Sister Cordula Bushell

Catherine Bushell was born at Merino, Victoria on 3 August 1913.She was the sixth daughter in the family of nine children eight girls and one boy born to Mary (nee Gorman), and Thomas Bushell.

Catherine recieved her primary education with the Good Samaritan Sisters at Crossley and completed her secondary schooling with the Sisters of Mercy at St Anns School in Warrnambool.

On 26 June 1934 at the age of 21 years Catherine joined her two sisters Ann (Sr Bernadette sgs) & Bridget (Sr Marie Therese sgs) when she entered the Good Samaritan Novitiate at Pennant Hills and received the name of Sister Mary Cordula. Her First Profession was made on January 12 1937.

In 1937 Cordula undertook her studies in teacher education at St Scholasticas Teachers Training College, Glebe Point, and in January 1938 she was appointed to St Josephs primary school in Korumburra, Victoria for 12 months.

From her first appointment in Korumburra, she continued her ministry of teaching at South Yarra, Kerang and Epping in Victoria and then to Manly and Surry Hills, NSW. In April 1955 Cordula left St Francis de Sales School, Surry Hills to take up her appointment at St Peter & Pauls primary school at Bulimba, Queensland.

She remained in Queensland until 1962 when she moved to South Australia to teach at Gawler. In 1964, she returned to Victoria to teach at Reservoir, North Fitzroy, Thornbury and Preston. In the September of 1974 until the end of 1975 Cordula was a resident in St Benedicts, Northcote.

From 1976 to the end of 1979 Cordula undertook a change of ministry and was the Assistant Librarian at Santa Maria College and in 1980 she joined the Cohuna Community involving herself in Community Ministry.She became a resident of Marian House in 1981 and on 8 January 2001 moved to Villa Maria at Bundoora.

Cordula died April 8. 2001 in St Vincents Private Hospital, Fitzroy, Melbourne. She was 88 years of age and in her 67th year of Religious life.