Katie Rodriguez

Katie Rodriguez or Mary Catherine Rodriguez (24 November 1920 – 7 April 1994) was a Nyigina woman from Western Australia who became a Catholic novice and later was a cook, domestic and manager of pastoral stations including 'Debesa' which she ran alongside her husband Frank (Francisco) Rodriguez. Throughout her life she experienced significant racism as an Aboriginal Australian.

Early life Rodriguez was born at Beagle Bay Mission and she was the daughter of Yoolya (also known as Fulgentius Fraser) and Phillipena Melycan (also known as Sarah) who were living there. Both of her parents were Nyigina and both had been removed from their families at a young age (part of the Stolen Generations) and raised on Catholic missions. She was one of eight children the couple had together. This was a newly created order of Aboriginal nuns that had been established at the mission and it was the first and only of its kind in Australia. Within the Daughters she became Sister Agnes and primarily worked as a domestic for them in supporting the 'white' nuns in delivering medical assistance although she did also, later, teach at the school (although in all roles she was required to be supervised by a 'white' sister. They married on 8 December 1946 and the speed of the marriage is likely due to the pressure on Rodriguez to return to the Daughters but despite this the pair were married by Bishop Riable and she received the 'blessing' of the church to do so.