Sister Baptista spent many years at Jerusalem and Ranana in charge of the Post Office at Jerusalem, and acting as the Nursing Sister before the days of the District Public Nurse.  Sister had been one of the original Sisters who were trained in Home Nursing by Sister Genevieve Sexton, who before entering had been a Red Cross Nurse.  Sister Baptista also had a Certificate for Home Nursing issued by the St. John’s Ambulance Association.  This was put to practical use at St. Joseph’s Home for Incurables, Buckle Street.  Sister had also been Infirmarian to the boys at St. Patrick’s College before going to Jerusalem.  She spent about 20 years working on the Māori Mission on the Whanganui River. The people along the river were sorry she had to leave because of health reasons.

Sister Baptista was then transferred to Buckle Street where she stayed until 1933.  On 28 March, 1933, she was elected Sister in Charge at Jerusalem, but during her term there she met with an accident and injured the lower part of her spine.  She endured acute pain and almost continual discomfort, but her patience and cheerfulness endeared her to her nurses.  It became evident that she had cancer and had to undergo many forms of treatment.

Sister Baptista died following Christmas on 4 January, 1939.

Birth                  Entered               Professed              Died               Place of Death           Place of Burial

02.02.1875        1900                   08.12.1901         04.01.1939          Island Bay              Karori  Cemetry