If you are an ex-resident of either Monte Pio Girls' or Murray Dwyer Boys' Homes and would like to attend an unofficial "get together" at Cardiff RSL on Sunday 26 February 2012 please let us know. You can either send an email to Pat using the "Contact us" tab on this website or you can phone Anne on 02 4958 5190, as we will need to know numbers so that tables can be booked. We will meet in the Lounge near the Foyer at 11:45am and plan to eat around 12 noon in the Eastern Tiger Restaurant. We pay for our meal on the day at the door of the Restaurant.

THE 2011 MONTE PIO GIRLS’ & MURRAY DWYER BOYS’ (LAST OFFICIAL) REUNION WAS A GREAT SUCCESS!

Thank you to all who attended the reunion on Sunday, 6 March. It was such an enjoyable day, renewing old friendships as well as laying the foundation to build new ones. We swapped addresses, took photos and created new memories! The day just flew!

To those who couldn't attend due to ill health (your own or a family member), our very best wishes go out to you for a speedy recovery.

To the staff at Monte Pio, your attention to our needs exceeded our expectations. Thank you for helping to make the day as wonderful as it was.

To CatholicCare, thank you for your very generous donation towards the reunion, it was very much appreciated and helped to keep the cost down.

To those who donated prizes for the raffle, thank you so much, without your generosity there would not have been a raffle. What is a raffle if no one buys a ticket! So to those who bought tickets, thank you.

Nancy and Anne send their most sincere thanks to all who contributed towards their "Thank you" gifts. To say they were stunned at everyone's generosity would be an understatement.

A very special "Thank you" goes to Anne for her guidance and support with the organising and running of the reunion. Not forgetting how her special brand of humour and sense of fun contributed towards our enjoyment on the day!

To those who shared information and memories with us, we all thank you.

To read Patrick (Rick) Sullivan's speech, go to the "Reflections" tab and select "Individual Recollections". To read Rick's poem "Ghosts of Murray Dwyer" go to the "Reflections" tab and select "Murray Dwyer Poem".

To the lovely ladies who supplied the lollies, they were such a treat, thank you.

Last, but certainly not least, to the very special group of helpers who assisted and supported me where and when needed on Sunday, thank you, thank you, thank you.

In closing I would like to add my appreciation and thanks to all who attended the reunion, as well as, "The Monte Pio Girls", "The Graduation Girls", Sue and Anne for your very special "Thank you" gifts.

If you have any photos taken at the reunion you would like added to the website and/or would like to comment on what the day meant to you, please get in touch using the "Contact us" page.

Sincerely
Pat James

PS:
Lynette Blackburn, Manager Early Intervention & Counselling at CatholicCare, had intended to be at the reunion to talk to us about retrieving our records, but was not able to attend due to the ill health of her husband.

In her role she has contact with the volunteer who accesses records of children and young people who were living in Orphanages in the Diocese of Maitland Newcastle. This forms a very small part of her programme at CatholicCare but it is of utmost importance. Lyn has recently had talks with her Director, in relation to perhaps having a more permanent member of staff to access records and feed back to the people who make inquiries about their history.

Lyn asks that you contact her if you have any questions or need help with accessing your records. You will find Lyn's contact details on the "Links" page of this website.