AFTER the retirement of instrumental chairperson Clare Larkin, two new chairpeople have been announced for the Mary MacKillop Interpretative Centre.
Ms Larkin was chair of the establishment for two decades but decided to step down earlier this year.
After much deliberation at the centre’s annual general meeting this month, Sue McGuinness and Loreto O’Connor were announced to take over the role.
As Sisters of St Jospeh’s Catholic Church, the pair have been involved with the centre for over four years and were a perfect fit for the new role.
“When Clare announced her retirement, she left it up the committee to decide who would take her place,” Sr McGuinness said.
“Although we are busy with other things throughout the community, we believe in helping wherever we can so we put our hands up to take on the role.
“Mary MacKillop reminds us to never see a need without trying to do something about it, so we had to take that on board.”
Although the pair have taken their new position in their stride, they see themselves as caretakers of the role until someone else has free time to take it on.
“As Sisters we are often moved to wherever we are needed,” Sr McGuinness said.
“We have been lucky enough to be placed in Penola for more than four years, but we may be moved elsewhere so we do not see the role as long term.
“Another committee member or member of the community may eventually have the free time to take over from us but for now we are more than happy to do our part.”
Practices have evolved since the centre was formed more than 20 years ago but the Sisters do not have any plans to change the current systems.
“Clare did such a wonderful job for so many years we would not want to change anything about the centre,” Ms O’Connor said.
“Everything runs extraordinarily smoothly here.
“The main ethos of the centre is one of simplicity and authenticity which is something we will aime to uphold.”
Looking forward to the future, the pair encouraged the public to visit the centre if they had not already done so.
“I think visitors are always amazed with what we have on show at the centre,” Ms McGuinness said.
“People think they must be catholic to appreciate it but that is not the case.
“The centre celebrates Mary Mackillop and Julian Tenison Woods who were two upstanding Australian citizens.”
With many different attractions on offer, the pair cannot wait to hear about each visitors interpretation of the attraction.
