Catherine entered the Sisters of Compassion at Jerusalem on the Whanganui River, on 25 March, 1896, aged 17. Her older sister had just begun her Novitiate training on 4 March. On 9 May, 1897, Catherine became a Novice and was given her Religious name Sister Mary Jeanne. The following year, 19 May, 1898, Sister made her Religious Profession.

Although Sister Jeanne was not a member of the first Buckle Street Home, she was sent down from Jerusalem-Hiruhārama to join Mother Aubert and the Sisters shortly afterwards. Sister had to travel alone (which was unusual at that time) and spent the night in a hotel at Palmerston North. You could say that Sister Jeanne formed one of the first Communities of Sisters at Buckle St.  She was a pioneer, being also a member of the first Communities at Island Bay (1908), Ponsonby, Auckland (1933), and Silverstream (1933).

Sister Jeanne completed her nursing training with the newly formed St. John Ambulance Association in 1903. This training proved helpful while she cared for young children and the aged at the different Homes she was assigned to. During the influenza epidemic in 1919, Sister Jeanne was sent down from Jerusalem to take charge of a ward at the St. Patrick’s College Epidemic Hospital.

During her Religious life, Sister Jeanne held numerous positions of responsibility in the different Homes of Compassion. We have much to thank Sister Jeanne for the legacy she left the Sisters of Compassion passed on to her from Suzanne Aubert. Sister was the most senior Sister of Compassion when she died after 71 years of Religious Life.

Birth                   Entered            Professed            Died             Place of Death          Place of Burial

02.09.1879      25.03.1896       19.05.1898        01.04.1967        Island Bay           Karori Cemetery