It is with great sadness that the Loreto Sisters of Australia and South East Asia announce the death of Sr. Noni Mitchell IBVM, former Province Leader and Superior General. Sr. Noni died peacefully at James Milson Village, North Sydney, on Wednesday, 28 April 2021.
Sr. Noni was first and foremost a leader, internationally respected and esteemed for her outstanding leadership and contribution to the Church, the international Institute, and Education.
As an educator, Sr. Noni was Principal of Loreto Kirribilli before being appointed as Principal of Christ College Melbourne, the newly founded Catholic Teachers College. Concurrently, she was involved in the writing of a new Science textbook and Religious Education texts and served on many significant state and federal education boards and committees. Her outstanding contribution to education was recognised in 1997 by an honorary doctorate from the Australian Catholic University and an Order of Australia from the Commonwealth Government.
Sr. Noni’s enquiring theological mind and her deep spirituality prepared her to be a leader in religious life where the call to reform and renewal was sounding loudly. She served as Provincial of the Australian Province (1974-1983) and then Superior General (1986-1998) for two terms. A woman of Vatican II, Noni brought strong leadership and a breadth of vision to her roles, working collaboratively with other Religious Orders to read the signs of the times and foster a renewed vision of religious life. Throughout her many years in leadership, she was called on regularly to speak on matters relating to education, changes in religious life in response to Vatican II and the Church’s social teachings. An innovative thinker and inspiring speaker, she sowed seeds that continue to bear much fruit.
Above all, we remember Sr. Noni’s abiding interest in and love for her Sisters; her warmth and her gift for friendship were ever-present.
The Loreto sisters celebrate the life of Sr. Noni Mitchell IBVM, a true Mary Ward woman, and give thanks for her immeasurable contribution to the Province, the global Institute, to the Church and the wider community.
You can read the full tribute to Sr. Noni Mitchell IBVM here.
With thanks to the Loreto Sisters of Australia and South East Asia.
