Sister Mary Margaret Kathleen Frawley

Sister Mary Frawley was a happy, resourceful, generous person who lived her 96 years of life to the full. She loved a joke, was a great gardener, a wonderful teacher, a well-rounded woman who showed great compassion and love to all she met.

Mary was born in Christchurch, the eldest of four children of Irish parents, James and Ellie Frawley. They took a job as a married couple on the large Dean’s estate at Darfield, west of Christchurch. Mary was baptised just four days after her birth. She learned her faith from her family; the faith that sustained her in days of sorrow and suffering during her life and the faith that led her to give her life as a Sister of Our Lady of the Missions.

Mary, affectionally known as Peggy, was a lively child of small frame. The happy security of the Frawley family was broken when her mother Ellie succumbed to tuberculosis and spent several years in and out of the sanatorium in Cashmere. She died when Mary was just 7 years of age. Mary was sent to live at Nazareth House. She went to school at St Joseph’s and later to Sacred Heart Girls’ College. It was here she learned to cope with the difficult circumstances of being without her family. Mary’s father died in 1937 when Mary was 14. Her sister Maureen and her brother Eugene also died at a relatively young age.

In 1941 Mary moved to the Ferry Road Convent in Christchurch and on 5 January 1942 she began her novitiate and given the name Mary of Nazareth. Very appropriate as she had spent much of her life up to that point with the Sisters of Nazareth. After her profession in 1944, she started her teaching career which she fulfilled admirably for the next 26 years.

She taught in Christchurch, Ashburton, Napier and Dannevirke.

Mary was a natural born teacher, creative, affirming and a hard worker. She loved the children entrusted to her care and was respected in every school in which she taught. She won their love because she spoke to them in a language they could understand, she treated them fairly and did not have favourites.

In 1957 while teaching at St Peter’s, Beckenham, Mary lived at Mt. St Anne’s, the RNDM Juniorate. She was involved with young women who were thinking of Religious Life. Mary was active and creative and a great model for Religious life. She would play tennis with the Juvenists, using her talent for sewing help them make costumes for plays, and was often the one who helped others see the funny side of a situation.

In the 1970’s Mary took on a very different job and became the school librarian at Sacred Heart Girls’ College Christchurch. She prepared for this role by achieving a Certificate of Library Studies. This, along with her love of books and her own wide reading, allowed her to win warm praise from the staff and students who regularly used the well run library.

On her retirement in 1989, Mary moved into Redruth Avenue in Spreydon with Sister Patricia Clark where they spent nearly 30 years together. They were both involved in the local community and made many good friends with their neighbours. It was here that Mary was able to take up and develop her love for gardening. She spent many happy hours among her flower and vegetable gardens. There was a never a weed to be seen which was recognised when she won several community awards for her beautiful garden. Mary would supply many of her neighbours with fresh vegetables.

In 2017 following Sr Patricia’s sudden death, Mary moved back to the rebuilt Nazareth Community of Care. There she enjoyed the devoted care and love given by the sisters and staff for which she was always grateful. Mary died peacefully on Thursday 12 March 2020 just after a small group of friends from her early days at Nazareth, had visited her.

About 40 people gathered on Tuesday afternoon for a time of prayer for Mary and a sharing of stories. The following day over 100 people filled Sacred Heart Church, Addington for Mary’s Requiem Mass. Fr Anton McLean was the celebrant and Mary’s longtime friend Bishop Basil Meeking, gave us a picture of Mary’s life in his homily. He reflected on the many sadnesses and sufferings in Mary’s life and how these experiences had not stopped her living a life of much joy which shone through her to all she met and in all she did.

Although very frail Bishop Basil also prayed the final prayers at the graveside. Mary was a faithful and loving RNDM.

May she rest in peace.