Dearly loved by all
Obituaries
Sr Carita Higgins RSH (born November 19 1932, died January 20 2025)<br />
Carita Mary Higgins was born at Kapunda, South Australia, to John and Marie (nee Noonan) who were farmers in the Kapunda district.
Carita had two brothers, Robert and Raymond. After completing primary education at the local state school, Carita went to Cabra Dominican College in Adelaide as a boarder. She left school at the age of 17 and joined her brother Ray in running the Kapunda Newsagency for the next six years.
On March 23 1957 Carita entered the Sisters of St Joseph at Kensington. As a postulant she taught a class of small children under the supervision of a trained teacher and entered the novitiate a Baulkham Hills, Sydney, in 1958.
She had hoped to be a nurse but was asked after profession to undertake teaching studies, practising at St Joseph’s School Lavender Bay, with Sister Pauline Sheehan as supervisor and mentor. She was a ‘natural’ with young children. After returning to South Australia in 1961 she taught at the St Joseph’s Beulah Road with its very large classes of migrant children, mainly from an Italian background.
In 1970 she was transferred to the Largs Bay Orphanage for Boys where she spent two of the happiest years of her life.
Community, under the leadership of Sister Mary Byrne, nourished Carita, as she taught the young boys there and cared for them.
In 1972 she was appointed principal of St Joseph’s School at Barmera. She was well-loved and many people there still remember her with fondness. She had a great ability to involve parents in improving the physical conditions of the school.
Her gentleness evoked trust and even at the most stressful times she was able to create an atmosphere of calmness and composure.
She brought these same gifts to her appointment at the new school at Ottoway where she was principal for four years. After a sabbatical year of spiritual renewal in 1983 at Baulkham Hills she entered into the next phase of her ministry as religious educator in a number of city parishes and on the Blackwood Mission. This mission included suburbs newly emerging such as Aberfoyle Park.
From 2001, her driving abilities were called upon as she served aged Sisters in various ways and in various locations for the next 16 years. During her many years of ministry, she formed strong friendships with other Sisters and priests with whom she ministered and with the thousands of people she served.
She was also renowned throughout her life for the many friendships she had with those in heaven – St Martin de Porres being foremost among them.
From 2019 she was able to spend precious time in prayer with these heavenly friends, as she gradually entered into dementia and entrusted her welfare to the care of others. She became a resident of Calvary Flora McDonald Lodge in 2021. There she continued to draw new friends into the circle of God’s love that had always surrounded her.
In her 93rd year and 68th year as a Sister of St Joseph, her peaceful death testified to the love that her carers had for her and to the enduring bonds she had with her beloved nieces and extended family, with the Sisters and with all who had been part of a life that was grace to us all.
– Sr Mary Cresp RSJ
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