Our History
The Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth came to Marayong in 1954 taking a central role in caring for Polish migrant families displaced by the Second World War.
With the help of Polish community, their initial focus was the care of the children in the Home for Polish Children and the teaching of the Polish language, history and culture at the Saturday Polish School.
In response to local and community needs, their ministry extended to primary education in 1957 and secondary education in 1967 on the Marayong site. In 1967, primary classes were relocated to St Andrew’s Parish School nearby. In 1988, the growing demands of families saw the provision of Before and After School Care and Vacation Care for children from various cultural backgrounds.
With the support and cooperation of the Australian-Polish community and the priests in the Society of Christ Congregation, the Sisters were involved in supporting the spiritual life of the people who came to Marayong to honour Our Lady of Czestochowa, and to celebrate traditional Polish feast days.
The celebration of Poland’s Millennium of Christianity in 1966 was marked by the Blessing of the Polish War Memorial Chapel – a venture in which the Sisters were wholeheartedly involved.
The ever-changing needs of the Polish community saw the opening of Brother Alberts Home in 1977 followed by Holy Family Polish Nursing Home in 1990. The Blessed Frances Retirement Village in Marayong was opened in 1993 to provide a safe haven for senior residents capable of managing their own care needs.
The company, Holy Family Services, was established by the Sisters in 2002 to ensure the future of the Sisters’ mission to families in Marayong.
A major expansion project begun in 2006 saw the completion of a Long Day Care Centre for 39 children in 2008.
Blessed Frances Siedliska Retirement Village was increased by 16 units bringing the total to 28 in 2009. A state-of-the-art 90-bed aged care facility was blessed on 16 August, 2009.
The mission of the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth has always been to provide the best possible care to the people they serve.
The legacy of the Sisters lives on in old and new ways meeting the ever-changing needs of families today and into the future.