Mary Glowrey was born in Birregurra in 1887 in regional Victoria. She won scholarships to secondary school and to the University of Melbourne. She graduated from her first degree in Medicine in 1910. She worked in leading Melbourne hospitals.
In 1916 Mary became the first General President of the Catholic Women’s Social Guild (now the Catholic Women’s League of Victoria and Wagga Wagga). She earned a higher medical degree, an MD, in 1919.
In 1920 Mary gave up her career as a doctor in Australia to take up a vocational calling to India to care for vulnerable women and children. She became a religious Sister with the Society of Jesus Mary Joseph in Guntur. Known as Sr Mary of the Sacred Heart, Mary served as a Sister doctor in Guntur. She ministered and oversaw the care of hundreds of thousands of patients who would not otherwise have received medical treatment.
Mary led and trained others in healthcare provision. In 1943, she founded the Catholic Health Association of India (CHAI), whose members today care for at least 21 million people annually.
She died in Bengaluru (Bangalore) in 1957.
Mary Glowrey is only the second Australian to be considered for official recognition as a saint.
Following the opening of her Cause for Canonisation in India, the Catholic Church granted her the title Servant of God in 2013.
For more information, see https://maryglowrey.org.au.
This site presents information about Dr Sr Mary Glowrey JMJ's life and legacy and her Cause for Canonisation. It facilitates a greater understanding of Mary's spirituality and holiness. The site is owned by the Catholic Women's League of Victoria and Wagga Wagga.
This website is published by Mary Glowrey Heritage Limited (ABN 39 604 292 346) and all rights are reserved. Except where otherwise specified, photographs are from the Mary Glowrey Collection, which is owned by the Catholic Women’s League of Victoria and Wagga Wagga Inc (ABN 18 342 098 335) and are published with their kind permission. All requests to use or reproduce any content on this website or from the Mary Glowrey Collection should be made in the first instance to info@maryglowreymuseum.info as outlined on our Contact Us page.