1895 Kath O'Brien

Youth

Catherine Honora O’Brien was born at Hookina South Australia on April 16th, 1895. Kath and her twin sister Anne (Nance) were so small at birth; the story goes that Kath especially could be held in the palm of one’s hand.  She was named Thomas at first, because they thought she was a boy. The family, parents and 6 daughters, left the Hookina farm after the drought in 1897 and settled in Glen Osmond – the 7th child, the only boy, Thomas, was born there.

As children, Kath, her sisters and brother walked to school every day to the Mitcham Convent – and for a family outing, they walked to Glenelg with their parents.

Perhaps Kath and Nance couldn’t “put anything over” the older girls, so their little brother was occasionally used for their amusement. Once, by shunting him back and forth in his pram – and another time, they tried to put him head-first into a water barrel. Fortunately, with a large family, there’s always some-one to rescue the tormented and chase the culprits. 

Work

All through her life, Kath attended Mass regularly, on Sundays, and also on weekday mornings, 6:30 or 7:00 am. –walking of course. She always attended Benediction with her family on Sunday afternoons at 3:00 p m.  She was involved in many functions:  she made cakes and took tea, butter and other items to the Annual Pound Day at the Little Sisters of the Poor – and when there was something “on” at the Carmelite Monastery, she was always there to help, and sometimes helped Sister Gertrude with her pot plants.

On Monastery Sunday, Kath, Jean and Martha helped to decorate the outside altar, and in earlier years organised the little flower strewers – some of them their nieces – and later, their grand-nieces.  Kath and family walked to every Station of the Cross through the Monastery grounds. (Their mother, Mary Ann, didn’t miss a year for 49 years, she died in the September,  and just missed her 50th pilgrimage).

In the 1920’s the whole family helped the Little Sisters Community move from the Parkside quarters to Glen Osmond.

Kath was devoted to and always remained loyal to Our Lady, Mary, Mother of Jesus – and Mother of the Church – and said the Rosary every day. When young, she was involved with the Legion of Mary – and taught Catechism to the children. 

Kath loved her nieces and nephews – and had a special place in her heart for Rob, son of her twin sister Nance, who died on Rob’s 12th birthday. Kath loved and cared for Rob with Jean and Martha in their Glen Osmond home until his marriage.

One of Kath’s ministries which she kept faithfully, was to launder and mend the priests’ clothes. Many’s the time she came home from Mass on a week day morning with a small “accountants’ type” case or bag – but it didn’t hold books or papers – it was priestly laundry, which she tended as a loving service.  Kath and her sisters regularly prepared the altar and Sanctuary for Sunday Mass–and cleaning the brass involved wearing white cotton gloves to keep the brass free from finger prints.

Kath mostly helped to look after the family home, but sometimes she worked in Jean’s draper shop at Unley – and every year, at vintage time, she and Martha packed up and camped with their nephew, Gus, in the little shack on their brother Tom’s vineyard at Warradale, to pick grapes. They were so enveloped in clothes to protect their fair skin – they were hard to recognise.

Mary Ann O'Brien and Kath O'Brien in the front yard at Glenown, c1940's.

Every Christmas, a huge fruit cake was baked and presented to the Passionist Community, together with fresh, mixed fruit and other delicacies. The cake was baked well before Christmas and wrapped in several layers of newspaper to “stand and brew” as it were. (before the modern days of Alfoil). The Little Sisters and the Carmelites also received  a similar hamper each. Ham (off the bone) sandwiches after Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve were a family tradition over the years.

Kath’s blood circulation was poor – and she took great pleasure in putting her cold, often white, hands into the hottest washing-up water she could bear – the dishes were done in double-quick time – and her circulation returned – for the time being anyway. Kath loved the wood fire – and usually “sat it out” moving closer and closer until the last small coal (and the warmth nearly gone) then she’d put in a double page of the Advertiser and make a quick last blaze before jumping into bed. Kath really welcomed the invention of the electric blanket.

Later Life

The family members decreased in number, and later, after Martha died in 1971, Mary and Kath moved from the family home at 287 to live with Jean in her unit also at the top of Portrush Road. After Jean’s death, Mary chose to live with the Sisters on Fullarton Road, but Kath, who declared she was not yet ready for a similar move, came to live with Yvonne & Tom on the vineyard at McLaren Flat. For quite a few months, as “Tom’s little Aunty Kath”, she became a loved member of St Joseph’s Community at Willunga.

During this time, Willunga Parish was conducting a census, which involved some late afternoon door-knocking. When I arrived home, Kath would greet me with “I’ve peeled the potatoes already, what else are we having? You cook, I’ll wash up.” In true Irish tradition, we always had plenty of bread and potatoes, and sweet jam for Kath.

Aunty Kath at St Raphael's Home

Later, when Kath moved to St Raphael’s, it was “to keep Mary company, not because she was old or ready to go into a home”  Always busy, and always ready to serve, Kath performed many duties at St Raphael’s to help the Sisters. Folding the laundry, drying the dishes, (I’m not sure if she had the opportunity to put her hands into the hot washing-up water)! Kath moved with the Sisters to Franciscan Avenue Lockleys, where she lived a quiet, patient member of their Community, until her death on Saturday August 7th, 1993.

Catherine O’Brien – our Aunty Kath – a truly faith filled lady. She loved God and his people – Jesus and his Blessed Mother, Mary – and all her family.

Jesus said: “Blessed are the Peacemakers – they shall be called children of God.”  Aunty Kath – a child of God – a peacemaker – was richly blessed.

Credits

• Written by Yvonne O’Brien, August 1993