Sr Maureen passed away peacefully to Eternal Life on Saturday, 4th October 2025 in the loving care of the Sisters and staff at the Loughshinny Residential Home.
Removal of remains to Convent Chapel, Magheramore, Co Wicklow on Thursday, 9th October 2025 at 5.30pm
Funeral mass on Friday, 10th October 2025 at 11.30am in the Convent Chapel followed by burial in the Convent cemetery
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Homily
Funeral Mass for Sr Maureen McGinley
Friday, 10th October, 2025
‘My Soul Glorifies the Lord’ – Maureen chose this motto at her Final Profession. In the spirit of Mary’s song, and in communion with Christ Maureen lived this motto to the full in her life of love and service. For her, the great commandment ‘Love one another as I have loved you’ inspired all her action on behalf of those rejected and on the margins of society.
When we were young in religious life, I realised that Maureen had wide interests. She was ahead of most of us in her understanding and use of technology. She was a good and patient teacher to those of us who in fear and trepidation tried to enter the world of the computer.
Having studied nursing in London, Maureen was assigned to Hong Kong in 1976. After recovery from jetlag, her first assignment was to study Cantonese, a very complex language for those of us from the west. However, Maureen learned quickly, mastering the sounds and tones. This was vital to her during her four years of nursing TB patients in the Ruttonjee Sanatorium, followed by three years in a clinic in Fanling on the border with China.
During this time Maureen also taught Sunday School in St. Joseph’s Parish.
From 1985 to 1989 Maureen was assigned home to Scotland, where for 3 years she participated in promoting our mission in the parishes of the Diocese in Scotland.
After this time in Scotland and having done some studies in Chicago, Maureen returned to Hong Kong in 1990. When HIV/AIDS began to spread in HK Maureen was ready, and was one of the first to get involved. Through AIDS Concern, she put all her energies and skills into developing a programme of care for those affected and an outreach to families. This was badly needed in the midst of a lot of false information and fear in relation to this disease. In the warmth of her outgoing personality Maureen treated each person with deep respect and profound compassion.
Once in my capacity as a hospital Chaplain, the doctor asked me to visit a patient who was ill with HIV. Having put on the gown provided, I entered the ward where I met the young man who looked very ill and we talked for a while. Suddenly the door opened and Maureen came in. Without any hospital gown she sat down and she started to chat with the young man whom she knew very well. She then produced a packet of sandwiches which she proceeded to share with the young man. Maureen knew that what he missed most of all in his isolation was sharing a meal with others, so in a very simple and homely way she made this possible for him.
She was instrumental in setting up a small hospice with a Home Care outreach for those dying from AIDS. Through her work Maureen caught the attention of Chris Patten, the last Governor of HK. She became a friend of both Chris and his wife. According to him, Maureen was his favourite Scot and his favourite Nun.
Maureen was awarded an MBE in the 1995 New Year Honours. She received this for medical and welfare services.
Whether it was caring for the bedridden elderly in Fanling, or for children with haemophilia, Maureen was totally committed to each individual.
Through blood transfusions young children had been infected with HIV, and Maureen was at the forefront in raising her voice and seeking justice for them, particularly regarding the allocation of places in schools, at a time when Government failed to act on their behalf.
At the end of today’s Gospel Jesus says: ‘You did not choose me, no I chose you, and I commissioned you to go out and bear fruit, fruit that will last.’ When we celebrated special feast days, Maureen’s contribution was always ‘Flower of Scotland’, which she sang so beautifully. This Flower of Scotland set down new roots and blossomed in Hong Kong. And the lasting fruit of her love and labour continues to bless all those who knew her.
I can only imagine what it might be like for Maureen, after a long time of suffering, to hear, in the words of today’s first reading, Christ her Beloved saying to her: ‘Come then, my love, my lovely one, come. For see, winter is past, the rains are over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth. The season of glad songs has come; the cooing of the turtledove is heard in our land. Come then my love, my lovely one come. Show me your face; let me hear your voice for your voice is sweet and your face beautiful.’
Prepared by Sr. Patricia Byrne
and read by Sr. Anne Ryan