Sr Mary Bernadette [Philamena] Howard

Bernie's Aunty Phil became a Novice Missionary Sister in January 1938 and professed on 15th August 1939. On the 3rd of September 1948, Sr Bernadette arrived in Rabaul in Papua New Guinea to begin missionary work as a Sister and Midwife.

In 2009, Bernie and I, along with 6 family members, went to PNG to celebrate Sr Bernadette's 70 years of being a Sister. It was a great celebration with people from villages she had worked in, telling her story in song and dance. They held mass, celebrated by a Bishop she had delivered when he was born.

Sr Bernadette returned to Australia in 2010, due to what turned out to be minor medical issue. She was cleared to return to PNG, but decided to stay in Australia as she felt that the mission could use the airfare for other more important things. She passed away 13th October 2013 aged 96. She had lived a very hard and wonderful life in the service of God.

If you wish to read her life story, please download Memoirs_of_Sr_Bernadette.pdf