This year, we celebrate the Platinum Jubilee of three of our Sisters, marking 70 years of dedicated service as Religious Sisters of Charity. In a special feature, Sr Rosaleen Crossan presents interviews with Sr Margaret Deegan and Sr Marcella Callanan. Sr Margaret Farrell presents an interview with Sr Claire Fleming offering thoughtful reflections on their lives and ministries. Through these conversations, we acknowledge with gratitude their many years of commitment, and compassion.
Sr Margaret, Sr Marcella and Sr Claire’s stories speak clearly of a life lived in service to others, guided by faith and the spirit of Mary Aikenhead. We give thanks for their enduring commitment and the many lives they have touched through their presence, care, and example. We want to congratulate them on reaching such an important milestone and wish them happy peaceful years ahead.
Interview with Sr Marcella Callanan, Religious Sister of Charity, on the Occasion of the Celebration of her Platinum Jubilee.
Sr R. Marcella, many congratulations! I believe you celebrated your Platinum Jubilee on 27th June.
Seventy years of commitment to Religious Life – that is no small achievement! I’d like you to share with us some aspects of your story over those seventy years. So, how did it all begin?
Sr M. As children growing up you would have a notion in your head that you might be a Sister. My father had two sisters who were nuns in two different orders in Texas and their photos were displayed around the home.
Sr R. Do you think that seeing those photos sparked off something within you?
Sr M. I think they did. I went for my secondary education to the Sisters of Mercy in Gort, Co Galway, and I thought very highly of the Sisters in the school.
Sr R. After secondary school where did you go?
Sr M. I went to Temple Street Hospital to train as a paediatric nurse and the hospital was run by the Sisters of Charity. After my training I decided to enter the Sisters of Charity, and I did so in 1955. Three years later I was professed and then I was sent to Birmingham for a short while as a companion on the mission. I loved my time there and I found the Sisters very kind, gentle and caring.
Sr R. After that short stint what happened?
Sr M. I was asked to go to the Sisters of Charity, St Joseph’s Hospice in Hackney, London, and it really affected me to see so many patients suffering from cancer. I found it difficult to be surrounded by so much sorrow and death.
Sr R. So, how did you cope with this?
Sr M. I made sure to be present to the families and relations and to be kind and empathetic. The Hospice itself was a beautiful new building which helped the families somewhat, in that they were consoled to see their relatives cared for in a pleasant environment.
Sr R. How long did you spend in Hackney?
Sr M. Just one year. When the year was up, I was asked by our Congregational Leader to do my midwifery training and when I completed the training I returned to St Vincent’s Hospital in Dublin to do my General nurse training. Having completed the training, I was asked by our Congregational Leader if I would consider going on the missions. I was delighted to be asked as I had always had a yen to go on the missions.
Sr R. So, where did that lead to?
Sr M. I went to the hospital in Mazabuka, Zambia, where many of our Sisters were already in ministry. The hospital was very basic in those days and very often there were more maternity patients than beds so that sometimes they might end up two to a bed! In spite of all this, the patients got great maternity care. You should see the hospital today – a state-of-the-art building. I absolutely loved my time there as we had a great community spirit.
Sr R. How long did you spend in Mazabuka?
Sr M. I spent one year there and was then missioned to Chikuni General Hospital. Here I got involved in general nursing, paediatrics, and midwifery. The hospital was a very busy place as we were constantly inundated with patients. After six years in Chikuni I was transferred to Choma hospital which dealt with every aspect of medical need.
Sr R. Were you ever called up at night?
Sr M. Oh, several times. The Sisters were on call for any emergency that arose even though there would be a doctor assigned to respond at night time too.
Sr R. Were you long in Choma?
Sr M. I spent three to four years there and then I was on the move again, this time to Ndola where I could use my paediatric training and I worked with three other Sisters.
Sr R. Any special memories of this time?
Sr M. I started off in the out-patients’ department and I loved this work. We could have approximately 2,000 patients a day attending. The patients would queue in the out-patients’ space and wait patiently in turn. There were babies in arms and in incubators.
Sr R. How often had you out-patients’ clinic?
