Sister Natalie, Mercy Sister

Sister Natalie was a Deputy Principal at Holy Cross School and a teacher. She taught new entrants and years 1 and 8 students. She trained to become a Sister from the year 1972 and had about three years of training. In 1975 Sister Natalie officially became a nun with the Mercy Sisters.

Sister Natalie began teaching at Holy Cross from 1978-1979. She then went to teach at St Mary's in Blenheim. She studied at a University in America for one year then she came back to teach at Holy Cross for four more years and left again in 1992.

In her first year of teaching at Holy Cross School she taught the juniors. She began the year with eight students and the number of pupils increased as the year went on.

Up to year four, girls and boys went to Holy Cross, then the boys went to Marist.

She didn’t teach meditation as such, but her class did something similar. They did a morning offering when they sat quietly for a few minutes listening and speaking to God in their hearts (that was their way of meditating).

One of her most memorable experiences was visiting Holy Cross Church with a group of students when an earthquake struck. It wasn’t a big earthquake but it was still scary.

By Eric, Year 6