IN THE 13th CENTURY ST DOMINIC GUZMAN SET OUT TO COMBAT THE ALBIGENSIAN HERESY IN SOUTHERN FRANCE. ALONG THE WAY HE CONVERTED A COMMUNITY OF WOMEN WHO HAD BEEN LIVING AN ASCETIC LIFESTYLE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF THE ALBIGENSIANS. IN 1206 HE FOUNDED FOR THEM A CONVENT AT PROUILLE IN FRANCE AND CHARGED THEM WITH TEACHING THE FAITH. FROM THIS SMALL BEGINNING THE ORDER SPREAD TO OTHER PARTS OF EUROPE AND LATER THROUGHOUT THE WORLD TEACHING AND WORKING IN TANDEM WITH THE DOMINICAN FRIARS TO SPREAD THE FAITH AS ST DOMINIC INTENDED. LIKE OTHER DOMINICANS THEY TAKE THE INITIALS OP FOR ORDER OF PREACHERS A CONSTANT REMINDER OF THEIR APOSTOLATE TO TEACH.

THE FIRST DOMINICAN SISTERS TO ARRIVE IN AUSTRALIA CAME IN 1867 FROM KINGSTOWN AT THE INVITATION OF DR MURRAY BISHOP OF MAITLAND TO ESTABLISH A SCHOOL IN THAT TOWN. FROM THERE THEY GRADUALLY SPREAD THEIR WORK TO OTHER PARTS OF EASTERN AUSTRALIA. IN 1868 A SECOND GROUP FROM CABRA IN DUBLIN ARRIVED IN ADELAIDE AT THE REQUEST OF BISHOP SHEIL TO RUN A GIRLS SCHOOL IN THAT CITY. A THIRD GROUP FROM ENGLAND CAME TO ADELAIDE IN 1883 TO TAKE OVER A HOSPITAL AND A FOURTH GROUP ARRIVED IN 1899 FROM DUNEDIN IN NEW ZEALAND TO CONDUCT A SCHOOL IN GERALDTON IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA AND LATER SPREAD TO OTHER PARTS OF THAT STATE. IN THE 1950's THESE FOUR CONGREGATIONS WITH THEIR HISTORIC LINKS BACK TO IRELAND JOINED IN A LOOSE UNION, THE FEDERATION OF DOMINICAN SISTERS OF AUSTRALIA.

TRADITIONALLY THE DOMINICAN SISTERS HAVE NOT BEEN A CENTRAL ORDER BUT ONE IN WHICH EACH FOUNDATION FORMED AN INDEPENDANT CONGREGATION WITH ITS OWN BRANCH HOUSES. THE FOUR FOUNDING COMMUNITIES IN AUSTRALIA LIKEWISE FORMED AUTONOMOUS CONGREGATIONS BASED ON THEIR ORIGINAL FOUNDING HOUSES OF KINGSTOWN, CABRA, STONE, AND DUNEDIN. THESE FOUR CONGREGATIONS TOGETHER MAKE UP THE FEDERATION OF DOMINICAN SISTERS OF AUSTRALIA.

DOMINICAN SISTERS OF EASTERN AUSTRALIA

DOMINICAN SISTERS OF NORTH ADELAIDE

DOMINICAN SISTERS OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA

HOLY CROSS
DOMINICAN SISTERS