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26 January, 2026
Sister Mary McKernan
Sister Mary McKernan (named Sister Dolores until 1983) was born on 28 September 1940, the eighth and youngest child in a Whanganui family. Her parents were Hugh Joseph McKernan and […]
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26 January, 2026
Sister M. Stephen Quigg
Maria Elizabeth Quigg was born in Carterton on the 4 January, 1921. Her parents were Henry and Jane Quigg (nee Diamond). Maria entered the Sisters of Compassion on the 4 March, 1942 and was given her religious name Sister […]
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7 January, 2025
Sister Cabrini Tu’ipulotu
Sister Cabrini was born in the small village of Makave near Va va ‘u, Tongan Islands.
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15 May, 2023
Sister Josefa Tikoisolomone
Sister Josefa wrote in 2017… I left home in 1964, and after 50 years as a Sister of Compassion, I can only acknowledge and thank God for my humble beginning.
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15 May, 2023
Sister Rae Berry
Before entering the Sisters of Compassion in 1967 Sister Rae completed her nursing training at the Sisters of Mercy Mater Hospital in Auckland.
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3 January, 2023
Sister Shirley Tunnicliffe
Margaret Shirley Tunnicliffe was born on the 16 February 1936 in the small town of Owaka in the Catlans to Margaret Liston McAra and Cyril Alexander Tunnicliffe, both early pioneer families of the area. The eldest of four children, Shirley was baptised Margaret Shirley but was always called Shirley. Shirley had two brothers Donald Alexander and Raymond James and a much younger sister, Shona Janet who was born in 1950 after the war.
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20 June, 2022
The gifted opportunity to open our doors
On International Refugee and Migrants Day, Sister Margaret Anne Mills shares her reflection on the opportunity we have to help and support those who come from far away to live in Aotearoa New Zealand.
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7 May, 2022
Sister Sheila McGrath
Many stories are remembered about the giftedness of Sister Sheila’s talents and her joy in sharing them with others and encouraging others to learn from her.
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7 May, 2022
Sister Michael Soani
Sister Michael’s encounter with the Sisters of Compassion came in the form of a shabby little book. She was impressed with the sisters’ work with the elderly and that was the beginning of a long journey toward religious life. The Sisters of Compassion were not long in Fiji when she visited them.
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7 May, 2022
Sister Kathleen Crean
Kathleen Theresa Crean was born in Blackstoops, Enniscorthy, Wexford, Eire. Sister Kathleen started her life on one side of the world and ended it on the other after travelling to New Zealand in 1959 and following the Lord’s call.
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16 June, 2021
Sister Loyola Galvin
Sister Loyola Galvin (Johanna Mary Frances) was born on 12 May 1922, the second daughter of Adairine and Edward Galvin. In the family of two girls, her elder sister was called Von. The family owned a small farm in Hawera where her father raised poultry and owned many animals. Mr. Galvin was a French polisher by trade. Mrs. Galvin owned a drapery store and worked until she was 70 years old. On leaving school Johanna trained as a nurse at Wellington Hospital during World War II and graduated three years later achieving triple honours.
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27 April, 2020
Sister Catherine Hannan
Sister Catherine Hannan was born on 19 August 1935 at New Plymouth. Her parents were Kathleen Rosena Foster and George Willis. Catherine was the oldest of six children, her siblings were Sister Patricia OP, James, Willis, Gillian, Paul. The family moved to Invercargill while Catherine was young and where she completed her education at St Catherine’s Dominican College. Excelling not only academically but also in music, speech and sport.
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Sisters stories
Read how the Sisters made their mark in communities far and wide.
