Sacred Heart School, Waikiwi

The Mercy Sisters were invited set up a convent in Waikiwi to work with the large number of Catholic families living there.

There was a need for Sisters to visit the sick and poor in their homes and hospitals.

Dominican Sisters were already living and working in the area, but Dominican Sisters are an “enclosed order” which meant that they were not able to leave their covent to visit people in their homes and hospitals.

However, the Sisters of Mercy were not an enclosed order, so they could visit famiies throughout the community.

Sisters Teresita, Sister Christine and Sister Cataldus travelled from Dunedin in a removal van with their furniture to set up a new convent in February, 1950.

Within a few days the Sisters were visiting the sick in the hospitals and the local community.

The Sister soon realised that there were lots of Catholic children living in the Waikiwi area, but that the Catholic schools in Invercargill were too far away. So, families in the Parish fundraised enough money to build a new school.

Sacred Heart School was opened in 1962. The first teachers were Sister Xaverius, Sister Kevin and Sister Rosalie. Sisters of Mercy taught at Sacred Heart School until 1984.

The above is an abridged version of the full text. For the full text please read: Sacred Heart School, Waikiwi- Full Text