DEDICATED SERVANTS Sr Martha Cormack and Sr Lucy Tierney from Knock with the Bene Merenti medals which were presented to them by Archbishop Michael Neary on behalf of Pope Benedict. Also in the photo are some colleagues from the Daughters of Charity as well as Fr Richard Gibbons and Msgr Joe Quinn, Knock. Pic: Ronan Lennon
Daughters of Charity sisters honoured
Michael Commins
TWO members of the Daughters of Charity in Knock have been presented with the Bene Merenti medals in appreciation of many years of outstanding services to the Church. Sr Martha Cormack has been in Knock since 1959 and Sr Lucy Tierney from Milltown came to the parish in 1971.
The presentation took place during special ceremonies on the feast day of St Louise, the founder of the Daughters of Charity. Sr Evelyne Franc, the Superioress General of the Daughters of Charity, was over from Paris for the celebrations. Also present was the Provincial of the Irish Province of the DC, Sr Catherine Prendergast from Dunmore, as well as Archbishop Michael Neary of Tuam.
Around 70 members of the Daughters of Charity from the Irish Province, together with two sisters from Poland and three from Nigeria, attended the special morning Mass which was celebrated by Fr Eamon Flanagan (Vincentian), Msgr Joe Quinn, Fr Tom Lane, Fr Richard Gibbons, Fr Brian Moore and Archbishop Neary.
There was a special welcome for those with roots in Knock parish and they included Sr Breege Keenan and Sr Ann Killeen. Sr Breege was accompanied by her mother Mary from Knock and her sister Mary Carey from Mayfield, Claremorris. Sr Ann Killeen is from Cloonlavish (The Line) and is a sister of John Killeen and Kay Flynn.
Sean and Paddy Burke and family members represented their sister, Sr Ursula Burke, who is also a member of the Daughters of Charity, while Paddy and Eileen Costello from Ballyroe did likewise for Paddy’s two sisters (Bridie and Lily) who are members of the order in England.
At a very enjoyable reception in St Mary’s afterwards, tributes were paid to the role of the Daughters of Charity in various fields of ministry here in Ireland, in the UK and France, and the many places where the sisters have dedicated their lives to the wellbeing and care of others.
There were warm rounds of applause for Sr Martha and Sr Lucy when they received their Bene Merenti medals from Archbishop Neary.
Sr Martha has spent almost half a century in Knock and has given years of dedicated service to the area. For many years she was also the organist with the choir in St Anne’s Church in Shanvaghera and she also taught music to the children in Knock. Sr Lucy, a native of the Milltown area, has been closely associated with working in the convent dining room and the catering area. Both are held in great affection in the Knock community and further afield.
Their many friends in the local community and around the country join with us in extending best wishes to Sr Martha and Sr Lucy on this special occasion and wish them many more years of good health and contentment in Knock.
