THE Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth were praised for their dedication to Queen of Apostles School, Stafford, at the blessing and opening of Prep facilities on the early-years campus on March 28.
It was the sisters, whose order was founded in Poland, who came to the rescue when the late Archbishop James Duhig was looking for a religious order to run the school when it opened in 1962.
Archbishop Duhig visited the sisters at Kalinga and secured their services with a promise of three return airfares for sisters who were to come from America.
So it was that at the first children’s Mass the students’ voices were raised in prayer and song in unmistakeable American accents, and for many years pioneer US history was a popular strand in their social sciences curriculum.
Auxilary Bishop Brian Finnigan of Brisbane blessed the Prep buildings, with help from Stafford parish priest Fr Kevin Carey, before Brisbane Catholic Education executive director David Hutton and State Member for Stafford Stirling Hinchliffe, representing Education Minister Rod Welford, officially opened them.
After acknowledging the traditional custodians of the land on which the school stood Mr Hutton praised the singing of the students and the work of staff who conducted them.
He also acknowledged the presence of congregational leader for the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth Sr Josita Paczkowski, who still works occasionally at the school.
“As far as I am aware, Queen of Apostles School is the only school in Brisbane with whom the sisters are connected,” he said.
“In 2008, (principal) Mr (Peter) Stower and committed staff carry on the work begun by the sisters in 1962.”
Mr Hutton also acknowledged a contribution from the State Government of $482,875 and thanked the Queen of Apostles community for its ongoing support of building projects and for the importance which it placed on providing a Catholic education for its children.
Mr Stower thanked those who were involved in the project, including architects, builders, BCE, Archdiocesan Development Fund, the State Government, parents, staff and of course the students who would be using the rooms.
