Jubilee Celebrations – Summer 2010
Jubilee celebrations are precious times. Precious because of the names we give them: Silver, Gold, Diamond, and Platinum. And precious especially because of the gift of dedicated service we celebrate. Over the summer, we gathered to give thanks for 50 – 60 – 70 – 75 years of vowed life and our communal call to mission as followers of Jesus. Sr. Remi Healy topped the list with 75 years – Platinum. Sr. Marie Annunciata Varden was a close runner up with 70 years, also Platinum. Sr. Mary Marren arrived at the Diamond - 60. And Srs. Georgina Cawley and Vera McGee reached the Golden number – 50. The years of these 5 sisters add up to 305 years. For them we give thanks. The words of St. Paul to the Thessalonians are fitting:
“We give thanks to God always for all of you, remembering you in our prayers, unceasingly calling to mind your work of faith, your labour of love and endurance in hope”.
Each jubilee celebration began with a joyful Eucharistic Liturgy which included a renewal of vows. A favourite jubilee song: “Here I am, Lord”, captures the call and response which is implicit in our vows. Over the years, Jesus challenge - Who will bear my light to them? Whom shall I send? - has found an echo in the heart of each sister celebrating jubilee. A spirit of generosity, trust, fidelity and great love has moved Remi, Marie, Mary, Georgina and Vera to say ‘yes’ again and again to the call to be like Mary in their response to the mission of Jesus.
Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord? I have heard you calling in the night. I will go, Lord, if you lead me. I will hold your people in my heart.
Sr. Remi Healy celebrated the 75th anniversary of her religious profession. She also had a BIG birthday in June. She was 96. 
She always remembers her birthday which she refers to as ‘the longest day for the shortest girl’ – June 21. “Short she may be”, says one of her companions in community, “but she has packed in a long lifetime of service”. For many years she ministered in St. Patrick’s Hospital where she excelled in her ability to make people feel welcome. A visit to the chapel for prayer was part of her welcoming ritual. After some years, when her service was needed in a Marist community in Scotland she gladly accepted to go. There, for 23 years, her kind and hospitable nature touched many people. She was dearly loved and made many friends. Then she moved back to Carrick. Her pace of life gradually slowed down as the years added up. But, her wit still sparkles and her prayer remains a constant. She prays a lot. “She certainly has a steady input into her prayer bank” is how one of her companions put it. And she is always grateful for the least service done for her. ‘Thank you’ is often on her lips. Medieval mystic, Meister Eckhart said:”If the only prayer you said in your whole life was ‘thank you’, that would suffice”. Remi has that special gift. She also sings. Given a little coaxing she can, with sweet voice, give her rendition of ‘The Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond’ – her favourite song. So, to our kind, generous, hospitable, witty, grateful and prayerful Sr. Remi, we say ‘thank you’.
Sr. Marie Annunciata Varden celebrated the 70th anniversary of her religious profession on August 1. 
Music was the focus of Sr. Marie’s life and ministry during all her active years. She brought her gift of music to all her places of ministry, Carrick-on-Shannon, Charlestown, Tubbercurry and Dublin. The scope of her work was extensive. She taught choirs as well as piano, violin, and recorders for orchestra. One of the special joys of her ministry was teaching choir with physically and mentally challenged children. In addition to her music ministry, Sr. Marie also served as community leader in Charlestown for six years. And she has interests other than music. She loves to watch snooker. Even in her 90’s she tries not to miss a game. She also likes Gaelic football especially when her native Co. Galway team is playing. Above all Sr. Marie is a gracious lady, always attentive to other people’s needs. And she is always grateful for services done for her. Now that she is no longer active in ministry, her days are spent in quiet prayer and small acts of service. Her gentle presence reflects the fruits of a life spent responding to her call by gracious choice to follow Christ as Mary did.
Sr. Marie with Family
Sr. Mary Marren celebrated her Diamond jubilee (60 years) on August 1st.Reflecting back on how it came about that she responded to a call to Marist Religious life she says:
‘ My first encounter with the Marist Sisters was in 1942 when they opened a new foundation, a secondary school for girls, in Charlestown. Having completed my secondary education it was ‘make up my mind time’. I decided I wanted to be a Marist. Being the eldest girl of the family it was a difficult decision. But my good parents didn’t put any obstacle in my way. And so, with the help and kindness of the Sisters, I set out for the Novitiate in Carrick-on-Shannon on October 11th, 1948’.
