Yesterday a dear friend, Sister Mary Jarlath died at the Sisters of Mercy convent in Hornchurch . She was a Sister of Mercy and was over 90 years of age. May she rest in peace.
Jarlath was one of eight children, three of whom entered the Sisters of Mercy, two in the then Bermondsey Community (first community outside Ireland founded by Catherine McAuley) and one in the Sunderland community - Sister Augustine R.I.P. One sister survives, Sister Angela in the Worthing convent of the Sisters of Mercy. Sister Angela is the last of the family.
Sister Jarlath was a teacher and more than that. For 25 years she had been headteacher in Whitstable and was 12 years local superior in what was then a very large community. She was traditional and always wore her habit. She was great with the old sisters too. Even when they no longer had their mental faculties she treated them with great respect and ensured their dignity was respected. She saw to it that even the old incapacitated sisters were properly dressed in their habits when when being wheeled to meals or chapel.
After nearly forty years in Whitstable she moved to another parish which shall be nameless. She became an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion and started preparing children for First Holy Communion. The person in charge of catechetics in that parish was a layman who was also a prominent of the Diocesan Liturgical commission. He eventually insisted that Sster Jarlath stop preparing children for First Holy Communion. . Why? The reason given was that she "was too old fashioned...we don't teach children that they are receiving the Body and Blood of Christ nowadays!" she was told . And that person was a "guru" in Southwark who used to lecture priests!!Jarlath was pleased to leave there and return to Whitstable until her last illness,
In her early days Sister Jarlath had worked with orphans. I remember her delight when over forty years after she had left that work two former orphans came to visit her with their children and grandchildren.
I hope she will continue her work from heaven when she gets there, or meantime from Purgatory. Please pray for the repose of her soul.
"Eternal rest grant unto her O Lord, and may perpetual light shine upon her. Amen"
Sister Jarlath sounds like a very special person. May she rest in peace.
ReplyDeleteWhat a terrible indictment of our times that this dedicated Religious and teacher was treated so badly by the layperson you mention. If only we had a few more 'old-fashioned' catechists, our children would have a better understanding of their faith! Give me 'old-fashioned' over 'modernist' anytime :)
I met Sister Jarlath in 1975 when she was the head mistress of a schol in a poor district in Sunderland. Is the sister Jarlath that you refer to the same one as "my" sister.
ReplyDeleteShe was sweet and stridently direct and very funny. I was organising a charity swim for the charity Action In Distress. She patted my arm and said, in a jaunty Irish brogue "Darlin, Ill say what you say directly after you because your accent is too strange".... Im from the south of England!!!
I visited her many times after my work was done....she always made me laugh ...once in conversation she said that folks thought she was old fashioned keeping her hair covered.....she laughed and said hair was more trouble than it was worth, she was greatful for the rules that kept it hidden !! I loved her The school who was"too poor" to raise money, raised the most in the area.
This was 35 years ago.
I should like to know where she is buried so that I might pay my respects to her.
suewildnaga@gmail.com
Sister Jarlath was my headmistress betweeen 1975-1981 at St. Marys primary school Whitstable, what a great teacher and head. Will always remember her with great joy, and one never to be messed with. May she rest in peace. I Believe she is buried at Whitstable cemetery.
ReplyDeleteSister Jarlath was my headmistress when I was a pupil at St Mary's school in Whitstable in the 1970s. I had the pleasure of meeting her again a few years ago, and she still had the same spirit and character that I remember so well as a child. Although she was always very strict, she was fair, kind and extremely well liked by everyone. She ran a tight ship and I think we all benefited from that. A remarkable lady.
ReplyDeleteNicki Chapman
Did she teach in Killasee School in Naas, Co Kildare in Ireland in the mid to late 80's ?
ReplyDeleteNO. She lived all her religious life in UK
ReplyDelete