Sister Mary Joseph Mc Loughlin (Brigid Mc Loughlin)

Sr. Mary Joseph McLoughlin was the fourth child of a Religious family of eight, the eldest boy of which, became a priest, (Fr. Matt R.I.P.). She described her family as ‘happy and loving’, where each member was expected to do his or her bit, however small.

Sister Mary Joseph was professed as a lay sister, because of a squint in one of her eyes, that two operations only made worse. However, in 1947, Pope Pius X11 abolished the system of having lay sisters, so Sr. Mary Joseph trained as a primary teacher and taught successfully for over 40 years.

Prior to profession, she had been given charge of the laundry – a very difficult job for a young sister during wartime. Starch, which was essential for the veils, was very scarce, which made it necessary to extract it from potatoes. Sister Mary Joseph was very intelligent and had vision. In Leeds, she was awarded the diocesan Silver Medal ‘’for prayerful help and devoted Service in the Diocese’’. As superior of Leeds convent, she allowed part of it to be used for Justice and Peace meetings. A representative of Justice and Peace, Anne Forbes, attended her funeral Mass.

Sr. Mary Joseph was an all rounder. She was local bursar for eight years in Leeds and took an active  interest in reading, music, flowers and was very attentive  to  her  prayer  life. Before  coming  to  Churchtown,  she  worked  in Belfast  and  was  noted  specially,  for  her  great  kindness  and  generosity  to priests, possibly because of her own brother being a priest. When her friend, Sr. Margaret McCarthy, went into a Nursing Home in Longford Sr. Mary Joseph missed her a lot, and was delighted when  Sr. Rose Anne Molloy came to join the Churchtown Community, having worked with her in Leeds and Belfast. Sr. Mary Joseph showed herself to be a strong, independent person, but when her eyesight failed, she was happy to have Sr. Rose Anne say night prayers with her and bless her eyes with holy water each evening.

Unfortunately, a stroke left her in St. James’ hospital for weeks unable to walk. On being discharged, she needed full time care, so was moved to the Marlay Nursing Home. With her ever failing sight and hearing, she was only able to recognise the sisters by touching their rings with hers. Gradually, her health deteriorated more and more, so that in her last weeks she became fully bedridden. Sr. Mary Joseph had hoped that her last call would come in Churchtown, but it came on January 27th in the Marlay, where she passed away peacefully, in the presence of her nephew, Tom, and his wife, Anne. The sisters and her cousin, Orla, had said many prayers and rosaries for her at her bedside, in the previous weeks, and while grieving her loss, were happy to see her pass away so calmly and peacefully, with the hospice staff in attendance each day.

Sr. Mary Joseph’s remains were removed from Fanagans Funeral Home to Notre Dame Convent, on January 29th: The following morning, a Requiem Mass was offered for her by one of our Chaplin’s, Fr. William Bradley C.S.Sp. Concelebrating with him, were Fr. Thomas Raftery C.S.Sp, Fr. John Bracken, Parish Priest of Dundrum, Fr. Frank O’ Gara, our confessor, Fr. Aidan McCaughan from Belfast. Another friend of Sr. Mary Joseph from Belfast was Fr. Eugene Lewis, a White Father, who attended the Mass. Also present were members of her family and our sisters from other convents.

After the Mass, Sr. Mary Joseph’s remains were removed to Mount Venus Cemetery, to rest in peace with our sisters, who are buried, there. The family returned to the convent  for  dinner,  each  with  their  own  memories  of Sr. Mary Joseph R.I.P. during her long, fruitful life.

Ar dheis De go raibh a hanam dilis