Sr Julian McKie RSM RIP
Sr Mary Julian McKie RSM
1 February 1932 – 13 July 2020
Saddened by the death of Sr M Julian McKie on Monday 13 July 2020 at Bethany Nursing Home, the Sisters of Mercy gathered for a Vigil of Prayer on Wednesday evening, 15 July at Stoneleigh, The Range. The Sisters were joined by Bernice Taylor and Kathleen Thompson, both from Mackay, who are younger sisters of Sr M Julian.
The Rite of Committal was held at the Memorial Gardens, Nerimbera, on Tuesday 21 July 2020. Family members, close friends and former music pupils gathered with the Sisters to honour Sr M Julian in a very fitting and prayerful liturgy. May the strong and faith-filled spirit of Sr M Julian rest in peace.
Biographical details
Elaine Mary McKie was born in Sarina on 1 February 1932 to William and Mary McKie (Fitzgerald). The McKies were a cane-farming family and Elaine was the eldest child, a sister to Billy, Robert (dec’d), Bernice, Kathleen and Michael. Initially, Elaine attended the near-by Swayneville State School, then St Anne’s School in Sarina before boarding at the Range College for secondary schooling.
Following a year at the Juniorate, Elaine entered the Rockhampton Sisters of Mercy on 2 February 1950, with Sr Betty Attard, joining Sr Mary Stallard who had entered earlier that year. On 22 August 1950, Elaine was received as Sr Mary Julian and was professed on 23 January 1953 together with Srs Mary Stallard, Betty Attard, Mary Geraldine Gregory and Mary Carmel Hynes. Julian chose the motto:
Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place my trust in Thee
As both a registered class-room teacher and accredited music teacher, Julian taught at St Patrick’s, R’ton 1952-1953), South Mackay (1954), Habana (1955-1956), St Theresa’s School, R’ton (1957-1968) and the Range College (1972-1974). Julian combined her Community Leader responsibilities with teaching music at South Bundaberg (1969-1971), Chanel College, Gladstone (1975-1978) and again at the Range College (1979-1986).
Throughout these years, Julian attained pianoforte qualifications, including A Mus A (Teacher & Performer), ATCL (Teacher) and L Mus A (Teacher). Julian was elected to the Congregation’s Leadership Team 1987-1991 and once again, she carried out her responsibilities while continuing to teach music part time and leading the Kenmore community (1987-1998). In later 1998, with the completion of The Range Village, Julian moved to Units 5 & 6 with Srs M Cecily Doyle, Laurentia Mulvey and Francesca McGuire and once again, taught piano to pupils after school.
In 2012, after experiencing health problems, Julian moved to Loreto Convent, then to McAuley Place in July 2015. In need of more care, Julian went to Bethany Home in December 2019 where she died peacefully on 13 July 2020.
Words of Remembrance
SISTER MARY JULIAN McKIE RSM
It is my privilege today to share some memories and reflections on the life of Sister Mary Julian. Elaine McKie was born in Sarina on the 1st February 1932, to William and Mary McKie.
She was the first of six children and was followed by Billie, Bobbie, Berneice, Kathleen and Michael. In her own words she speaks of growing up in the bush on a sugar cane farm. As a result she cherished space, silence and nature. Some months before her death she shared with me some memories of her early life, among them playing down at the creek all week-end, making houses out of palm leaves with her brothers Billie and Bobbie. Berneice, Kathleen and Michael came along later and were not a part of this time.
Because she was the eldest she helped in the mothering of her younger brothers and sisters and she felt very responsible even back then. She has continued to feel responsible for her siblings and their families all through her life. She says that she had a fear that something would happen to them if she did not look after them. An image that comes to me is that of a mother hen wanting to protect her chicks by gathering them under her wings to keep them safe. This protective attitude also flowed over to those she loved and cared for in her life as a Sister of Mercy. I believe it also influenced her leadership style in the years when she was Superior of a number of communities and also participated as a member of the Leadership Team.
Julian told me of going to school on the loco in the crushing season – her dad would take her to the siding and put her on the loco to get to school. Her dad drove her to school in the times when the loco was not operating. She began school at the Swayneville State School and remained there until the time when she was old enough to make her first Holy Communion. At this time, her schooling moved to St Anne’s Convent at Sarina. She always liked school. Sr Clotilde taught her at the Convent and Julian loved her. She credits Clotilde for sowing the seed of her vocation which she followed later. Following her primary education in Sarina, she went to the Range for secondary school and did commercial studies as a boarder. From the Range she went to the Juniorate for one year and then entered shortly after that.
She describes the Juniorate as a ton of joy!! Sr Laurentia was in charge and Sr Betty was at the Juniorate with her – they were the only two of the group to enter the Novitiate which they did on the same day. When Laurentia was out Betty would get on the piano and play pop music and they would have a ton of fun while the going was good. Her sense of fun was evident way back then.
The arrangement with her parents had been that she would go to the Juniorate for one year and then have two years at home before making her decision. By the end of the Juniorate year she had made up her mind that she wanted to enter and had to battle with her parents – particularly her mother – to be given the permission to enter straight away. Her mum felt that she was still young and had been away from home for some time between boarding school and the juniorate and needed time with the family and a different experience before making her decision. With her persistence her mum gave in and Julian entered with Betty on 2nd February 1950.
Thus began the next phase of her life – that of a Sister of Mercy. Mother Borgia was her Novice Mistress and Julian attributes to her a strong foundation that was to stand by her and carry her through, particularly in the more difficult times – of which Julian has experienced her fair share in her lifetime. Music was in Julian’s blood and having begun to learn from Sr M Leo while she was at St Anne’s Sarina. Sr Cecily continued to tutor her enabling her to gain her letters in Music – both A Mus A and Trinity College. This was the start of a really deep and lasting friendship – one that was a great support to her all through her life particularly during difficult times.
Teaching and music were to be Julian’s formal form of sharing her gift in ministry, and many are the students who have been enriched, and developed a love of music under her influence. Music continued to be an important part of her life even after she ceased teaching. For Julian music deepened her conception of the beauty of God and has been a great source of comfort and prayer for her in her recent time of ill health. It played a pivotal role in enabling her to accept her wheelie walker as her constant companion, before even this ability was taken from her. Those of us who understand the speed at which Julian usually moved, will have a greater understanding of the cost for her, of this loss in her life. I believe that she has been quite amazing in the way she has coped with the loss of mobility and a sense of independence in her life. Even though initially, as I am sure we all do, she struggled to accept and let go of what was no longer possible for her, when she got to it, her acceptance was total. She never put on to others what was hers in the way of struggle and pain, but showed a bright, cheery, grateful and often joking presence to those who cared for her. She always made sure to learn the names of the staff who cared for her and always showed gratitude to them for their care. They in return loved her which was so evident in her final days at Bethany. A sense of being grateful was indeed a large part of who Julian was.
Long before her bout of failing health in more recent years Julian had known illness and had suffered much even as a child and a young woman. Out of this has developed a very caring nature and an empathy with those who suffer ill health. Visiting our sick sisters had always been an important commitment for her.
There was a constancy and faithfulness about Julian – once she committed to something or someone, she gave her whole self to it. She never forgot a kindness – if you were kind to Julian, you were a friend for life and there were no bounds to her generosity of spirit. I think we all experienced something of this in her care of Cecily who I am sure is smiling down on us today.
So Julian we thank you for the melody of your life and for the gift that you have been to all whose lives you have touched. May you rest in peace, in the arms of the beloved whom you have loved so much.
Sr Grace Bartolo RSM
15 July 2020
