St Mary’s School, Gore, celebrates 125th anniversary

Children of St Mary's School in the 1920's

by PETER OWENS
Described as a “most friendly and happy occasion” by organising committee chairwoman Mary Pullar of Kaiwera, the St Mary’s School, Gore, anniversary weekend was a great success.

Children of St Mary's School in the 1920's

Children of St Mary’s School in the 1920’s

Held at Gore from November 28 to 29, the 125th jubilee marked the founding of the school by six Sisters of Mercy in March 1890.
Mary Pullar (Hickey) is a former pupil. She said that as well as locals, people came from France, Australia, Auckland, New Plymouth and Christchurch for the occasion. The school is now staffed by lay people, but three Sisters of Mercy with close associations to the school attended. In fact, the occasion began on November 27 when pupils re-enacted the life of Mercy Sisters founder, Catherine Macaulay, in Gore’s Blessed Sacrament Church.
A large gathering of supporters saw this, including Srs Rita, Mary and Maria. The jubilee proper included a Mass for deceased pupils, meet and greets, a formal dinner, photographs of the generations since the 1930s and exhibits in classrooms, arranged by present-day pupils. The November 29 Mass filled the church, which accommodates more than 500, to overflowing. The Bishop of Duned
in, Bishop Colin Campbell, celebrated the jubilee Mass, where former pupils and school supporters joined present pupils. In his homily, Bishop Campbell praised the Sisters of Mercy for founding the school and their dedication to the thousands of children who had passed through it. He also reminded pupils of what a Catholic education means. Mrs Pullar said everyone was “thrilled with the weekend”. St

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