Sr. Mary Johanne Knowles (Margaret Doreen Knowles)
Sr. Mary Johanne Knowles [Margaret Doreen] was the only child born to James Sheridan Knowles and Ellen Emily Knowles [nee Rogers].
Mary Johanne’s Primary Education was in Bexley, London, but her formal education came to an end with the outbreak of war in 1939, at which point she and her mother moved to Essex where her father, a military man, was stationed. Wanting to do something for her country and the war effort, she upped her age from 14 to 18, and joined the Air Raid Precaution, learning such things as First Aid and how to deal with incendiary bombs.
Having finished school, and now 14, she decided to look for a paying job, but had no qualifications! Nevertheless, she went to a nearby town and walked the length of a street of offices, asking if they needed a junior clerk! At her last call, she met, “a helpful lady” who advised her to go home and look in a newspaper for classes in shorthand and typing, become proficient and then look for a job. This she did, and before long she was travelling to London every day, during the Battle of Britain, until the morning she discovered her office had been destroyed the previous night in an air raid.
After the destruction of her work place, Mary Johanne obtained a post near home, at a Banknote and Postage Stamp Printers, where she was secretary to the Works Director, and also the interviewer for young apprentices, a post she held for twelve years. She enjoyed this work but felt she wanted to do more with her life for other people, so she decided to upgrade her education. While holding her job, she qualified as a shorthand/typing/business studies’ teacher and, later, successfully sat for the Advanced level examinations.
At some stage during these years, Mary Johanne had become interested in the Catholic faith. She received instruction from a Holy Cross Sister and was received into the Church at St. Joseph’s, New Malden, Surrey, on the 7th December 1952.
Ten years later, she commenced studies at Maria Assumpta Training College, Kensington, London, qualifying as a secondary school teacher in 1960 and procuring a post at St. Richard’s Catholic Secondary School in Bexhill, Hastings. It was here that she met the Sisters of Our Lady of the Missions who were on the teaching staff. She had always been interested in missionary work, and, as a member of the Church of England, had supported projects in territories where their missionaries worked. Now, that interest deepened, and meeting the Sisters seemed to be providential. She continued her studies, to prepare herself for the future, studying for the Westminster Diploma in theology, to equip herself to be head of the RE department in St. Richard’s school and, later, doing a correspondence course with the London School of Economics for a degree in geography and economics. During this time, she was appointed deputy head of St. Richard’s, and on the Head Master’s retirement, she became acting head.
She was at the height of her profession, had her own property and a job she loved, but the missionary call became more persistent. Her generous mother sensed that her daughter felt called to the religious missionary life, and on one occasion she challenged her “what are you waiting for – do it now so that I can see you settled before I die.” And so, with her mother’s blessing, she applied to the Congregation of Our Lady of the Missions and became a postulant in Hastings on the 17th September 1969, entering the novitiate on November 20th, 1970.
In December 1971 the Novitiate moved from Hastings to Dublin, Ireland, to avail of the recently formed inter-congregational novitiate course, an initiative of the Irish Missionary Union. Mary Johanne entered wholeheartedly into every aspect of the novitiate programme. She showed great courage, humility and charity in adapting to the changes she was called upon to make during her formation, guided, no doubt, by her deep faith, prayer and sense of humour.
On 13th February, 1972, she made her first commitment, and, on that same day, had her dream realised when asked by the provincial to go to Kenya, to teach in Queen of Apostles seminary, Ruaraka, Nairobi. It was in September of that year that she “took flight on the greatest adventure” of her life. After a brief orientation she took up her teaching post in the seminary. She was a fine teacher and was highly respected by the young men she taught, many of whom are now serving as priests, in their own country. Becoming aware of the poverty of the local people, she joined the other Sisters in serving the poor, in various ways, and helped by her mother who wished to support the work of the Sisters.
Mary Johanne fell in love with Kenya and its people, and this land was to be her home for the next 29 years, with breaks here and there. One of these was to Hastings, early in 1975, to prepare for her final profession on 24th April. Returning to Kenya, she taught in Kabaa High School for a year, before taking up her ministry again in Queen of Apostles seminary. Another, longer break came in 1982 when her presence was required in England, to look after her aged mother. During her years on the home mission, Sister did secretarial work and was community bursar in Sturry. She also worked part- time, in the library at the Franciscan Study Centre in Canterbury, Kent.
A gifted artist and calligrapher, she put her gifts to good use when she established an art group for Sisters and for people in the local area. She did this with a view of bringing the Sisters and local people closer together. Through her careful tuition and great encouragement many discovered hidden talents. The group continued for many years after she had left Sturry. Several examples of her own work are to be seen on the walls of St. Anne’s Convent and in our convents in Kenya.
After her mother’s death in 1992, Mary Johanne returned to her beloved Kenya where she served as a bursar and secretary. She was involved in the planning of the new Provincial house, on Ngong Road, Nairobi, and continued her support of the poor. However, her health was beginning to fail, so it was decided in 1999 that, she should return to the home province. Very sad to leave this country so dear to her, she accepted her new mission in faith. She went back to being bursar in St. Anne’s where she remained until poor health necessitated her going, first, to St. Joseph’s Care home, Deal, and later to St. Anne’s, where she was to spend the remainder of her life.
Mary Johanne never ceased to thank God for the gift of faith and the gift of her vocation to our congregation. In reflecting on her life, she wrote, “ It is impossible to find words that adequately express my love and gratitude to God for the way He has shown His will and given me guidance, and has always been my companion.” And her God continued to be her loving companion in her years at St. Anne’s, where she received wonderful care from the Sisters and lay staff. She died peacefully on June 1st 2017.
The funeral Mass on 29th June was a double celebration for Mary Johanne and another Sister who had died a week after her. Fr. Malachy Steenson ( Cross and Passion) was the main celebrant, with a priest from St. Patrick’s Missionary Society, Ireland. After the final prayers, the funeral procession made its way to Deal cemetery where both Sisters were laid to rest, Mary Johanne close to where her mother was buried in 1992.
Rest in Peace.
“How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of one who brings good news” Isaiah 52:7