Sr. Ursula Cott, baptised Elizabeth, was born in Ballyclough, County Cork, in August 1940 and her early education was in the local schools.
Sr. Ursula joined MMM in 1959 when she was eighteen. Soon after her initial formation period was over, she went to Dublin and studied at Cathal Brugha Technical College for aa institutional management certificate. Then she was the Catering Supervisor in the IMTH Hospital (now Our Lady of Lourdes) for three years. After this assignment she transferred to Waterford and was Catering Supervisor at Airmount Maternity Hospital for a further three years.

In 1971, Sr. Ursula went to Nigeria, to Abakaliki and Ogoja, where she was responsible for Women’s Training Programmes. In 1978, she was requested for Mission Promotion work in USA. Based in Chicago, she coordinated Mission Development in the Mid-West region for four years.

In 1984, Sr. Ursula went to Brazil, first to the city of Sao Paulo, and later in the northeastern State of Bahia. In Bahia she worked in Paraiso de Jacobina, Salvador and Feira de Santana. In all the communities in Brazil, Sr. Ursula worked in pastoral care and human development. Her particular attention was to the empowerment and on-going education of women. She was known to be a tenacious campaigner for women’s rights and yet, knew how to relax and she had a great sense of humour. She was a practical, down to earth person with a great love for the poor.

In 2012, Sr. Ursula went to USA, where she cared for our elderly and frail Sisters in the Somerville MA community. She also did pastoral work in Malden for some months. In 2016, she returned to Ireland and continued caring for the elderly until her own health needs became more pressing.

Finally, she transferred to Áras Mhuire Nursing Home in 2020. Her health deteriorated slowly, and her death came peacefully on February 6th during the night.  Her Funeral Mass was celebrated on February 11th in the Motherhouse and her cremation service in Dardistown, Dublin.