Sr Anne Margaret Dalton (Sr Martin) MSC

27 July 1931 – 14 April 2021

Eulogy provided by Sr Mary Drum MSC

On Friday April 23rd the requiem Mass for Sr. Anne Margaret Dalton, MSC was held in Holy Redeemer Church, Surrey Hills, fitting in many respects as in former years Sr. Anne Margaret, formerly known as Sr. M. Martin, of the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart spent a significant part of the 30 year time frame (1955 -1984) of her teaching ministry in two of the Parish Schools in the local surrounds. Sister served as one of the first teachers at Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, Parish School, Wattle Park from its opening in 1957 until the end of the 1961 school year. She also spent twelve years in total as Principal at All Hallows Parish School, Balwyn in the years 1962-3 and 1966-1975 during which time she pioneered lessons with an open plan as documented in an Age newspaper article published fifty years ago in May 1971.

Sr Martin and pupil at All Hallow’s, Balwyn Parish

The following is taken from the MSC Sisters Congregational death notice prepared by Sr. Francis Baum, which provides a brief overview of some key elements of Sr. Anne Margaret’s life (27 July 1931 to 14 April 2021).

“Sr. Anne Margaret had been a Missionary of the Sacred Heart for over 72 years and in that time came to be known in the many parishes of Wattle Park, Balwyn, West Heidelberg and St. Monica’s Moonee Ponds working as a professional, warm, kind and interested teacher and administrator. She also worked among migrant people and in the Archdiocese in migrant care. In later years she also became involved in the Focolare Movement. From 1984-1990 she served as a General Councillor and Secretary at our Generalate in Rome.

Sisters Annunciata, Jacinta, Martin, Chanel, Genevieve at Our Lady of Wattle Park Parish, Surrey Hills in April 1958.

Anne Margaret was a person of many talents and gifts which she exercised in so many ways. Dignity, perfection and the encouragement of others were attitudes deeply embedded in her actions and interactions. These gifts brought with them times of distress but also of great generosity to many people also within our Congregation.

Born into a large family, she entered our Congregation at an early age, trained as a highly qualified teacher and also became a deeply interested resource person for much Congregational history. She produced our ongoing Necrology available to the whole Congregation and the Jules Chevalier Daily Diary. She also produced a beautiful Australian Calendar of our ongoing Australian history, and much more as well.

Above all, Anne Margaret was motivated and driven by her original calling deep in the heart of her family. She loved her God. Mary was her everlasting companion. She loved her family and our whole Congregation.
Times of ill health accompanied her and especially in the latter years. She suffered much pain and physical disability but was always patient and extremely grateful.

She truly lived our motto “To be on earth the heart of God”. Rest in peace Anne Margaret. We are grateful for your life among us.”