When she died in 2010 Australia took note of another amazing Daughter of Charity – Bridget Harley.

The Spirit led her to join the Daughters of Charity in Sydney in 1943. In 1966 she responded to what would be her life-time commitment to educate disadvantaged children took her to Ethiopia where she spent thirty-eight years. By the time Sister Bridget left Ethiopia in 2005, aged 86, she had set up more than 150 early childhood development centres in various parts of the country. She had also trained many of her former pupils to carry on the work without her.

Now Sister Maeve O’Brien DC tells her story in a recently published book “Will You Go Lassie Go”, this title taken from a traditional Scottish song she lived out. This was a mighty act of trust in Divine Providence because there was much opposition to this project. In 1967 when Sr. Bridget first arrived in Ethiopia the rate of illiteracy was 97%. In 2014 the rate of illiteracy in Ethiopia is 39.5%. During her long missionary life Bridget worked closely with the Lazarists (Vincentian Fathers). Bridget died in Sydney in 2010.

Read more about her story in the obituary printed in the Sydney Morning Herald.

Enquiries can be made to Allan Walsh allan.walsh@exemail.com

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