When Sr Nellie Versluys left Rushworth for Melbourne in February this year, she became the last Josephite Sister in Sandhurst – at least for a month or two. Later this month, Sr Marianne Zienstra will inherit the ‘last Josephite in Sandhurst’ title when she arrives in Numurkah to continue the good works of her predecessor, Sr Janet Nolan, who left Numurkah late last year.

Since they started the first Victorian Josephite school in Numurkah in 1890, the Josephites have kept a constant presence in Sandhurst, meeting the pastoral and educational needs of Sandhurst parish and school communities with warmth, humility and dedication.  

The Josephites have played an important role in the pastoral life of Rushworth parish for seventy years. When the two Sisters living in in Rushworth left at the end of 2009, Father Owen Doyle made a request to the Josephite Regional Leader at the time, for a continued Josephite presence in the parish. Sister Nellie was approached by the Regional Leader to respond to this request, which she was very happy to do. She had left the Kimberley at the end of 2006 and had spent the following three years filling in for Sisters who were on leave. It turns out that her time in Rushworth was the longest amount of time she had spent anywhere in her whole life! 

Sister Nellie found the people of the Rushworth Parish (which includes Rushworth, Colbinabbin, Murchison and Stanhope) very welcoming. “Father Owen made great efforts to make me feel at home, introducing me to the people on home visits, home Masses and when taking Communion to the people at the Hospital and Hostel,” Sister Nellie explained. “Though I could not fill the void that was left when Father Owen retired, I was inspired by his pastoral care to carry on!” Sister Nellie continued with an element of surprise in her voice. She noted that beside the above ministries in the parish, people sometimes requested help with preparing for a funeral for a loved one; visits to people dying in hospital; and the desire in people to learn more about scripture. As Sister Nellie had designed a special programme for Scripture Study for her Master of Arts in Pastoral studies with a concentration on Biblical Spirituality for Aboriginal people, she found this method to be very well received by the people of the parish when studying the Gospel with them, and the writings of St Paul. People were keen to further develop their understanding of the Bible.

When asked if she considered herself like a town chaplain, Sr Nellie replied, “I was a Josephite presence.”  Then on reflection added, “I didn’t want to be involved in Pastoral Ministry, but I suppose that’s what I was doing in the end. I would always join the pastoral associates of the Diocese when they gathered.” 

Sr Nellie said she became totally immersed in community life and this taught her lessons she has shared with others.  

“I can remember there were times when I’d think – “meetings again!” and then, this voice would come and say – “You’re a Josephite presence, so go and be present.”  That was a real urge within me, to be a presence, to be, and to be present, was a focus for me.  To really be present to people, give people time, give them your ear, give them your heart, really.”

“In our busy, busy world people long to be given time, but we also need to give ourselves time. I often used to recommend that people tap into Christian meditation – just give themselves time to be still, to pray, to meditate. It’s very much John Maine, if you can be still for just five, or ten, or maybe extend it to twenty minutes in the morning and the evening, it settles life.  It really brings balance. It’s very important. If you’re not aware of what goes on around you, if you’re not aware of God, you miss out.  People would often say  to me, “So many people have left the Church and haven’t come back.  But this is the point – it’s about a personal relationship with Jesus, not the Church and religion.  You have to talk to Jesus every day – he’s your friend. If you don’t, there’s something missing.  That’s what I think.”

Sr Nellie firmly believes that if God wants her to do something, then she will somehow find strength to do his will irrespective of the circumstances. “When I first went up to Wyndham – being Dutch –people questioned whether I’d survive the heat, but if you’re called to do something, you find the strength to do it. That’s how I ended up in Rushworth and in the Kimberley – God wanted me there,” said Sr Nellie emphatically.   

“I think I’ve always been drawn to Jesus; I have always felt very close to him,” said Sr Nellie.  “My Mother was once a Novice in the Netherlands. She was a very religious person; she would tell us stories of the saints, and she prepared me for my First Holy Communion in the Hague,” said Sr Nellie. 

Sr Nellie’s journey to become a Josephite was rather straight forward. After a parish mission, she one day shared with her mother that she would like to become a religious Sister. So, they visited the parish priest together and he asked which Sister? Of course, Sister Nellie replied “Sisters of St. Joseph” as they were the only Sisters she knew, having been educated by them in various places in Victoria. So, the parish priest arranged an interview with the Josephite Provincial at Hawthorn East.

Sr Nellie jokes about choosing the wrong Religious Order while on her first appointment as a teaching Josephite in Morwell, where she was tasked with educating fifty prep. students. 

“Our Provincial came to visit us at the school, and I said to her – I really don’t think I’m meant to be a Josephite, I think I’m meant to be a Poor Clare! The Provincial looked at me and said, “That, my dear, is a temptation!” laughed Sr Nellie.