After profession of vows in 1950, Sr. Mary was assigned to the Marist community in Fulham where she spent 20 very happy years. She is very modest about what she did during those 20 years and later in Paignton, Ottery, West Byfleet, Barnstaple and back to Fulham for a second time. But, in fact, for 45 years her ‘life was poured out’ in the ministry of education which included teaching and administration. She was head mistress in one school and deputy head in another. And she also served as leader of the Marist community in Paignton.
In 1995 Sr. Mary decided to return to Ireland which she describes as a ‘daunting task which required time and discernment’. She always had a desire to help people who had a hearing problem. And this became her passion when she returned to Ireland. With help and advice from the National Association for the Deaf, she qualified as a Lip Reading Therapist. Of this accomplishment she is rightly proud!
It’s been an eventful, challenging and exciting journey since the young Mary Marren set out for the Novitiate in Carrick-on-Shannon. It’s like having a big white sheet of paper to draw on. Gradually, the hills and valleys and especially the new horizons were sketched in. And there were always new horizons. In time the drawing became a masterpiece with colour and tint and shade depicting the ebb and flow, the depth and breadth of life. It was a masterpiece that inspired, transformed, and enriched all those who looked on it.
Sr. Mary, we thank you!
Sr. Mary and family
Sr. Georgina Cawley is the second child and eldest daughter of Sheila and John James Cawley. They called her Patricia but to family and friends she was Patsy. 
She grew up in a family of seven – four girls and three boys. After primary school she went to Marist secondary school in Tubbercurry. She credits the example of the sisters plus the faith and goodness of her family for her vocation to Marist religious life. She celebrated her golden jubilee on August 1. After her profession of vows in 1960 Sr. Georgina did a BA degree in UCD. Three years in England teaching in Marist School, Sunninghill, and acquiring a Post Graduate Certificate in Education from the University of London followed. In 1966 she returned as teacher to her former secondary school in Tubbercurry. This was the beginning of a long career of teaching and administration. In 1972 she was teacher and deputy Principal in Marymount College in Carrick-on-Shannon and Principal there from 1975 to 1983. This position involved the integration of boys and girls. Then the call to serve as leader of the Marist community brought her back to Tubbercurry where she also taught until 1989. After that she moved east to Sundrive Road, Dublin, where she combined training as a career guidance counsellor and teaching in secondary school until 1994. Her qualification as a Guidance Counsellor meant another move, this time back to Carrick-on-Shannon where she worked in the new Community School. In 2002 she began a two year sabbatical, studying theology in Milltown, Dublin and from there she went to Belfast where she was involved in pastoral work in St. Peter’s Cathedral parish. And there is more. In 2007 she was appointed to the position of leader in the Marist community in Sundrive Road, Dublin, where she still serves.
Obviously, Sr. Georgina’s story is an example of the ongoing call and response which is integral to the living out of a commitment to Religious life. We can guess that her mantra was and is: “Here I am, Lord”. Letting go of the familiar and moving on to “pastures new” was, no doubt, challenging for her but she delights in remembering the innumerable life-giving experiences she had with a variety of students, teachers and parents. “I learned as much and more than I taught”, she says. Given her kind, warm approach to people on a daily basis we have no doubt that Sr. Georgina’s many years of ministry have enriched the lives of all those she met along the way.
Sr. Georgina celebrating with family
Sr. Vera McGee celebrated her Golden jubilee on September 4. She has the unique distinction of being the only Marist sister in Ireland who comes from the north. 
She was born and reared in Co. Fermanagh. After her novitiate and study she was assigned to Paignton, England and taught until 1977 when she returned to Ireland to teach in Ard Scoil de la Salle, Raheny. Here she excelled as a mathematics teacher. She was also in charge of the Religious Education department which was a key to the future direction of her ministry. In her efforts to tune into the culture of young people she was always searching for new ideas and new methods. She began to develop programs that were original and life giving for them. They were given the opportunity to experience creative liturgies and different forms of prayer. All this led her to a deeper awareness of the pastoral needs of young people and consequently she began to develop retreats for them. Soon her Retreat work went far beyond the boundaries of De la Salle to various parts of Ireland. Later, third level students became the beneficiaries of her gifts when she became chaplain in Dublin Institute of Technology and time off from school in summer was spent in Prayer guidance with groups in Knock. Now, in these later years she is a member of the Emmaus team, helping people grow humanly and spiritually.
Underpinning Vera’s ministry in Retreat work is her formation in Marist spirituality and many of her Retreats have been with Marist groups. In addition she has served the Province in administrative and pastoral roles as provincial councillor and community leader. May her gifts keep on giving!
Sr. Vera with family
