James Fallon SJ, writing for the Jesuit magazine America in 1931, called her one of the "most prolific and popular" writers in the Catholic literary world.
[3] She taught English for 30 years in the convent school, and served as headmistress and Mother Superior (1888–1891), and then mistress of novices (1891–1923), celebrating her golden jubilee in 1919.
[4] The English Jesuit and historian, John Morris, encouraged her to write a book for children preparing for first communion.
[3] English Jesuits published My First Communion by "A Religious of St. Mary's Convent, York" in 1896 as part of a popular "Quarterly Series."
[6] She also wrote the life of her congregation's founder, Mary Ward, for The Catholic Encyclopedia, of which Thurston was a noted editor and contributor.