Sisters of Mercy
Sisters of Mercy, Angas Street, 1961
St Aloysius College Archives
Sr Cynthia Griffin
A teacher in Mercy schools in Adelaide and Mount Gambier as well as involvement in teacher education in Papua New Guinea and Pakistan.
Sr Cynthia Griffin’s association with the Sisters of Mercy had its origins in her early education in Queensland. Her first school, St Joseph’s, Kangaroo Point was the beginning of an almost life-long connection. Moving to South Australia she attended Star of the Sea School, Henley Beach and completed her Leaving Certificate at Our Lady of Mercy Juniorate, Erindale. In November 1953, she became a Postulant with the Sisters of Mercy taking the religious name Sr Mary Mark, and in 1955 began Primary teacher training and taught Grade 2 at St Aloysius College.
Until 2010, when Sr Cynthia entered semi-retirement, she led a varied and active life, achieving much in education, administration and pastoral work.
Further tertiary studies led to a BA DipEd from Adelaide University, followed by a Bachelor of Letters in Australian Literature, University of New England, NSW and a Graduate Certificate and Masters in Theological Studies, Flinders University, Adelaide.
As a proactive and dedicated Sister of Mercy, Sr Cynthia was deeply committed to her vocation, combining ongoing education with teaching and missionary work. Of particular importance has been her work in Rabaul and Weewak in Papua New Guinea where she worked from 1983 to 1985 as Dean of Women at Kerevat National High School in Rabaul and from 1987 to 1992 as Deputy Principal with responsibilities for Curriculum development in National High School, Weewak. From 2001 to 2009, Sr Cynthia was appointed to lecture at Notre Dame Institute of Education, Karachi Pakistan.
Sr Cynthia still maintained a busy schedule, even in semi-retirement. She tutored SAC students, was Mercy Representative on the Faith and Spirituality Committee at Mercedes College, was an active member of the Daily Life Retreat Prayer Companions ministry and worked as a Pastoral worker at Curtin Detention Centre for refugees/asylum seekers under the auspices of the Jesuit Refugee Service.
Without a doubt, Cynthia has embodied all that is pro-active and committed in the name of Mercy.
By Sr Cynthia Griffin
Edited by Carolyne Williams, Year 12 Coordinator 2021