Sr. Mary Margaret McGill (Elizabeth McGill)
Sr. Mary Margaret McGill was born in Glasgow, Scotland on 29th June 1923, the second eldest of four girls. Her parents, Thomas and Elizabeth McGill, gave their children a deep, Catholic upbringing. Mary Margaret, or Elizabeth as she was called then, was a bright, intelligent pupil who achieved well at school. However, at fourteen, she decided to leave school and procured employment in the offices of Barrs’ Lemonade factory in Glasgow.
As a young teenager, Mary Margaret was considered to be a shy, cautious young person but was happy to be one of a group of young people who were involved in their parish. They enjoyed activities organised by the Church, and, like all youth, they loved being together. They played badminton, went on rambles in the countryside and loved to dance. No doubt, such activities helped her to overcome her shyness and become the outgoing person we knew in later years.
As the call to religious life developed and became persistent, Mary Margaret sought advice from her parish priest as to which Congregation she should enter. He told her that shortly before he had been to Hastings to attend the Profession of a Sister of Our Lady of the Missions and added, “They seem to be alright!” That was her introduction to our Congregation. She went along to see the Sister’s mother, to find out more about us. Soon after, two Sisters went to the parish, hoping to meet young women interested in Religious life. Mary Margaret met them and expressed her interest. They lost no time in going to visit her parents, before she herself had time to tell them of her plans. Her parents, eventually, agreed to give her permission to follow her dream and Mary Margaret accompanied the Sisters on their return to Hastings to begin her Postulancy in September 1942.
After her Profession, Mary Margaret continued her education in Hastings. From 1947 to 1952 she taught in Sacred Heart Grammar School Wealdstone, after which she spent two years as Postulant Mistress in Hastings. In 1954 she went to University College Cork, Ireland, to pursue a degree in Latin and Geography, graduating with B.A. in 1957. Chew Magna was her next place of mission, until 1965 when she was appointed Prioress of the newly established Community in Rome. It was while there that she attended Regina Mundi College and after three years graduated with a degree in Religious Studies. She very much enjoyed her years in Rome and loved to speak about her meeting with Padre Pio.
On returning to England, Mary Margaret took on responsibility for Junior Professed Sisters, preparing them for their future life and Mission. Here, her gentle concern for others inspired confidence in the young Sisters. This important ministry she held for four years.
After a stint of teaching in Deal from 1972 to 1974, Mary Margaret returned to study in Trinity College Dublin, obtaining her Higher Diploma in Education in 1975. During this year she taught for some hours each week in our school in Churchtown Dublin, to fulfil the requirements for the Higher Diploma. It was at this time that her mother and sister became seriously ill, so, on completion of her studies, she was given a year’s leave of absence to help care for them.
Sister taught for one year 1976-1977 in the senior school, Chew Magna. In 1977 she went to Scotland where she was to spend the remainder of her active life, teaching in Lourdes Secondary School Port Glasgow, serving as Superior of the Cathcart Community, preparing children and adults for the Sacraments, helping the sick members of her family, and giving hospitality to the many Sisters who visited Scotland.
Sister had many artistic gifts and was always on the look-out for finding ideas for making small gifts for Sisters. She enjoyed doing complicated jigsaws and Sudoku puzzles. She loved bringing Sisters from other provinces on tours of the beauty spots of the West coast of Scotland of which she was justly proud.
After the Cathcart Community closed in 1994, Sister went to Port Glasgow for a short time and then to Clydebank. It was while here that she began to have difficulty in her mobility, resulting in her move to Wealdstone in October 2010 where she involved herself, as much as was possible, in community activities. She was transferred to Beech Court Deal on 12th April 2013, but her time in Deal was short. On October 8th 2014, Mary Margaret went to St. Anne’s Sturry Kent, so that she could have the care and support she needed.
Sister continued to have a lively interest in Congregational and Provincial matters and was delighted to chat with everyone who visited the community. She still challenged herself solving the problems of Sudoku and jigsaws, but her failing eyesight and hearing eventually prevented her from enjoying most of the things she loved to do. However, she found herself a ministry of visiting the Sister whose room was close to her own. She would pray with the Sister every night, and sing a hymn for her; and God, in His mercy, saw that it was good to call both of them to eternal life on the same day, 15th October 2016.
On 3rd November, the funeral Mass was celebrated in St Anne’s Chapel by Fr. Bradley from Beech Court, with Sisters from Deal and Wealdstone in attendance, as well as relations of the two deceased Sisters. The beautiful Eucharistic celebration was a fitting closure to lives well-lived. Following the Mass the burial took place in Deal cemetery where lie the mortal remains of many RNDM’s.
Rest in peace.
“Let us keep firm in the hope we profess, because the one who made the promise is faithful”
Hebrews 10: 23