Sr Joan Cartlidge FCJ
Born 30 November 1939, entered eternal life 8 February 2022

Eulogy given by Sr Helen Buckley FCJ at Sr Joan’s funeral held at Our Lady of Good Counsel Church on 22 February 2022.

Joan Marie Cartlidge was born on the 30 November 1939 in Windsor, Melbourne.  She was the beloved second daughter of George Cartlidge and Irene Lundberg and cherished sister of Patricia and Wendy.

The first two years of her life were spent in Windsor/Prahran then the family moved to 2 Park Road, Glen Iris, the house was owned by her grandfather Carl Lundberg who built a room out the back for himself and the family lived in the house.  Carl was born in Hernosand, Sweden and was a sailor and later a shipwright.

Joan adored her grandfather, and she writes:

“As I grew up, I developed a great love for my grandfather. I could do no wrong in his eyes and he never scolded me or got cross with me. It was in later years reflecting on him that I realized it was through him that I learnt the invaluable lesson of God’s unconditional love. His room held a great fascination for me as a youngster as he had many model and bottled ships. I am certain that it was from him that I developed my great love for the sea, for yachts and for sailing. Imagine my thrill when in Rhode Island USA, I was taken for a sail on Narraganset Bay, the scene of Australia II’s victory for the America’s Cup in 1983.”

Joan attended primary school at St Cecilia’s South Camberwell.  She loved school and the Sisters of St Joseph made a great impression on her.  In her later primary school years, she began to learn the piano and really loved this. “My love of classical music truly developed over this time and is still one of my favourite enjoyments to this day”. 

Wendy concurs with this: “thanks to our Mum & Dad, we all enjoyed classical music.  Joan could belt out Chopin’s Polonaise on the piano making the house shake”!  A few days before she died, one of the nurses asked me if Joan liked music. I said she absolutely loves classical music – so the nurse returned with an iPad playing among other pieces, Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 21. I have no doubt Joan could hear this beautiful music as she became very calm and peaceful.”

After finishing Year 8 at St. Cecilia’s, Joan went to Vaucluse Convent FCJ Richmond. She tells us that it was here she first met the FCJs and was quite impressed by what she saw of their religious living and as wonderful teachers in the school. 

Joan loved sport! She was a great tennis player, and she tells us, “I spent a lot of my time at the parish tennis courts, entering many tournaments as well as playing pennant tennis for the Victorian Catholic Lawn Tennis Association”.  Her love of sport continued into secondary school and in Year 11 she was Sports Captain at Vaucluse. 

Wendy tells us “Joan loved sport and the boys loved her and her knowledge of sport – she thought it was because of her good looks!!!”

Tennis, netball and running camp were her favourites.  She adds: “I know I spent too much time on sports and not enough time on my studies. So I left school and it was after I had entered the Society, I completed my leaving certificate.”

Joan described herself as a ‘late developer’.  She gained her secondary teacher’s certificate and eventually taught every grade from Grade One to Year 12 and says: “I do not think they wanted to let me loose on the infants”.

Joan entered the Society at Genazzano on the 1 February 1957 with five others including Maureen Martin who died last August & Cecilia Courtney who is with us.  They received the habit on September 9 and Joan was given the name Sr Mary Eymard – which she had requested.  She made her first vows at Genazzano on 7 September 1959, renewed her vows at Genazzano in 1962 and made her final vows in Stella Maris, Broadstairs, England on 25 July 1965.

Joan commenced her teacher training in 1960 at Genazzano while teaching Grade 4. She then spent 2 years at OLGC teaching Grade 2. She loved OLGC and writes “there were 60 kids in the class, comprising one year of 40 boys and 20 girls”!  She taught various subjects to Years 7 & 8 at Grange Hill before leaving for her tertianship in England, December 1963 on the Canberra. I was in one of those classes and we thought Joan was gorgeous!

She completed her teacher training at Sedgley Park College FCJ Manchester gaining distinction in the Practice of Teaching and a high distinction in the Practice of Theory of Religious Education. She graduated from the University of Manchester 1967, where she majored in Music, Art/Craft, Literature & Biblical Studies.

Joan returned to Australia in October 1967 and from 1968-1972 she taught Years 7 & 8 at Grange Hill and was later in charge of the Middle School.  In 1973, much to her delight, she returned to Vaucluse as an FCJ and a staff member teaching Years 7,8 & 9 until 1980. Then back to Genazzano where she was the Religious Education Coordinator and Year 9 Coordinator.

Joan was loved by her students at Vaucluse, Genazzano and John Paul College and maintained contact with them, long after their school days had finished.

From 1975 onwards, Joan had severe health problems which she dealt with for the rest of her life. This was not easy for her, being such a sporty, lively woman. But in her own inimitable way she battled on and did her best. 

In 1985, Joan was missioned to John Paul College Frankston where she spent many, happy and fulfilling years and in 1997, Joan was offered a sabbatical and went to the United States. She took four units of CPE – Clinical Pastoral Education at the Interfaith Healthcare Ministries in Providence Rhode Island. She worked in various hospitals with patients suffering from cancer, mothers experiencing difficulties with pregnancy, and was chaplain to the neo-natal intensive unit. She successfully became an accredited hospital chaplain.

