
The University of Notre Dame Australia has awarded an Honorary Doctor of Letters to Sr Patricia Rhatigan SSJG for her dedicated service to the Church and tireless commitment to education.
Sr Pat has made education her lifelong mission, with a special focus on providing quality learning and teaching opportunities for Aboriginal students in the Kimberley.
The Honorary Degree recognises her remarkable and lasting contributions to education, the Church, Notre Dame’s Broome Campus and the broader Kimberley community.
It was conferred on Sr Pat during a moving graduation ceremony in Broome, which celebrated the academic journey of almost 40 students and marked the 30th anniversary of the Broome Campus.
Sr Pat joined the Sisters of St John of God convent in Broome in 1958 and later gained her teaching qualifications.
She was an inaugural staff member at Nulungu Girls College in Broome – a residential and day school for Aboriginal students – and led several groundbreaking educational initiatives during her nine years at the college.
Sr Pat’s dedication to Aboriginal education saw her take on the role of Aboriginal Curriculum Consultant in 1983, and in 1985 she was instrumental in establishing the Catholic Education Regional Office in Broome, working to develop remote Catholic schools and provide training for Aboriginal teaching assistants.
She took a leading role in promoting the establishment of Notre Dame’s Broome Campus after the closure of Nulungu College, and went on to become the campus’s inaugural director, ensuring Aboriginal people had access to higher education in a supportive and culturally relevant environment.
Notre Dame Chancellor Christopher Ellison said Sr Pat’s service to the Church and commitment to advancing education for Aboriginal students would leave a lasting legacy.
“Sr Pat stands as a remarkable example of what it means to serve with purpose and with faith,” he said.
“Her ongoing commitment to reconciliation and cultural inclusion has changed the lives of people in the Kimberley. She ensured Aboriginal culture, history and religion were incorporated into the University curriculum during the establishment of our Broome Campus and played a key role in building our connections with communities across the Kimberley.
“May her example continue to inspire us all to live with faith, purpose and service to others.”
FULL STORY
Honorary Doctorate for Sister Patricia Rhatigan AO SSJG (Notre Dame University )