In all seriousness, Sr Nellie said teaching young children is very rewarding, “I loved teaching little kids; there’s such joy watching little tots learn how to write and read, it’s a very satisfying job,” she said. 

Sr Nellie’s full name is Cornelia Imelda Maria Versluys. She was born in Warmond in South Holland, the Netherlands. In 1950, when she was nine years old, she migrated to Australia with her parents and three younger siblings. Her father was continually looking for the ideal share farm so after living for a month in Bonegilla Migrant Camp, the family moved a lot, from Launching Place, near Warburton, to Lancefield, Monegeetta, Kilmore and eventually ending up in Melbourne.

After completing teacher training in North Sydney Sr Nellie taught in various Josephite schools in Victoria, including Morwell East, Stawell, Warburton and Richmond.

Sr Nellie went on to teach children in remote parts of the Kimberley, after becoming interested in Aboriginal culture and ministry with Aboriginal people during a year of study at the National Pastoral Institute for Religious Education. She taught at St Joseph’s Primary School Wyndham, in the Kimberley, and was inspired to learn more about teaching in Aboriginal communities. She studied at the Pacific Mission Institute in Turramurra, then completed a Bachelor of Education in Perth, before returning to the Kimberley where she was teacher and principal of St Joseph’s School in Halls Creek for six years. After further studies at the Columban’s Pacific Mission Institute in Turramurra, she returned to the Kimberley to work in Pastoral Ministry in Warnum, an Aboriginal Community 3000 km north of Perth (formerly known as Turkey Creek).

Sr Nellie recounts a series of events which she believes God had a serious hand in.

“I remember my Provincial asking me what I’d like to do after I’d completed my appointment in Halls Creek.  I said, “I’ve come to Halls Creek and helped prepare children for the sacraments and their parents as well. These people are yearning to develop their faith.  So, I’d like to do scripture study to teach Aboriginal adults about their faith.” 

“After Halls Creek I went to Catholic Theological Union (CTU) Chicago and went on an Israel Study program. It was amazing how it all happened!  I was in Perth on a short break, and I popped into Australian Catholic University (ACU)to make some inquiries about Scripture Studies.  Someone there said, “Actually a Good Samaritan Sister has just come back from Chicago, and if you’d like you could move into her apartment.” 

At Warnum, the Josephites operated the Meruliki Spirituality Centre, we ran programmes for teachers and Adult Faith Education. Michael Fallon came up to give a talk and I asked him about different places to study, he suggested CTU Chicago, then I met others who all highy recommended CTU Chicago for its missiology programme.”

Of course, Sr Nellie listened to the call, and she studied at CTU completing the Israeli Studies program which she said was very helpful because much of it was how people live off and relate to the land, which relates to Aboriginal peoples. 

Sister Nellie noted that the Aboriginal people are incredibly resilient, having suffered so much and yet in the face of everything, are still strong and still keep on going. Of their spirituality she recounts the story of an Aboriginal Elder :

“Groups of Aboriginal Elders would come to Meruliki Spirituality Centre in Warman to speak about their lives. They’d do things like take people to an old Boab tree which was a massacre site. There were massacre sites all over the Kimberley. Hector was asked, “How can you forgive us?” To which Hector replied, “If we didn’t forgive people, the devil would enter into us, and we would become like the people who did the killing.” I’ll always remember that wise old man.”

Sr Nellie has no doubt that her life has been blessed.  “I’ve had a very fortunate life.  I say that all the time, I’m just so, so fortunate,” she said.  

Sr Nellie has been living life to the full in service, yet her life has not always been easy.  As a young child, Nellie and her family experienced all the challenges of post-war migrants.  The move from town to town as her father searched for the perfect farmland; the loss of an infant brother at eight months old; the loss of her younger brother when he was ten years old and her mother’s subsequent broken heart; the loss of her father who died of a heart attack the day she entered the convent; and the loss of her mother not long after.

Sr Nellie would tell you it’s the time she spends in daily prayer nurturing her relationship with God that has been her strength. 

“During my childhood Jesus was absolutely my friend.  Ever since I was a kid, I loved being in a quiet spot by myself. I love nature too, I think that’s why I linked up so well with Aboriginal people – being on Country. Being in touch with nature. It wasn’t one thing or the other, it was all one. It’s a wholesome way to live, I think. People in the country have an advantage in that direction because they are in the midst of it. The spiritual aspect of nature is something that draws you closer to God.  

As Catholics, we have inherited a rich spiritual tradition, and we have some wonderful saints whose spirituality was focused on their relationship with Jesus.  We are just so lucky to have this tradition, we just need to take the time … “

 Sr Nellie is now living in Community with fellow Josephites in Melbourne.