Joy by name.  Joy by nature.  Joy began her life in Auckland, New Zealand where she was born the third child of Roy and Dorothy Belt.  Joy was a thinker and she began a searching which brought her to the conviction to become a Catholic.  She took herself to a priest and was prepared for the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, Reconciliation and Eucharist.   Joy continued to search which brought her to asking for entry to the Society of the Sacred Heart.  She was accepted and entered as a coadjutrix sister in Remuera, Auckland in 1953.

After Vatican 2 which brought about changes in religious life, Joy trained as a teacher in Loreto Hall Training College in Auckland.  After her graduation, she worked some years in Island Bay Wellington at St Madeleine Sophie’s school then moved to Sadleir in Sydney, where the Religious of the Sacred Heart had opened the new parish Primary school. Joy taught the kindergarten students and her classroom became a place of joy.

When she left Sadleir, she joined the community at Kerever Park which had become a Spirituality and Educational Centre. She made an impression on the groups that stayed there by her joyful presence, be it in preparing and serving morning and afternoon tea or by helping with the preparation of and serving of the main meal.

The joy and love that Joy gave to her students, she gave to her friends.   Later in the nursing home, she became the trusted friend of many of the residents. One RSCJ who had lived with Joy for many years in many different situations and who claimed her as a close and trusted friend, shared that Joy ‘had the capacity to celebrate the happiness of others, and was able to celebrate with them, there was no envy and she could share their true feelings.”

An extract from the eulogy given by Mary Shanahan RSCJ at Joy’s requiem mass.