Returning to the College after the recent school holidays, it is interesting to note that for some years the College hosted a retreat for young business girls from the city while our students were on holidays.
As we look back at 125 years of MLMC, we share a story from the 1935 retreat. By all reports it was very successful.
1935 — Retreat for business girls
In January 1935, while the College was on school holidays, a retreat for young business girls from the city was organised at Mount Lilydale. The Advocate newspaper reported:
“Through the generosity of the Reverend Mother, under ideal weather conditions and amid the beautiful surroundings of the Mercy Convent, Lilydale, forty-four young business girls attended a retreat under the direction of Rev Fr Phillip Murphy OFM, who delivered a most interesting course of lectures. The girls slept in dormitories, and the Sisters were tireless in their efforts to attend to their every need. During recreation on the Sunday the girls walked over the neighbouring hills. It was with sincere regret that they returned to Melbourne on the Monday morning. This is the first organised retreat of its kind, and has been declared by all a wonderful success.”
The retreat was considered such a success that it became an annual event at the College over the holidays and more retreats were later organised at other Convents. At the end of the retreat the following year, the director, Father T Haugh, expressed “his pleasure that such headway had been made in spreading the retreat movement among girls, and hoped that those present would act as apostles in spreading it still further”.
