The last Josephite nun working in Catholic education in Queensland retires next week.
Sister Kathleen Mooney has spent 50 years guiding young minds as a teacher, Principal and, for the majority of the time, a counsellor.
The past 29 years has seen her working part-time at St Kevin’s Catholic Primary School Geebung, where she will finish her career at the end of the school year.
Throughout her career, Sr Kathleen has helped countless children with grief and loss, trauma and behaviour issues and published a series of books to support children to recognise and manage big emotions.
“There are no time limits on my role, so if a child needed to come and see me, they did,” she said.
“It’s been incredibly rewarding to support children right through their primary school years, and that is a wonderful thing to do because they were the children who found school so difficult.”
Sr Kathleen spent her early years working as a teacher and Principal in schools across rural and outback Queensland, before returning to Brisbane as Principal of St Joseph’s Tobruk Memorial School in Beenleigh in 1986.
Following six years as Principal in Beenleigh she found herself at a crossroads.
“In that role, I became aware of child abuse and domestic violence, and I felt I could be doing more.
“I had already done a counselling course while I was a Principal and realised that this is where I could make a real difference for women and children.”
She then completed her Master’s degree in Social Science (Counselling) and became a full-time Counsellor.
Looking back on her career in Catholic schools, it is the children and families that she will always carry in her heart.
“Every day I learn something from the children.”
While there is sadness that the Josephites will no longer work in Queensland schools, Sr Kathleen sees this as a natural progression.
“The Order started schools in Australia when the children didn’t have access to education,” she said.
“We have worked our way out of a job because the lay staff have come in full of faith and optimism, doing wonderful things for our children.”
