Thanks Michael for your kind words.
Gratitude…….
On this October 7th, the congregation of the Sisters of St John of God celebrates the 155th anniversary of its foundation. Having celebrated 150 years, with great joy and ceremony, just five years ago, the question is how do we continue to appropriately acknowledge the work and presence of these women with each passing year? The focus of their ministry is now on the care of their aging members, the Retreat Centre here at Ballyvaloo, support to a number of girls and boys schools in Pakistan and other charitable causes. There is also the congregation in Australia focusing on the care of its aging members, and a Retreat Centre in Safety Bay, Shoalwater, Western Australia.
Of note, the Irish community has left behind a legacy of high standards in medical care and education through their involvement in staffing and running a number of hospitals, medical facilities and schools in Ireland. In Australia their focus was on, hospital and medical care that led to the setting up of St John of God Health Care there. In addition, their ministries branched out to Asia, Africa, the UK, New Zealand, Rome and beyond. So, when we give thanks now, it is not only for the members and their current work, it is for the 1,263 women who were members of the congregation since 1871 and the legacy they have left us. It would take many chapters to map the spread, depth and quality of this work. Some of this has already been captured well in other places, in particular, books by Patrick Corish (The Sisters of St. John of God: 1871 – 1971) published in 1971 to mark the centenary of the congregation and John Scally (To Speed on Angels’ Wings: The story of the sisters of St John of God.)
At this time I would like to add my voice to those of thousands over the years, to thank all these women for their humanity, warmth, compassion, strength, vision and for the time they have taken in their lives to serve society.
From the very beginning, they have answered the call to serve wherever the need was greatest, healing the sick as nurses, shaping minds as teachers, and serving as compassionate pastoral workers, social workers, and administrators, underpinned by a commitment to serve Christ.
I first encountered the Sisters 50 years ago when I attended Good Counsel College New Ross where nurturing food and medical needs were provided by them for the students. Later in 1992-1994 I worked with the sisters at Ely Hospital, where I was chaplain. I lived there and dined daily with them. From these very first encounters I have been struck by their warmth of welcome and hospitality. I put this down to their backgrounds in caregiving and service. Honest, authentic and kind and an ability to put one at ease, with humour and a down-to-earth practicality, grounded and approachable. Hard workers, an eye for detail and cleanliness, strong in character. Strong in their faith also which I experienced as open to change and always evolving, searching, growing. They were and still are women of their time.
As a highly skilled group of women with a rich faith and feminine intuition they could connect with the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of those they served, with a sense of ease and knowing.
In the climate of well-documented failings of the wider institution of the church in recent years, it can be all too easy for the quiet, but important contributions of these women to be overlooked, generalized, or dismissed in the public eye. Yet, those of us who know these sisters, at so many different levels, know that their work and ministry, has always been about service, compassion, and love for the other. Their true legacy perhaps, is not found in institutions, but in the thousands of lives that have been touched, healed, comforted, fed and educated by them.
We are immensely grateful for their 155 years of selfless service to so many communities across the world, and we are particularly grateful for the 58 years of sacred safety they have created for us here in Ballyvaloo. Today we have 4 sisters, Mary Rowsome, Josephine Ayub, Stella Sheehy and Michelle McHale on our team. They and the many who have gone before them have built this place as a sanctuary for rest and calm and a space to wonder at mystery.
In her poem “Mysteries, Yes”, the poet Mary Oliver wrote: “Truly, we live with mysteries too marvellous to be understood… Let me keep my distance, always, from those who think they have the answers. Let me keep company always with those who say ‘Look!’ and laugh in astonishment and bow their heads.”
This is the very gift the sisters have given us through this retreat centre. In a modern world that demands constant answers, exact certainty, and endless noise, these down-to-earth, faith-filled women have built a sanctuary dedicated to the importance of mystery. They have created a safe place where we can rest our burdens, stay close to the quiet beauty of creation, and simply bow our heads in gratitude and awe.
We congratulate Sr Geraldine Fitzpatrick and her leadership team for their direction and courage at these times of change.
My wish for these women is that their story will continue to flow, to be lived, written and told.
Michael Dillon
Director, Ballyvaloo Retreat Centre
