Sr Penelope, 87, has a long a distinguished association with community service projects through her work at her Cheltenham Family Support and Safe House, which she ran for 12 years. Sr Penelope’s work first came to the public’s attention when she was interviewed by Derryn Hinch who dubbed her the Mother Teresa of Melbourne for her work with disadvantaged families and children in crisis.

Working closely with the Victorian community policing unit, Sr Penelope offered an immediate safe house for women and children in urgent need, often being called out in the middle of the night to assist with a crisis situation. Through the years she has worked tirelessly for the safety of children affected by abusive or neglectful family situations.

In addition she spent three years in the mountains of New Guinea, with other members of her congregation, running a mission school for girls from the remote villages.

Sr Penelope, who loves chooks and says chainsaws are very ‘useful’ things, has most recently managed to raise $1,000 by collecting, squashing and selling aluminium cans. This money is to assist an African couple who have managed to secure the release and visas for family members held in Ethiopia for four years. The money will help with the air fares to have the family brought to Australia.

Sr Penelope is from the community of the Order of the Holy Name, an order that were originally known as the Anglican Mission to the Streets and Lanes, founded in Melbourne in 1886. The Mission was founded to bring the word of the gospel to the unfortunate in the lanes and courts of Melbourne especially those women known as ‘the fallen’.

Sr Esther assumed responsibility for the Mission in 1888, also founding the Order of the Holy Name. Sr Penelope came to Boorowa to visit with Joy and her daughter Vicki, whose young son spent two years living with the nun in Melbourne. Joy worked for the Safe House for many years and has continued her friendship with Sr Penelope to this day.