On Monday, 19 January, we gathered in St Finbarr’s South Church to mark the conclusion of the Religious Sisters of Charity’s long presence in Cork. The Eucharistic celebration, held on the birthday of our foundress, Mary Aikenhead, brought together Sisters from across the country, clergy, friends and collaborators to give thanks for almost 200 years of service in a city that is deeply woven into the story of our Congregation.
It was a day filled with gratitude and prayer, but also tinged with sadness, as we acknowledged that our time of living and ministering in Cork has now come to an end. Cork is not simply a place where we worked; it is where our Congregation began. Mary Aikenhead was born here in 1787, and it was to Cork that the first Sisters came in 1826, responding to urgent need in a city marked by poverty, disease and hardship.
From those early days, our mission was shaped by Mary Aikenhead’s deep trust in Divine Providence and by the conviction that “the love of Christ inspires us.” That spirit sustained the Sisters as they visited the sick poor in their homes and on the streets, tended those suffering from typhus and cholera, educated children, and offered presence, comfort and hope to those who were forgotten or excluded by society.
For two centuries, the Religious Sisters of Charity sought to respond to the needs of the people of Cork as those needs evolved. Our ministries included education through St Vincent’s Primary and Secondary Schools, care and support through St Vincent’s Centre, and healthcare through St Patrick’s Hospital, now Marymount. Alongside these works, Sisters were present in parish, social and pastoral ministries in Blarney and across the city.
Throughout our years in Cork, we were never alone in this mission. We worked alongside dedicated staff, volunteers, collaborators, benefactors and friends who shared Mary Aikenhead’s vision and helped bring it to life in countless ways. We are deeply grateful to all who walked with us, supported the Sisters, and gave generously of their time, skills and commitment. Together, we sought to uphold the dignity of every person and to be a visible sign of God’s love in the world.
The Eucharistic celebration on Monday reflected this shared journey. We remembered with thankfulness all who had gone before us, Sisters whose lives were spent in service in Cork, and all those whose lives were touched by their presence.
While we no longer have a community living in Cork, our legacy lives on in schools, in healthcare, in parish life, and in all those who continue to be inspired by Mary Aikenhead’s vision.As we take leave of Cork, we do so with hearts full of gratitude and with a sense of sadness at saying goodbye to a city that has been so dear to us. We thank the people of Cork for their welcome, their trust and their companionship. We trust that the spirit which ignited our beginnings here will continue to guide and inspire into the future.
In the words of Mary Aikenhead herself: “Let us go on in that spirit of faith which imparts confidence and courage.”
Press coverage from the Echo in Cork-https://www.echolive.ie/corklives/arid-41778287.html
