House Colour - Red

Reverend Mother Marie Raphaela was born in 1859.  She and 6 other sisters of Sion answered Bishop Corbett’s call for a group of religious to come to Sale.  They left England in January 1890.  Mother Raphaela was chosen to lead the group of Sisters to start a new boarding school and school in Sale.  Aged 30 years, she had limited knowledge of English and had the responsibility of establishing Sion in a new country.

In September, 1891 the Sisters bought “Tracy’s Paddock”, eight acres as the site for their convent.  Mother Raphaela designed the Gothic building and construction began in November, 1892.  MotherRaphaela felt that her work would not be complete until a Chapel was built.  From her armchair, where she remained day and night for five years, she followed the construction with keen interest.  She even had herself carried on to the scaffolding to measure the width of the niche for the statue of Our Lady of Sion over the altar, when the builder decided to change its proportions.  She insisted that the brickwork should be taken out and the original design adhered to.  The Chapel, begun in May, 1990 was completed in August, 1901, just sixteen months before the death of Mother Raphaela in November, 1902.

Raphaela Leadership & Staff