Very early she was given positions of responsibility – at Buckle Street in 1914, Superior of the Jerusalem Community in 1915, and later going up to Auckland as Superior until its closure in 1916.

In 1918 she became Local Superior of the Mother House at Island Bay until 1923 when she became Superior of the Buckle Street Home.

On 1 October 1926, she became Acting Superior General, and as such presided at the Extraordinary Chapter on 19 March 1927. During this Chapter Sister Cecilia was elected Superior General, replacing Mother Aubert.

As Superior General, Mother Cecilia edified all with whom she came in contact, both secular and religious. She was loved by the Sisters for her gentle kindness and understanding, and the parents of the Sisters were always given every consideration by her. Mother often said that it was her pleasure as well as her duty to meet the Sisters’ parents and relations. To the Sisters, Mother was always a model of the Spirit of Compassion, and her Spirit of Faith was very evident in her speech and actions at all times.

Mother Cecilia was engaged in negotiations with the Government over the Infant Life Protection Amendment Act of 1927, being supported by Archbishop O’Shea, Judge Blair, and Mr. G.G.G. Watson. The two latter helped her again in 1930 when the Nurses and Midwives Registration Act was passed, which enabled General Nurses to be trained in other than Government Hospitals.

New Foundations were established in Wanganui, Auckland, and Broken Hill during her term of office, which in 1939 was extended for a further six years. After eighteen years of Leadership, Mother Cecilia was able to join the local Community at Island Bay where she occupied herself by assisting in the Nursery and supervising the ‘spirituality of the elderly women in St. Anne’s Ward.

Mother Cecilia died during the early hours of Tuesday morning, 25 April 1955, and was buried at Karori in the grave where Suzanne Aubert was first buried in 1926.

Born                  Entered               Professed            Died              Place of Death       Place of Burial

30.12.1872       15.08.1908         07.04.1911      25.04.1955           Island Bay           Karori Cemetery