Sr Ursula Wilson mfic, Franciscan Sister and missionary, has died.

18 DECEMBER 2016 | GENERAL INTEREST

Sr Ursula Wilson (Sr Mary Dolores). Sr Ursula was born on 24th August, 1931 and died on the 17th December, 2006 at Holy Spirit Home Carseldine.

She was the only daughter of Oswin and Mary Wilson, the youngest sibling of five. Ursula was greatly loved by the Sisters and her extended family members.  Ursula spent twenty-six of her years as a missionary in Papua New Guinea. She was a teacher, an educator, and a musician. She served as a primary teacher, music teacher, catechist formator and pastoral minister in Papua New Guinea. She also served as Formation Assistant, Local Minister and as councillor on the Leadership Team.

Ursula is remembered as a courageous missionary, a “people person” and a happy woman who loved to laugh and have fun, or set out on an adventure. She was a good teacher and mentor who was always encouraging and loyal. When Ursula first went to PNG there were few of the comforts of home. The West Sepik Province in which the Diocese of Aitape was established was largely undeveloped and so the mission stations were mostly very isolated. During her twelve years in Lumi the only way in or out was by mission plane, and she travelled to nearby mission at Ningil by road only once during her time there.

She loved her time In Papua New Guinea, and was loved by many. Her mission appointments in PNG included Sissano, Ulau, Aitape and Kameratoro. Her last mission in Kamberatoro was very close to the Indonesian boarder of Papua and saw raids by Indonesian troops across the borders into the refugee camps that established on the PNG side of the boarder.

Ursula also studied theology in Rome and was missioned there for three years to help care for the elderly community. The early onset of Alheimer’s Disease forced her return to Australia in 2000. She lived at Kedron until 2007.

Ursula spent the last nine years of her life at the Holy Spirit Home in Carseldine where she was cared for exceptionally well by the medical and nursing staff. While Ursula was not able to communicate at all for the past few years there were signs that she was aware of the presence of visitors and appreciated their visits in some way.  Ursula slipped away gently and with great dignity on the morning of the 17th December. At her funeral Mass Fr Mario Debattista said that she had embarked on her final and greatest mission journey to the One who had called her so many years before to “Come!” May Ursula rest in peace.

Sr CAtherine White mfic.