Mary Glowrey Museum

05/05/2026

Venerable Mary of the Sacred Heart Glowrey died on this day, 5 May, in 1957 in Bangalore (Bengaluru) at the Society of Jesus Mary Joseph convent. It was Good Shepherd Sunday.

Those who cared for Mary Glowrey in in her final months observed her praying continuously. In her account of Mary's last years, Sr Peter Julian Barrett JMJ, the Australian chemist missionary, colleague and friend to Mary in Guntur, wrote, 'She died as she had lived. Her death was very holy, as was her whole life upon earth.'

After 36 years of missionary service in Guntur, Sr Mary of the Sacred Heart JMJ, as she was known, had moved to Bangalore in 1956, on account of her ill health.

17/04/2026

One of the key figures in Mary Glowrey's vocational experience, Dr Agnes McLaren (1837 to 1913), died on this day in Antibes, France. Dr McLaren's obituary in the British Medical Journal described her as one of the pioneers in the medical education of women.
Born in Edinburgh, Scotland, Agnes McLaren was unable to study medicine in her homeland, so she enrolled in the medical course at Montpellier, France, graduating as the first woman doctor at the University in 1878. Dr McLaren set up practice in Cannes, charging those who could afford her service, and dispensing free treatments and kindness to the many impoverished patients who sought her care. After her conversion to Catholicism, and concerned for the health needs of marginalised women in India, Dr McLaren advocated for the suitability of Catholic religious Sisters serving as medical doctors, which was not then supported in canon law. Dr McLaren died in 1913.
Two years later, in October 1915, while working as a doctor in Melbourne, Dr Mary Glowrey (Venerable Mary pf the Sacred Heart Glowrey) experienced a vocational calling to medical missionary work in India after reading an account of Dr McLaren's life. Mary Glowrey went on to serve as a doctor Sister in India for 37 years. Another young woman also experienced a medical missionary vocational calling after hearing of Dr McLaren's story. Austrian born Anna Dengel (1892 to 1980) corresponded with Dr McLaren, and she was encouraged to study medicine in Ireland. Dr Dengel (Mother Anna Dengel SCMM) also dedicated her life to the provision of medical missionary care to those who needed her most. In 1925 Dr Dengel founded the Medical Mission Sisters, an international Catholic congregation now providing healthcare and education particularly to vulnerable women and children in 20 countries.

29/03/2026

It was a privilege have Sr Dr Helen Mary Anthony SAB and other CHAI delegates participate in the Melbourne celebrations in Cathedral Hall for Venerable Mary of the Sacred Heart Glowrey on 13 March. We also hosted Sr Helen and the group at the Mary Glowrey Museum on 19 March, when we reflected on Mary Glowrey's experience of vocational calling - a particularly moving session, held on the Feast Day of the patron and protector of vocations, St Joseph.

Sr Dr Helen Mary Anthony will be the first sister-doctor to lead the Catholic Health Association of India since its founder – the now Venerable Mary of the Sacred Heart Glowrey – when she soon takes the helm of the world’s largest voluntary healthcare network.

📷 Sr Dr Helen Mary Anthony, who will take over the Catholic Health Association of India in May 2026.

Find out more: https://melbournecatholic.org/news/reaching-the-unreached-mary-glowreys-mission-in-india-continues

16/03/2026

It was wonderful to celebrate Venerable Mary of the Sacred Heart Glowrey last Friday in such significant places to her life in Melbourne: St Patrick’s Cathedral and Cathedral Hall. The presence of special guests from CHAI (Catholic Health Association of India) and members of the extended Glowrey family added to the occasion! Thanks to all who joined us in person or in spirit!

20/12/2025

Mary Glowrey sent this greeting to her sister Lucy on 21 December 1953. Seven months earlier, Lucy had been at St Joseph's Convent, Guntur with Mary, after their shared time in Europe.

19/12/2025

Going up? We are delighted that Cathedral Hall will soon have a new lift! While we planned to reopen in February, these works mean we need to delay reopening the museum, on level 2 of this beautiful heritage building, to the public until the beginning of March. We look forward to doing so!

12/12/2025

After Mary Glowrey left Australia for India in 1920 she maintained a close connection with her beloved family and friends via letters, photos and cards, and kept them all in her daily prayers. Postal greetings had to be sent via sea and well in advance in her first decades. In 1948 she wrote this beautiful Christmas greeting to her sister Lucy Connellan on 13 December, a special date as it is the day on which the Feast of St Lucy is celebrated.

12/12/2025

Wednesday 17 December 2025 is the last day to visit the Mary Glowrey Museum for 2025, as we will then be closed for Christmas and the summer.
We look forward to welcoming visitors in February 2026!
To book a museum session next year, contact us via: [email protected]

10/12/2025

Thank you Archbishop Tony Ireland for visiting the Mary Glowrey Museum booth at the recent Australian Catholic Youth Festival!
Archbishop Ireland, the Archbishop of Hobart, has a unique connection with Mary Glowrey. In 2019, when he was Episcopal Vicar for Health, Aged and Disability Care in the Archdiocese of Melbourne, he visited St Joseph's Convent, Guntur in India and Mary Glowrey's tomb, with members of the museum team. They were all part of a group that travelled to India to commemorate the 75th anniversary of CHAI and the blessing and opening of the St Joseph's Hospital Outpatients facility.
It was wonderful to recall memories of that trip and share our happiness at the recent recognition of Mary Glowrey's heroic virtues!

05/12/2025

We were delighted to catch up with Bishop Paul Bird CSsR, the Bishop of Ballarat (the diocese in which was born and received three sacraments) at the Australian Catholic Youth Festival in Melbourne this week .
Mary Glowrey was born in Birregurra in 1887 and lived in the diocese of Ballarat until she was 13, when she moved from Watchem in the Mallee to Melbourne to take up a secondary school scholarship. Mary Glowrey was confirmed by Bishop James Moore in 1896, on the same day that she made her First Holy Communion. At that time, the bishop visited her home town, Watchem, and other places in the large area, triennially.

Thanks for visiting the Mary Glowrey Museum booth, Bishop Bird!