Sister Bernardine Gallagher

Catherine Mary Gallagher was born in Coolah, near Mudgee, on 12 May 1910, the eldest of five children born to Edward and Catherine (O’Brien) Gallagher. Catherine, generally known as Kitty, received her early education in State schools at Dabee, Welshville and Kandos. After the arrival of the Good Samaritan Sisters in Kandos in 1923, Mother Bernard Mary taught Kitty the Intermediate Certificate subjects at St Dominic’s Primary School, and she gained this certificate with outstanding results after only twelve months tuition.

Following the accidental death of her father in 1924, Kitty began work to support the family. She supplemented the family income by taking on extra work, including the writing of paragraphs for magazines and occasionally auditing books for clubs or shops.
When her brother Jim went to Propaganda College in Rome to begin studying for the priesthood, and her sister Mary joined the Good Samaritan Novitiate, Pennant Hills, as Sister Mary Edward, Kitty’s intention to enter the convent also was postponed, until brother Neil was able to take responsibility for the family. She did not regret the delay, believing that the experience gained in facing the difficulties of family life was well worthwhile.

Kitty entered the Novitiate at Pennant Hills on 6 January 1939, when she became known as Sister Mary Bernardine, and made her first profession of vows on 6 January 1942. Following a period at St Scholastica’s Teachers’ College, Glebe Point, Sister Mary Bernardine spent some 36 years in teaching at colleges in the Australian Capital Territory, Victoria and New South Wales. During these years she filled the role of Mistress of Postulants, Superior of the community at Coffs Harbour, and Principal of St Patrick’s College, Campbelltown and Rosebank College, Five Dock. During this time also, her sister Mary, Sister Mary Edward, died on 17 October 1959 at the age of 45 years.

Bernardine’s later years were spent in parish visitation and community support before she took up residence in June 1995 at Polding Villa, Glebe Point, where she was regularly visited by her sister, Peg, who lives in Adelaide. On 20 February 2003, Bernardine transferred to St Catherine’s Nursing Home, Eastwood, where she died peacefully on 10 July 2004.