Sister Louise Ryan Makes Profession
of
First Vows as a Columban Sister
 

Saturday, 23rd August,  2008 was a day of celebration at the Columban Sisters' Motherhouse in Magheramore,  Wicklow,  Ireland when Sister Louise Ryan made her First Profession of Vows. The ceremony was held  in the Convent Chapel and was  performed by Fr. Val Kyne, SSC assisted by Frs. Peadar O'Loughlin, SSC,  John Corcoran and Brian O'Reilly.
Present were Louise's parents, Madeleine and Martin, her sister Ailbhe and her brothers Jonathen, Damien and Justin as well as a large circle of friends and a large number of Columban Sisters.

Louise with parents Madeline and Martin Ryan

Louise with her sister Ailbhe

 Damien, Jonathen,and Justin, brothers of Louise.

Columban Sisters and friends joined in the celebration

Homily was given by Sister Kathleen Coyle, SSC.

To read homily click here

Louise tells her story.................

My name is Louise Mary Ryan and I was born in Cork, Ireland to Madeline and Martin Ryan of Castleblayney, Co. Monaghan.  I am the eldest in the family with three brothers (Jonathan, Damian and Justin) and one sister (Ailbhe).  When I was two, Dad’s job brought us to Kuwait for four years and then Dubai for twelve years.  I grew up in an international community and was privileged to go to a Muslim Secondary School, hence experienced some of the Muslim culture.  Dubai, a Cosmopolitan city, was mainly desert so we always appreciated the annual journey home to Ireland and all the greenery.  Mum, Dad and Justin (youngest) still reside in the Middle East, now in Qatar.

I went to Ulster University, near Belfast, to study Physiotherapy and after the four years study got work in the Midland Regional Hospital in Portlaoise, where I worked for three and a half years.  During that time I attended workshops run by Viatores Christi (Lay Missionary Group) because I had always been interested in voluntary work abroad; I also heard  Columban Sisters Bernardine Rush giving a mission awareness talk  in the local church and was very struck by her message and zeal.  This led to a deeper questioning of my path in life.  Some months later, using the internet home page of the Columban Sisters  I was able to get more information about the Columban Mission and make personal contact with the Sisters.   A ‘mission experience’ was arranged, through Viatores Christi and the Columban Sisters, with the  Sisters in Peru  for, overall, less than two years.  During that time, living in a shanty town in Lima, Peru, I learned Spanish,  accompanied the Sisters in their different ministries,  witnessed Christ’s love in their interaction with the people and had a chance to put my physiotherapy skills into practice to help the poor.  At this time  I felt God’s call more deeply and became a postulant.

Having completed my Postulancy  in Peru, I returned to Ireland and began my Novitiate formation  in Ballymun,  Dublin  in 2006.  I thank God for all the opportunities of growth in relationship with God through this time of guidance and support, of further studies and development -  personal and spiritual, that has lead me to the First Profession of Vows and onwards, with God’s help.

To contact the Columban Sisters:

Email: columbansrs@eircom.net