Front Row (l to r) Sisters Mary Justin Cassidy, and Maureen Byrne.
A spirit of thanksgiving, gladness and joy filled the Motherhouse as families, friends and Sisters from far away missions joined the community in Magheramore on Saturday, June 13, 2009. This was the date chosen for the celebration of the Diamond Jubilees of five Sisters: Sisters Mary Bernardine Rush from Ranelagh, Dublin, Maura Dillon from Clontarf, Dublin, Mary Justin Cassidy from Swinford, Co. Mayo, Catherine Hurley from Kilcrohane, Co. Cork, and Maureen Byrne from Inchicore, Dublin.
Celebrations began as visitors were welcomed and accompanied to the chapel for a Mass of Thanksgiving concelebrated by Columban Father Kevin O’Boyle, Father Michael Cassidy, brother of Sister M. Justin and Father Shay Cullen, Columban Father, home for the occasion from his mission in the Philippines. The chapel was filled to capacity, and as visitors joined the Sisters’ choir in singing the hymns of joy and thanksgiving and listened to Sister Cait Coyle’s homily all experienced a quiet joy which pervaded the remainder of the day.
The Sister Jubilarians have spent most of their missionary religious lives in missions as far flung as Myanmar (Burma), California, U.S.A, Hong Kong, Peru, Chile, and the Philippines. They are all in Ireland at present, engaged in ministries less demanding than the missions they have left behind, yet enriched by all they have experienced amongst the peoples who welcomed them almost sixty years ago.
We wish our Sisters every blessing as they enter upon yet another decade of happy missionary life.
For homily click here
