Audrey Bran
I was born on 6 May 1920, the second daughter of Nellie Imelda O’Neill and Hector Walton McInnes of Bexley and baptised Audrey Patricia Cecilia McInnes. I came to know Mary through the Sisters of St Joseph at Rockdale and the Sisters of Charity who taught me in primary school at St Gabriel’s Bexley and secondary school at St Mary’s Star of the Sea in Hurstville.
Devotion to Mary was a significant part of family, parish and school life. In the Parish I joined the Children of Mary. I was an integral part of the liturgical life of the new parish at Bexley being the first soloist in the choir. This role was later shared with my best friend Patricia (Patty) Moore. After the leaving Certificate, and while I completed my music studies at the Sydney Conservatorium, I also undertook Business Studies at St Mary’s Cathedral School.
I was married to George Bran in 1949 at St Declan’s Penshurst. We were blessed with four children – Gregory Paul, Christopher John, Peter Anthony and Helen Maree. Life has not always been easy. I spent fifteen months in hospital away from my family, when my daughter was only 13 months old, from blood clots after a botched operation. The loss of my only sister Jeanne Elizabeth at 12 years of age through her allergic reaction to the drugs they gave her for influenza; along with the loss of my youngest son, Peter Anthony at 26 years of age through a motorbike accident, on the eve of his announcing his engagement, planted in me a curiosity about grief and emptiness. Over the years I have counselled many who have suffered the trauma of grief and loss.
When I was left alone with four school age children to support, I became a night shift telephone counsellor with Grief Support Inc. for 12 years, as well as working in my day job with Telstra, as a Trainer for telephone receptionists in both North Sydney and Strathfield until my retirement.
I looked to Mary and she “talked” to me throughout my life giving me strength, guidance and understanding. My children and grandchildren bring me great joy.
Thus far, I am an Associate of the Christian Brothers, a Grief Counsellor and Eucharistic Minister at St Gabriel’s, as well as being a proud member of the Marist Laity Bexley.
 Marist Laity Australia officially launched by Fr Bill Ryder, sm Australian Provincial |
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