Figure 1 - The sisters with Cardinal Norman Gilroy outside the Chapel at St Scholastica's College, before leaving to Japan
Our research unveiled a letter (c.1947) that gave extensive detail about Wollongong Bishop Thomas McCabe and his ideas of missionary work. He raises the idea of undertaking missionary work in Japan which would involve sending Good Samaritan Sisters to Nagasaki, a city devastated by an atomic bomb. The bishop first visited Japan to “investigate the position of the church in that country December of 1946 where after the devastation of war and loss of many priests”. While the Bishop was in Nagasaki, he met Bishop Yamaguchi who begged his counterpart to persuade some religious Sisters from Australia to undertake school and missionary work in Japan. The three-day journey from Japan to Australia that he soon embarked on, gave Bishop McCabe ample time to consider the request. As he was travelling, it occurred to him that this could be a project undertaken by the Good Samaritan sisters. He realised there was no one better than them to undertake the conversion of former national enemies. They were sisters who “live and work under the great title of love enshrined in the person of the Good Samaritan.”
On his return to Australia Bishop McCabe travelled to St Scholastica’s Convent in Glebe, NSW where he discussed the proposed idea of mission work in Japan with Mother Oliverio – Mother General of the Sisters of the Good Samaritan. She in turn promised to talk to her council and make a decision. Bishop McCabe discusses in the letter the enormity of this request in light of Australia and Japan being former national enemies.
After much discussion, the Sisters of the Good Samaritan made the decision to undertake the missionary and conversion work in Japan. Mother Oliverio wrote to the Cardinal to inform him of their decision to offer their services. After much planning and a long sea journey, The Sisters of the Good Samaritan began their foreign missionary work in the diocese of Nagasaki initially with a clinic offering much needed medical support. |
Australia, Japan, and America
Prior to WW2 Australia was a country that lacked cultural diversity. With the White Australia policy still in place at the time, international tourism was quite rare and people’s perceptions of countries such as Japan and America, was that mostly derived from stereotypes and film. When understanding the historical context of the Sister’s journey, it is also important to learn of the relationships formed between Australia and Japan, as well as America.
In 1942 shortly after the Pacific War, Australia’s Prime Minister, John Curtin, established a military agreement with America. This had been sparked from Britain’s refusal to offer protection for Australia who, at the time, were at high risk of a Japanese invasion. Japan had not been a well-liked country among the nations; factors such as their involvement in the Axis Power (nations that fought in World War II against the Allies) and military campaigns being launched with motive to attack both America and Australia did not bode well. Anti-Japanese sentiments were particularly notable in America, with a 1944 opinion poll finding that 13% of the population were for the complete ‘extermination’ of the Japanese (Feraru, 1950). On the other hand, in Australia, racist attitudes and crude representation of the Japanese were welcomed and normalised.
The Sisters left Australia to aid a previous enemy in the reconstruction of their country. Japan was under American occupation and for the Sisters, there were new and unfamiliar global relationships to navigate.
In 1942 shortly after the Pacific War, Australia’s Prime Minister, John Curtin, established a military agreement with America. This had been sparked from Britain’s refusal to offer protection for Australia who, at the time, were at high risk of a Japanese invasion. Japan had not been a well-liked country among the nations; factors such as their involvement in the Axis Power (nations that fought in World War II against the Allies) and military campaigns being launched with motive to attack both America and Australia did not bode well. Anti-Japanese sentiments were particularly notable in America, with a 1944 opinion poll finding that 13% of the population were for the complete ‘extermination’ of the Japanese (Feraru, 1950). On the other hand, in Australia, racist attitudes and crude representation of the Japanese were welcomed and normalised.
The Sisters left Australia to aid a previous enemy in the reconstruction of their country. Japan was under American occupation and for the Sisters, there were new and unfamiliar global relationships to navigate.