No. 1664 - New Town - Sisters of St Joseph Convent and Chapel (1968-2025)
The Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart is a Catholic religious order founded in 1866 at Penola in South Australia. Its first member and Superior was Mary MacKillop. The Sisters were active in several Australian states in education and child welfare, establishing several schools, orphanages and babies’ and children’s Homes.
The Sisters have been in Tasmania since their arrival in 1887 when they established the first Josephite school in Westbury. Since then, they have ministered in 25 schools and numerous parishes across Tasmania.
In 1968 a Josephite Convent was established at Thirza Street in New Town. The building was blessed and opened by Archbishop Guilford Young on 19 August 1968. Initially it operated as a nursing home and hostel for Sisters of Saint Joseph. In time hospitality was also offered to members of other religious congregations and relatives and friends of the Sisters during times of illness. By 1989 it had become clear that St Joseph’s was too small to be eligible for Government funding, so the building became home to a community of Sisters. The house was extended and renovated in 1999.
At the time of the renovations a chapel or oratory was established as is the tradition of many Catholic religious orders. In 1999, Lan & Skinner Architects, commissioned stained glass artist Ellen Houston Harris to design and construct two large, floor-to-ceiling lead-light windows for the chapel and prayer room.
Positioned north-east and south-west, the windows create a colourful through-lighting effect along the sanctuary wall. The design combines sacred iconography with fluid abstraction: at the top, a blue cross frames an intertwined "JM" (Jesus and Mary) monogram within a vibrant sunburst. Below, the composition flows into organic currents of teals, blues, and earth tones representing "living water," punctuated by jewel-like glass orbs.
This contemporary design was well received, and in 2002, the Saint Anthony of Padua Catholic Parish commissioned a large window following a similar aesthetic for Saint Anthony's Catholic Church in Melton South, Victoria.
By 2025 the community on Thirza Street had declined to only two Sisters. Consequently a decision was made close the house. In February a farewell or “letting go” ceremony was held in the chapel where various symbols were used to represent and acknowledge the “letting go” of 57 years of experiencing community, hospitality, compassion and belonging.
The Sisters have been in Tasmania since their arrival in 1887 when they established the first Josephite school in Westbury. Since then, they have ministered in 25 schools and numerous parishes across Tasmania.
In 1968 a Josephite Convent was established at Thirza Street in New Town. The building was blessed and opened by Archbishop Guilford Young on 19 August 1968. Initially it operated as a nursing home and hostel for Sisters of Saint Joseph. In time hospitality was also offered to members of other religious congregations and relatives and friends of the Sisters during times of illness. By 1989 it had become clear that St Joseph’s was too small to be eligible for Government funding, so the building became home to a community of Sisters. The house was extended and renovated in 1999.
At the time of the renovations a chapel or oratory was established as is the tradition of many Catholic religious orders. In 1999, Lan & Skinner Architects, commissioned stained glass artist Ellen Houston Harris to design and construct two large, floor-to-ceiling lead-light windows for the chapel and prayer room.
Positioned north-east and south-west, the windows create a colourful through-lighting effect along the sanctuary wall. The design combines sacred iconography with fluid abstraction: at the top, a blue cross frames an intertwined "JM" (Jesus and Mary) monogram within a vibrant sunburst. Below, the composition flows into organic currents of teals, blues, and earth tones representing "living water," punctuated by jewel-like glass orbs.
This contemporary design was well received, and in 2002, the Saint Anthony of Padua Catholic Parish commissioned a large window following a similar aesthetic for Saint Anthony's Catholic Church in Melton South, Victoria.
By 2025 the community on Thirza Street had declined to only two Sisters. Consequently a decision was made close the house. In February a farewell or “letting go” ceremony was held in the chapel where various symbols were used to represent and acknowledge the “letting go” of 57 years of experiencing community, hospitality, compassion and belonging.
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| The Convent and chapel on Thirza Street. Photograph: sosj.org.au/ |
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| The south-west window. Photograph taken by Mervyn Houston at the time of the installation of the window in 1999. |
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| A detail of the south-west window |
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| The window with a statue of St Joseph. Source: sosj.org.au/ |
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| Mary Mackillop - sosj.org.au |
Sources and Further Information:
https://www.sosj.org.au/farewell-st-josephs-tasmania/
https://www.sosj.org.au/founded-to-respond/mary-mackillop/
https://hobart.catholic.org.au/vocations/lay-religious-orders/sisters-of-st-joseph-of-the-sacred-heart-sosj/
Information about the stained-glass windows designed by Ellen Houston Harris - provided by Jacob Harris
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