Tuesday October 31, 2017

Talented musician enriched her community

Obituaries

Sr Pauline Hartshorne RSM – Born: September 29 1925 | Died: August 23 2017

Tuesday October 31, 2017

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Pauline was born in 1925, the first child and only daughter of Mary and George Hartshorne. Pauline’s brother, Ben, was very much loved by Pauline and she was devastated when he died suddenly at the age of 49.

Pauline attended school at St Teresa’s Brighton where she also studied music. Her mother believed she was not being sufficiently challenged at Brighton so enrolled her at St Aloysius in Angas St for her further education, while continuing her music with the Brighton Sisters of Mercy.

From an early age Pauline wanted to enter the convent but her mother insisted that she find employment after leaving school. She worked as a junior clerk at the National Bank at a time when women were replacing the men who were at war. This was followed by five years teaching mainly bookkeeping at a business college and she also began studying accountancy.

The Brighton Sisters, from the Wilcannia-Forbes province, made a deep impression on Pauline and were the catalyst for her decision to go to the novitiate in Broken Hill in 1948, before it moved to Parkes in 1949.

After her profession in 1950, Pauline was engaged in various ministries: she taught music, commerce subjects and music appreciation in secondary schools. More recently, she was a teacher-librarian.

Her background in banking and bookkeeping put her in good stead for the ministry as a Sister of Mercy, which included being secretary to the congregation leader for some years.

In 1983, Pauline went to Adelaide where she cared for her mother in her declining years.

As was the case for many Sisters of her time, Pauline taught music during the day and studied for her AMusA (Associate in Music) after hours. She was a great pianist and accompanist and played the organ for Church choirs.

In her retirement Pauline was engaged in liturgy committees, was a Eucharistic minister and a visitor to the Salvation Army Retirement Village in Parkes.

These ministries, as well as caring for boarders, took Pauline to many different communities, both large and small. She lived and ministered in Deniliquin, Sans Souci, Broken Hill and Broken Hill South, Cobar, Trundle, Mount Barker and Parkes, where she retired to live in the Southern Cross Village.

Pauline loved classical music, good books and was a deep thinker. She brought much richness to the communities in which she lived, enhanced by a refreshing and oblique sense of humour.