In a State of Grace

Behind rarely opened doors, a little-known religious community is quietly offering its prayers for us all

In 1959, a young Sydney girl went to the movies to see Audrey Hepburn in The Nun's Story. Like any other member of her generation, Bernadette must have been struck by the elegance of this tomboy with wide brown eyes. But for her, the story of Sister Luke's rebellious nun, who nurses lepers in the Congo, falls in love with Peter Finch and in the film's final scene, hangs up her habit to face the light of day, must have had added...