In 1999 Joan was accepted into the Training for Spiritual Directors at the Centre for Religious Development at Cambridge Massachusetts. She graduated with a Certificate in Spiritual Direction. She writes about this time in her life:

“I had grown in the realization that I had ‘come home’ to myself and the year following could really say that ‘now I am at home’”

After graduating, Joan returned to Australia and was employed at the Kilbride Ecumenical Spirituality & Personal Development Centre. She gave many retreat days, talks on adolescent spirituality, prayer/reflection days, Taize prayer evenings. She absolutely loved this ministry. In 2001 she completed her Theology degree and successfully completed a Master of Religious Education.

All these achievements from the girl who claimed she had spent far too much time on the tennis and netball courts rather than her studies! Over the years, Joan wrote many articles that were published in various magazines, newsletters etc. She produced 2 liturgy books, one entitled Finding God in All the Elements which is frequently used in many FCJ houses around the world.

In 2007, Joan was missioned to the FCJ Christian Life Centre in Calgary, Canada to work as leader of a team of well-trained spiritual directors. She remained in Calgary for five years and admits “this time at Sacred Heart Community and the Christian Life Centre were some of the happiest years of my religious life. I had a sense of really finding myself.”

Joan returned to Australia in 2012. She continued her work of spiritual direction, giving the Spiritual Exercises and chaplaincy work at the Alfred Hospital.

Following a request from Trinity Manor in Deepdene, Joan commenced weekly “Bible Studies”.  For the first week she set homework for the small group of elderly people, unaware that many of them were cognitively impaired.  After their condition was tactfully drawn to her attention, Joan swiftly adapted her weekly afternoon gatherings, with bible stories, gently imparting the joy of the gospel to her “dear ones”.

Her health issues became more debilitating. Eventually, Joan needed more professional care, and she went to live in Mary MacKillop Aged Care, Hawthorn on the 15 July 2019.  The last time I visited her there, not long before she died, she said to me “I love this place, everybody is so kind to me”. 

Since her death on the 8 February, so many tributes have been paid to Joan which sum up the wonderful person she was:

‘Joan was lively and vibrant, full of fun and deeply rooted in Marie Madeleine and the Ignatian tradition. As I write, I am in Calgary and remember Joan in so many places here. She offered spiritual accompaniment, training, and so much more at the Christian Life Centre and is fondly remembered by many’. Patricia Binchy fcJ

‘Our dear Joan, now with her loving God. She was a truly wonderful woman, FCJ and loving and faithful companion. May her beautiful and gentle soul rest in peace’.  Mary Kofoed PA to our Province/Area leaders for 20 years

‘May Joan rest in peace! I am sure Joan got a great welcome as she always seemed so ready to meet her God (with a twinkle in her eye)’ Bonnie Moser fcJ, General Superior, Gumley, London UK.

‘I remember Joan with deep respect and gratitude for the years we served together at John Paul College, Frankston. Joan did wonderful work with staff and students in the different ways in which the spiritual life of the college was advanced, whether in liturgy and ritual, one to one counselling of colleagues and students, in the leadership structures or wherever, I especially appreciated her wise counsel in my role as principal’. Liam Davison, former Principal of John Paul College, Frankston

‘I marvelled at her appreciation of the principles of Ignatian Spirituality and her love of the ministry of spiritual accompaniment – her appreciation was infectious – I have often used Joan’s book of prayers and I value it very much.’ Mary Claire Sykes fcJ, former General Superior, Paris.

And finally, from her sister Wendy, whom she adored:

‘Joan was loved by all who knew her – family, neighbours, parishioners of St. Cecilia’s Parish, students, the FCJ community and the staff at Mary MacKillop Aged Care. Thank you to all who loved Joan, her love is her legacy. Now go gently and thank you Joanie for being our sister’.  Wendy Prendergast

As has been mentioned Joan was great fun! Quite a few of us “young” FCJs lived at Richmond in the 1970s. We would wait till the older sisters had retired for the night and we would head into the kitchen for bacon and eggs or hot dogs etc. Joan was the chief chef and the rest of us – the sous chefs! She made the biggest and best sponges and was very proud of them! She loved having fish and chips at the beach, going to the movies and enjoyed any type of adventure. She dressed up as Santa for many Community Christmases – beard and all.  On one occasion I took her to my family’s cattle farm at Buffalo, South Gippsland for a few days. She was very excited to see a calf being born – we were quite used to it but for Joanie it was wonderful. She told my young nephew who was 5 or 6 at the time that the calf should be called Joan! He replied, “it’s a boy”! Joan asked him how he knew that and as kids do, replied, spontaneously – “it’s got testicles!” The calf was named Jonah!

As we farewell Joan, I am reminded of a quote from the late Cardinal Basil Hume OSB. Speaking of our death and final judgement he said:

‘Our final judgement is whispering into the ear of a merciful and compassionate God, the story of my life which I had never been able to tell’.

Only God knows what story Joan had to tell, but those of us who knew her and loved her can imagine her being so full of expectation when she met her faithful companion.

Dear Joan, we will miss you dearly. Rest in peace with your wonderful parents and those thousands of FCJs who have gone before you.