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Written on: 10. 01. 2012 [08:33]
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d.pruiksma
Dick Pruiksma
FORUM ADMINISTRATOR
registered since: 17.08.2010
Posts: 10
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EULOGY
FOR SISTER SHIRLEY SEDAWIE
January 6, 2012
by: Sr. Marianne Dacy
Sister Shirley Sedawie, a Sister of Our Lady of Sion for sixty six years, died peacefully last Saturday 31st December 2011 at the age of 87. During her last few hours several sisters gathered around her to pray the Rosary and read her favourite psalms.
Shirley was eldest of four children born to Cath and Phil. She was born in Sydney in 1924. Her paternal grandparents migrated from Syria, with three small children. Her father, Phil was the first of his family to be born in Australia. Shirley attributed her profound attraction and commitment to the inauguration and development of the Christian Jewish relationship to her Semite background.
The family moved to Melbourne when Shirley was still a toddler. In 1936 when the family began living in Ascot Vale, Shirley now in Grade 8 attended St. Mary’s primary school. It was here that she had her first contact with the Sisters of Our Lady of Sion. Mother Athanasius, who was the principal and coached her for her sub Intermediate certificate out of school hours, left a deep impression on her. After obtaining her sub intermediate Shirley was employed in the office at Penfolds. This possibly explains her lifelong love of a good drop of red! Her friendship with Mother Athanasius continued and deepened and on the 8th September 1944 Shirley’s intense desire to join the congregation was realised. She was professed in September 1946. In the following years she taught at St. Mary’s Ascot Vale.
By the time of the second Vatican Council, in the 1960’s several sisters in Europe had been appointed to dialogue with bishops to sensitise them to the urgent need for a strong Church document on the relationship between the Church and the Jewish people. The document, Nostra Aetate, became the guide for the future orientation of the sisters’ ministries.
In 1962 Shirley was asked by the then local Leadership Team to go to Jerusalem to study Judaism and Hebrew and to experience the land and living Judaism. On her return she began a Centre for Jewish Christian Dialogue in Box Hill. This Centre had as its primary aim to better inform Christians of their Jewish roots and to assist Jews and Christians in getting to know one another, as unique persons and friends, thereby breaking down of prejudice that could lead to acts of intolerance or anti-Semitism. These aims had, and still have at heart, the building of a just and friendly society where differences are appreciated and encouraged as an enrichment of the whole. During this period, Shirley began her studies for a Bachelor of Arts degree at Melbourne University, majoring in Semitic languages and Middle Eastern thought. She completed her Masters Degree in 1970 and wrote her thesis on “The beginning of the conflict between Christians and Jews.”
In 1970 the Centre at Box Hill was relocated at Shalom in Kew where a library of Judaica was established. It also became a meeting place for lectures and other events connected with the promotion of Jewish-Christian Relations. An increasing number of Christian groups seeking knowledge about Judaism were welcomed as were Biblical Studies students who needed to use the specialised library. Many senior students at Our Lady of Sion College benefited from her Biblical Studies course. Jews and Christian, anxious to meet one another and share on important questions of mutual concern found Shalom a ‘safe’ environment. During this time several Jewish people who had arrived in Melbourne after World War 2, still marked by the traumatic experiences of the Shoah found in Shirley a trusted and lifelong friend. As one of the founding members of the CCJ Vic., she worked tirelessly to promote the aims of the Council. She became a significant and valued presence across the Melbourne Jewish community.In 1977, Shirley was once again back in beloved Jerusalem for further study.
In 1978 she joined the International team at the Centre for Jewish Christian Relations in Rome and subsequently became its director. Although her heart remained in Jerusalem, she gave herself whole heartedly to her new ministry. As director, she was responsible for the publication of ‘Sidic” a periodical that was published quarterly in three languages and circulated in 26 countries of the world. This Journal focussed on the progress of J/C dialogue in different countries. It was also a valuable source of information for those involved in inter-faith studies and teaching. Other dimensions of Shirley’s work in Rome included liaison with the Vatican’s department of Relations with Judaism and the Jewish people and assisting students with specialized studies in this field who came to use the Library at the Centre. She also lectured at the international Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, presenting correct historical and theological knowledge of the important changes made by the Church in ecumenical and interfaith dialogue.
On her return to Australia in 1988, Shirley joined the community in Sydney. She soon became involved along with Rabbi Raymond Apple and other interested persons in re-establishing the CCJ in NSW. Once again Shirley was working vigorously in educating Christians and Jews to appreciate each other’s distinctive beliefs and practices and their common ground, and in promoting respect and understanding between people of different creeds. Shirley, true to her enthusiastic way of being became good friends with Mum Shirl and the aboriginal community at Dundarra.
1990 saw Shirley returning to Melbourne. She was immediately elected onto the Executive of the CCJ Vic where she with her usual passion and single mindedness continued to promote interfaith relations and understanding. Her service to the Council of Christians and Jews was acknowledged when she was made an Honorary Life Member in 1995.
In 2005 Shirley was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia for her services to the promotion of interfaith relations and understanding. For more than forty years Shirley has dedicated her energies and talents in promoting understanding and harmony between Christians and Jews. During her life she worked with other organizations such as the Council of Churches and the Anglican Ecumenical Affairs Commission as well as several Jewish institutions. Her contribution to the work of these bodies has been outstanding. She is a loved and respected by members of all the faith traditions with which she has been associated.
At the time of her award Archbishop Hart wrote in a letter to Shirley:
“You have been a remarkable leader in the field of catholic-Jewish relations bringing your warmth and welcome to the relationship between Jews and us, and I consider myself lucky to have inherited so much of what you built. You have emphasised the dignity of every person and the sincere nature of our relationship of common belief in the one God.”
For many of us sisters, it was Shirley who opened up the Scriptures in ways that were new and life changing. Her intense love of God and profound understanding of the God of the Hebrew Scriptures journeying with the community in all its ups and downs has touched us all. She also set us on a path of discovery of the many links, some obvious others subtle and profound, between Christianity and Judaism. Most of all her love and passion, expressed according to the giftedness of each one of us, has become our life and passion.
Stories: Shirl’s love of dancing and music - great rhythm and singing off key. Sneezing – la bruit.Todarabah, L’Chiam.
Great minds thing alike – Shirl’s response – fools seldom differ. Every Friday – lunch with her boys – Len Maurice, Noel.
Energy, love of people, enthusiasm for life. Many more stories – opportunity to share over lunch.
Two of Shirley’s great characteristics were her graciousness and her trust in her sisters. When her health began to deteriorate more noticeably Shirley said to us, “ I trust you sisters, to tell me when it is time ... : And when that time came for Shirley to receive more care her implicit trust was evident in her response of a gracious acceptance and a request to continue to belong to this community.
I would like to conclude with a couple of quotes found on a card in Shirley’s distinctive handwriting: “Life is a mystery to be lived not a problem to be solved” “We do not ask what life has to give to us, but rather we respond to what life asks of us.”
I suggest that the greatness of Shirley lay in both her ability to respond wholeheartedly to what life asked of her and her faithful commitment over many years to deepening her connectedness with her family and many friends of all cultures and faiths. We thank you Shirl, our pearl for being an inspiration to us all.
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