Besides the final profession of 11 sisters, the first profession of 12 sisters, and five women entering the novitiate, the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia Congregation will start a mission in Sydney, Australia.Three Dominican sisters spent the last year in Sydney helping with World Youth Day, and two will return to establish the community’s first permanent mission outside the United States.Sister Mary Madelaine Todd told Nashville’s Diocesan newspaper the Tennessee Register that Australia’s Cardinal George Pell and Auxiliary Bishop Anthony Fisher, “were eager” to have the sisters working in Sydney, adding, “What we could offer and what they needed were complementary."Sister Mary Madelaine noted that though Australian society is quite secular there is a great interest in religious life,” and she was hopeful that the Dominicans could provide a witness to that life.You can catch a Salt + Light documentary on the Nashville Dominicans in the late fall. To read about my experience with the Nashville Dominicans last year, click HERE. You can also read about Glenn McDonald's (now Father Glenn!) experience by clicking the above photo.