SISTER MARY TARCISIUS CLIFTON(Maureen Fay Clifton)
Sister Tarcisius, or Aunty Fay to her family, was born Maureen Fay Clifton, daughter of Laurence Clifton and Catherine Fay on 31st July 1926, the eldest of her four siblings. She grew up in a loving, faith filled family environment where her parents were involved in the life of the parish. She absorbed the strong faith of her parents, and she attended the Catholic school in Moonee Ponds. Throughout her life, family was very important to her.
During a polio epidemic she contracted polio at age eleven and spent many months in the infectious diseases hospital. As a result, she needed callipers to assist her walking and suffered mobility issues for the remainder of her life. However, she did not allow that to interfere in her living a full and productive life.
She felt the call to religious life and travelled to WA to begin her years of formation on 28th January 1945. It was in Highgate that she began her Novitiate on 6th January 1946 and made her first profession on 6thJanuary 1948. After spending time in Katanning and Fremantle communities she pronounced her perpetual Vows on 6th January 1954.
At that she studied for and was awarded a Diploma in Bookkeeping and Shorthand which together with her Typing skills equipped her for her many years of teaching Commercial subjects.
Sr. Tarcisius joined the Oakleigh Community in 1954 and was one of the initial full-time staff of four in the first year of Sacred heart Girls College. She was homeroom teacher for the junior students and taught Religious Education, English, and Commercial Studies (shorthand, typing and bookkeeping). One of the features of the newly opened College in 1957 was the Commercial classroom next door to a special room for training typists. The large glass window separating the two rooms gave the teacher the advantage of teaching one subject while simultaneously supervising the trainee typists working away at their assignments next door! In those early years teachers’ duties covered almost every aspect of College life and Sr. Tarcisius would be seen in many roles including that of secretary, pastoral care of students and even cleaner! Her students dearly loved her for her sense of fair play, friendliness, and cheerful smile. She was down to earth and had a capacity to understand the varied needs of students and to know how to encourage them. She followed her students with interest over many years.
The same interest in students and concern for those with special needs was evident in the years she spent in Sacred Heart Sorrento as teacher and Secretary.
After she finished her teaching years Sr. Tarcisius served as Provincial Secretary and was gracious hostess in the Provincial House in Maylands.
The highlight of her life was in 1979 when she participated in a Spiritual Life session in Rome. Even with her mobility issues she walked the cobblestones of Rome / Assisi/ Florence , etc, she made the most of the opportunity she had and to visit the various places of pilgrimage in Rome and heritage places in France.
On completion of her time as Provincial Secretary Mt Eliza became the scene of her ministry. from 1984 to 1997. Though she had retired from full time activity, but she was not idle. One day a week she replaced the school secretary at St Thomas More School; after school hours she had small groups of students preparing for First Communion or Confirmation as well as a Renew Group. The Parish community included her and Sister Therese in all the Seniors activities. She was an integral part of the community.
In 1997 Sr. Tarcisius and Sr. Therese moved to Catholic Homes Units in Mont Albert and again joined in all parish activities for seniors. They made many friends among parishioners. Past pupils from Sacred Heart Oakleigh kept in touch and often visited them.
After a fall Sr. Tarcisius agreed to move into St Catherine’s Hostel and initially she offered pastoral care to many other residents, in her motorised chair, especially the lonely and those facing their final days. As her health deteriorated, she later moved into the Nursing home.
In the last few years, she became dependent and was always most gracious and grateful for the care provided by the staff.
Sr. Tarcisius was a loving person – she loved people and people loved her. It was her gentleness and caring concern as well as her warm sense of compassion that endeared her to so many. Many remember her for her gentle smile.
Sr. Tarcisius was always a woman of prayer, and when she moved into St Catherine’s she said that her apostolate now was one of prayer. We would ask her to pray for all those who asked for prayers and she was known as our best Pray er! Her Prayer List was always a longone.
A woman of deep prayer and contemplation, Sr Tarcisius’s spiritual life was nurtured by many hours spent in communion with her God whom she loved and served faithfully for 77 years.
Her Requiem Mass was celebrated in Holy Redeemer Church Mont Albert, her last parish Community. The concelebrants were Fathers Brian Collins and Peter Malone, both great friends of Sister Tar, Father Sang Parish priest and Father Martin Fleming, who knew Tar from MT Eliza. The celebration was a wonderful tribute to the life of a valiant woman in the presence of the Melbourne Sisters, her family members, and representatives from all parts of her life. The Sisters laid her to rest in the Melbourne General Cemetery.
A truly Valiant woman – A woman of great strength throughout her life – a Pearl of great price.