Celebrating 125 years
Serving the South Australian community
A Reflection by Sister Anne Sheridan
As the afternoon sunshine streams through her lounge room windows, Sr Anne Sheridan, the last remaining Little Company of Mary (LCM) Sister in Adelaide, sat down to reflect on her long association with Calvary.
Born at Calvary North Adelaide herself, Anne became a nurses’ aid in the nursery, under the tutelage of two LCM Sisters once she finished school. She then took her first vows in 1970 before training in Sydney, then travelling to LCM services in Melbourne, Hobart and Cairns, before coming back home to Adelaide.
“I remember the thing that made me feel important, and that my work was important, was the Sisters. There were a lot more of us on the ground in those days, and they had a great sense of humour - it was fun working together. I liked what they did back then, and I still believe in what we do today.”
Looking back over her time with Calvary, Sr Anne reflects, “A lot of things have changed over the past 55 years, because the world has changed. The Sisters aren’t there now obviously, but I believe the spirit's still alive, and I'm grateful for that.”
When asked about Calvary into the future, Sr Anne mused “What I would like is that we keep Mary Potter’s focus on caring for the most vulnerable. People were at the core of what she did, and it is what makes up the spirit of Calvary. It’s important that we continue to have genuine, caring people working for us, and it's not only the nurses - it’s the managers and leaders, people in admin, the cleaners, and the cooks - everyone plays a big part in carrying on the spirit of Calvary, no matter what they do.”
Sr Anne is confident that Calvary is in good hands for the future, as long as what was learned from Mary Potter and the Sisters continues to resonate with future generations.
“Knowing about Mary Potter and her story is important – it’s not just about having photos of her around, it’s thinking and working in the same way; remembering that the focus should always be on the person being cared for.”
Some might even say ‘being for others’.