Sister Agnes McGuinness Enters Eternal Life
 

Sister Agnes McGuinness passed away peacefully on Sunday December 11, 2005, in the Nursing Home at the Motherhouse of the Columban Sisters in Magheramore, Wicklow, Ireland.

Agnes was born in Derry City, on November 30, 1922; she joined the Columban Sisters in Cahiracon, Co Clare,  Ireland on  June 22, 1942.  Having taken the name  Sister Mary Eugene, she made First Vows April 22, 1945. 
 

 

 

Most of Sister Agnes' missionary life was spent in the United States. She taught in schools run by the Columban Sister in Westminister, California (1950-'63) and Los Angeles (1963-'67).   She was then assigned to  Hyde Park, Boston  where she was engaged in promotion work for the congregation.  In 1979 she was assigned to Chicago to continue the promotion work and mission awareness there. 
She returned to Ireland in 1992 and together with Sister Clare Farren,  she pioneered the Columban Sisters' mission in Stevenston, Scotland.
Always ready to go where she was needed or do what had to be done, Agnes, in a quiet and gentle way,  lived out her commitment to God and all of God's people. 

Her Funeral Mass was celebrated and December 14 in the convent chapel at Magheramore.  The main celebrant was Columban Father Pat Donohoeand the homily was given by Columban Sister Marie Galvin.  after which she was buried in the convent cemetery.

Agnes is survived by her brother Eddie & sisters Teresa & Kathleen who were unable to come due to ill health.  However, a large group of niece and nephews from Derry, Belfast, Dublin and UK attended the Removal and Funeral Mass from the McGuinness and McManus families. 

Her niece Agnes McGuinness read the Reading from Isaiah. Marie & Patrick read the Prayers of the Faithful.  Eilish Quigley another niece sang Gounod's Ave Maria at the Post Communion and John McManus read one of Gerard Manley Hopkins' poems -'Heaven - Haven' - a nun takes the veil.

A group of nephews shouldered the coffin from the Chapel to the waiting hearse and again another group bore it to its final resting place in the convent cemetery.

 

May she rest in peace

 

To contact the Columban Sisters,
E-mail:  

columbansrs@eircom.net