Johanna received her religious name, Sister Angela on the 14 September, 1907. Sister was in the novitiate when it was transferred to Island Bay in 1908. Sister Angela was professed as a Sister of Compassion on the 2 October 1909.
At the extraordinary General Chapter in 1912, sister was elected Secretary and Econome General. Sister Angela was officially Secretary General from November 1912 until April, 1957, nearly 45 years.
Even from her novitiate days Mother Aubert had asked her to be her secretary when required. Sister was therefore the first secretary of the Sisters of Compassion, she set up a filing system, keep’t records, did regular office routine work as she literally watched the Sisters of Compassion grow. It was real pioneer work and must have had its difficulties and anxieties as records were very scanty in the early days, both at Jerusalem and in Wellington.
Sister Angela was possessed of a fine intelligence, a prodigious memory and was a remarkably fluent speaker, having had experience in the business world before entering religious life. Sister was of valuable assistance to the different Leadership Teams and especially during Mother Aubert’s absence from New Zealand between 1913 – 1920.
As archivist sister collected and collated data relating to Mother Aubert with the intent of writing her biography. She introduced her Cause for Canonisation which keeps progressing. Sister Angela’s efforts to ‘gather up the fragments’ as she called them, resulted in seven typewritten volumes of the “Reminiscences of Mother Mary Joseph,” Which are a precious legacy from her to the Sisters of Compassion. History of the pioneering Sisters who ‘blazed the way’ for future sisters, were carefully documented by Sister Angela.
At the time of the 1957 General Chapter, Sister was now 80. She was not re-elected, and became a member of the Island Bay Community. From then onwards she occupied the small parlour, immediately behind the Oratory in the convent, and helped the Local Sister in Charge with correspondence. Sister Angela had a deeply sincere love for Mother Aubert and knew her, perhaps as well, if not better than any other member of the Sisters, owing to her close association with her during so many years as her secretary.
Birth Entered Professed Died Place of Death Burial
15.06.1876 27.02.1907 02.10.1909 19.05.1958 Island Bay Karori