The Congregation welcomes a new Leader, Sr Laureen Dixon rsc
PrintSr Laureen was educated by the Sisters of Charity at St Thomas’ Lewisham and Bethlehem College Ashfield and went on to gain her teaching qualifications at the Catholic Teachers College North Sydney prior to joining the Congregation of the Sisters of Charity in 1971. She taught and was principal in a number of schools in Sydney and Melbourne.
In 1978, Sr Laureen attended the National Pastoral Institute to further her studies in Religious Education. She later gained a Masters degree in Pastoral Studies from Loyola University in Chicago and a Masters degree in Theology from the Sydney College of Divinity.
Her special interest is Pastoral Theology. She has been engaged in adult education, community development and counselling and was Parish Coordinator at Our Lady of the Rosary Kensington (NSW) from 1999 – 2001.
From 2002 -2014, Sr Laureen was a member of the Congregational Council and responsible for areas of ministry including: Aged Care, Mission Overseas, Parish Associates, Primary Education, Property, Professional Standards and Justice issues. During this period, Laureen was engaged in the preparation of the Petition to be sent to Rome for the establishment of Mary Aikenhead Ministries.
In recent years, Sr Laureen has been a Director on the Board of the Sisters of Charity Foundation Ltd, St Vincent’s College Ltd, on the Congregation’s Advisory Finance Committee and most recently a director of Sisters of Charity Community Care Ltd, and a member of the Heritage Centre Development Committee. Beyond the Congregation she was a Trustee for Catholic Healthcare Ltd and Chair of the Board of St Clare’s College Waverley. She was an Executive Member and then President of the Conference of Leaders of Religious Institutes NSW.
Sr Laureen was elected Congregational Leader of the Sisters of Charity of Australia at the General Chapter in March, 2021.
Image: Sr Laureen at the missioning liturgy in St Vincent’s Chapel, Potts Point in Sydney in March. Photo by Tim Bauer