE AUSTRALIAN MISSION. THESE FIVE PIONEERS LEFT IRELAND IN AUGUST 1838 AND ARRIVED IN SYDNEY ON 31ST DECEMBER 1838. THE SISTERS OF CHARITY WERE THE FIRST RELIGIOUS INSTITUTE OF WOMEN TO ARRIVE IN AUSTRALIA. THEY STARTED WORK IMMEDIATELY AND WERE SUCCESSFUL IN NEGOTIATING CHANGES AT THE FACTORY WHICH RESULTED IN IMPROVED LIVING CONDITIONS FOR THE INMATES. THEY CONTINUED THEIR WORK AT PARRAMATTA UNTIL THE CLOSURE OF THE FACTORY IN 1848. WITH THE GROWING NUMBER OF APPLICANTS, THE SISTERS EXPANDED THEIR WORK WITH THE NEEDY, THE POOR AND THE SICK, VISITING THEM IN THEIR HOMES, THE SCHOOLS, THE GAOL, CONVICTS AT THE FACTORY AND ON A SHIP, AND ORPHANS AT THE ORPHAN SCHOOL. IN 1857 THE SISTERS OPENED ST. VINCENT’S HOSPITAL IN SYDNEY. THE HOSPITAL DELIVERED FREE HEALTH CARE SERVICES TO PATIENTS WHO WERE POOR. IT WAS THE FORERUNNER OF MANY SUCH HOSPITALS THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA. THE EDUCATION MINISTRY OF THE SISTERS HAS ALSO BEEN A SIGNIFICANT ASPECT OF THE CONGREGATION’S WORK. THE SISTERS OPENED THEIR FIRST CONVENT SCHOOL IN AUSTRALIA IN 1847. SINCE THAT TIME, THE SISTERS OF CHARITY HAVE CONDUCTED INFANT, PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS, SOME WITH BOARDING FACILITIES, IN NEW SOUTH WALES, VICTORIA, TASMANIA, QUEENSLAND, AS WELL AS ESTABLISHING A TEACHERS COLLEGE IN 1897 ALL IN THE SPIRIT OF MOTHER MARY AIKENHEAD.