On Saturday, 25 March, Deasy Hartanto professed her First Vows in the Society of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Chapel at Kincoppal-Rose Bay. Bishop Terry Brady D.D. presided over this special ceremony with Father Christopher Slattery pp as the Concelebrant. Deasy’s vows were received by the ANZ Provinical, Lynette Toohey RSCJ.
Deasy grew up as the eldest of three children in Surabaya, Indonesia and attended Christian Primary and Secondary schools in Surabaya run by Ursuline Sisters, a religious order dedicated to the education of women. Upon completion of Senior School, Deasy attended the Institute of Technology (ITS) and commenced a Bachelor of Engineering.
Deasy wanted to study overseas and was successful in applying to move to Brisbane in 2005 where she began a Masters of Engineering (Management) at Queensland University of Technology (QUT). It was a challenge to learn English and study consecutively. Whilst studying, Deasy worked part-time as a carer for the Cerebral Palsy League of Qld (CCPL).
Upon completion of this course, Deasy then studied a Masters of Engineering Science which then allowed her to apply for permanent residency and work in the area of hydrology and water supply. Deasy worked as a Graduate Engineer for Sun Water and after five years moved to the Qld Water Commission where she worked as a Water Supply Modeler.
In 2014, Deasy was introduced to Kathleen Muirhead RSCJ (A Member of the Australia and New Zealand Province) who was appointed by Lynette Toohey RSCJ to be Deasy’s guide and mentor. In the ensuing months, Deasy regularly dined and met with the Sisters at Stuartholme and learnt more about St Madeleine Sophie Barat, St Rose Philippine Duchesne and Janet Erskine Stuart.
In 2018, Deasy was accepted to live in a community in Sydney and afterwards, Deasy formally entered as a candidate in a ceremony at Claremont Cottage learning more about being a Religious of the Sacred Heart.
In December 2020, Deasy joined the Sacred Heart International Novitiate Community in Chicago where she worked in a soup kitchen helping marginalized people. During the second year of the novitiate, Deasy worked at St Elizabeth Elementary School as a maths tutor. Deasy also studied at the Chicago Theological Union (CTU) and enrolled in the Intercongregational Noviceship program with other novices from the Dominican and Sisters of Saint Joseph of the Sacred Heart.
After this period of formation, Deasy returned to her Sacred Heart Community in Australia and began volunteering at the Barat Burn library at Kincoppal-Rose Bay, as a Learning Assistant at Joigny (Barat Burn) and as a Lifestyle Officer at the St Vincent Aged Care Facility in Edgecliff.
Deasy’s father and brother travelled from Indonesia and her sister attended her First Vows in the Kincoppal-Rose Bay Chapel. Her mother was unable to attend due to ill health however, she was able to follow the ceremony online.
Deasy will now enter a period of six further years of discernment before taking her final vows.