The mass was con-celebrated by parish priest Fr John McHugh, on February 14, with nine priests from around the diocese, including Monsignor Ted Wilkes.

St Joseph's Parish community joined with the Sisters of Mercy in celebrating the life of this much loved Sister - a teacher for 40 years and former principal of St Xavier's Primary School.

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Small in size but big in heart, Sr Bernard lived a life of devotion to the education of children and later in the ministry of aged care for the Sisters of Mercy.

Born Doreen Betty Morton at Inverell on April 17, 1930, Sr B. as she was affectionately known, was one of nine children of Hope and Minnie Moreton and the last of her siblings.

In a reflection of her life written some years ago, Sr Bernard said she had been educated by the Sisters of Mercy in Inverell and had appreciated their kindness, compassion and selflessness.

"Having caring mentors at such an early stage was certainly the impetus or stepping stone for my entrance at St. Joseph's Convent, Gunnedah," Sr Bernard wrote.

After working for a short time in a local business, Doreen Morton entered the Sisters of Mercy novitiate at Gunnedah on April 4, 1948, at the age of 18. She spent her first year as a teacher at Malabar in the Archdiocese of Sydney where she had a class of more than 80 children.

Her ministry for the next 40 years was primary and infants teaching and leadership in many schools in the Armidale Diocese - Moree, Mungindi, Narrabri, Inverell and Gunnedah plus several years at Malabar.

For more than 30 years, Sr Bernard was a school principal and until her appointment as principal of St Xavier's, she was also a full-time classroom teacher. Sr Bernard taught in Gunnedah in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s and was principal from 1982 to 1990 when she retired from active teaching. She also spent a total of 18 years in Moree but it was to be 27 years after she started teaching before she was appointed principal to the place it all began - Sacred Heart School in Inverell.

In the eulogy delivered by Sr Christine Belling, who was principal at St Mary's College during Sr Bernard's time at St Xavier's, many happy times were recalled and Sister Bernard's joy for life and her love of children.

"In these past few weeks as I meet people who knew Sr Bernard - some were on the staff at St Xavier's Primary school - without exception each person has spontaneously shared a story or a saying of hers," Sr Christine said.

"Her great love for children over many years as a teacher, especially to infant students, and as principal, is legendary. One expression Sr Bernard often used with the children was: 'You are' - and finished by a loud chorus - "the best in the west'."

Sr Christine also recalled Sr Bernard's love of the annual Book Week parade where one year she turned up dressed as the aviator Bert Hinkler and another as Little Bo Beep - not knowing that the bishop had arrived to visit St Xavier's. This did not phase the diminutive little nun who simply carried on as normal.

Sr Bernard had a special relationship with her students. She believed in a "good learning environment, with a sound Christian base and a sense of fun."

With school the biggest event in the lives of the children, Sr Bernard believed "it should be a happy place".

After retiring from her role in 1991, Sr Bernard joined Volunteers for Isolated Students Education and assisted many children who lived in isolated areas of Queensland, NSW and the Northern Territory.

Their distance education was supported by teachers through the School of the Air Programs, with the supervision of their parents. Sr Bernard was much loved and appreciated and well respected by the families she lived and worked with on properties at Quilpie, Carnarvon Gorge, Port Keats, Helen Springs, Bollon, Cunnamulla, Normanton, Clermont and Daven Port Downs.

Some of the children had never known a one-to-one relationship with a teacher before. During these years in the 1990s, many families in these isolated areas experienced many years of drought and hardships and in living with the family, Sr Bernard often became a companion for the wife and mother and was able to bring some spiritual and emotional support to both the parents and children.

In 1993, Sr Bernard returned to St Xavier's as a special guest when the school, established by the Sisters of Mercy in 1879, farewelled its last religious principal.

Sr Christine continued to share Sr Bernard's own words in her reflection written in 2011 when the governance structure changed and the Gunnedah congregation became a member of the Institute of the Sisters of Mercy, of Australia and Papua New Guinea.

"A very special privilege, as a Sister of Mercy was when I spent time as a teacher's assistant in the school at the Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick. This time was very special as I came to know many sick children, some recovered from their serious illnesses while others fought bravely during their terminal illnesses. There were times when I would arrive to hear of the death of one of these beautiful, brave young girls or boys," Sr Bernard wrote.

"The latter part of my ministry has been journeying with our elderly, dying sisters. Again, witnessing the acceptance of their decline in health, I once again saw in these sisters the same selflessness as that of my prayerful mentors throughout my religious journey."

Sr Bernard 's profession ring was a treasured symbol in her life. She said its strength and empowerment come from the knowledge that hundreds of Sisters of Mercy throughout the world wear a similar ring of consecration and dedication. Her chosen motto "God Alone" was engraved on her ring.

Sr Bernard spent the last few years of her life as a resident at Nazareth House in Tamworth under the care of the Sisters of Nazareth and staff. Her death at the age of 89 on February 5, 2020, was met with sadness but admiration of "a life well lived".

Student leaders from St Xavier's and St Mary's College attended the commemoration and St Xavier's pupils also forming a guard of honour.

The interment at Gunnedah Memorial Park was followed by a time of joyful memory and laughter as relatives and friends joined the Sisters of Mercy in celebrating the life of a tiny nun who strived to imitate the Mercy order's foundress Catherine McAuley and her great love for the poor, sick and needy.

The late Sr Bernard Norton RSM was predeceased by her parents and siblings Phyllis, Iris, June, Thomas, Verlie, Leonard, Nancy and Patricia. She was a loving aunt of her nieces and nephews and their families and a loved member of the Sisters of Mercy of Australia and Papua New Guinea.