Sr M. We had it every day except Sundays. And the numbers were always massive, especially in the malaria season when so many people would be so debilitated as a result of having malaria.
Sr R. How long did you remain there?
Sr M. I was approximately four years there and at the end of my term I was missioned back to Dublin and asked to go to St Patrick’s, Kilkenny, to help with the severally mentally and physically challenged children. I was told it would be just for two weeks, but I remained there for six years! Even though I was quite apprehensive at first, I absolutely loved it there as time went on. The children were very dependant, and it was very satisfying to be of help to them and to liaise with their parents when needs arose. I found myself many a time comforting and consoling the parents.
Sr R. At the end of the six years, was there another mission?
Sr M. Yes, of course! I was recalled to Dublin to take on the role of staff nurse in Caritas Convalescent Centre. Here again I was so happy to work with patients who were recovering from surgery, and it was great to see most of them return home to take up their daily lives again.
Sr R. Was this your last ministry before retirement?
Sr M. Not at all! Following this ministry, I was asked to help run the Mary Aikenhead Heritage Centre in Harold’s Cross with Sr Rosemary McGowan. This was a great opportunity to pass on to the many groups who visited the wonderful work of the Sisters of Charity begun by Mary Aikenhead and to showcase all the different ministries carried out both in Ireland and internationally. I spent ten very happy years in the Heritage Centre and in 2010 I retired from active ministry. Now I have lots of time to reflect and to pray especially for the many needs of our world today.
Sr R. So, what are you particularly proud of when you look back on your life as a Religious?
Sr M. I’m proud of the fact that I was able to help so many people that I met in my ministry in the hospitals. In the early days there was much poverty around and I am so happy that I was in a position to be of help to so many in need, especially mothers, as this enabled them to look after their families.
Sr R. Can you share one of your happy memories?
Sr M. In all the places I ministered I have nothing but very happy memories. We had wonderful camaraderie among us as Sisters.
Sr R. What legacy do you hope to leave behind through your work and your life as a Religious Sister of Charity?
Sr M. That through my ministry in the different places, I’d like to be remembered as someone who brought peace and who contributed generously to community and relationships.
Sr R. If you had to choose over again, would your response be the same as 70 years ago?
Sr M. Yes, definitely! I have no regrets whatever. I enjoyed every minute of my life as a Sister. Being a Sister gives us many opportunities to have time for prayer and to be quiet and reflective before God. I can only say, I am so very grateful to God for His great goodness to me over the years.
Sr R. Sr Marcella, what a privilege to have spent time listening to your life story as a Religious Sister of Charity. I am quite certain that many, many people’s lives have been so enriched by their contact with you over the years. May you long continue to enjoy life and, as you always do, emulate Mary Aikenhead whose large maternal heart was open to any and all who were in need of a listening ear and a caring heart. Thank you so much.
Interview with Sr Margaret Deegan, Religious Sister of Charity, on the Occasion of the Celebration of her Platinum Jubilee.
Sr R. Congratulations, Margaret, on reaching such a wonderful milestone on June 27th – 70 years in Religious Life. Some achievement! Can you share with us some aspects of those years? When did you first consider a religious vocation?
Sr M. Religious Life was the last thing on my mind growing up! But I loved Jesus since the time my father used to talk to us about Him. When I was about eight years old, I felt very upset on Good Friday that Jesus had no-one to help Him carry his cross and even his mother seemed on the sidelines with the women. I thought I’d go and help Him by spending the time in Church from 12.00 – 3.00pm and I continued this for some years. One Good Friday while I was in the Church, Mother Clare, a Brigidine Sister, asked me what I was doing, and I said I was helping Jesus carry His cross. She said to me, “One day you’ll be a nun.” So, time went on and I went through boarding school which was run by nuns. After boarding school, I went to an interview for a job in a hospital – I wanted to get as far away from nuns as possible, not realizing that the hospital was run by the Sisters of Charity, Temple Street! During the interview I was wear
ing a new coat but didn’t realize the price tag was sticking out at the neck! A Sister on the committee got up and discretely tucked it under the collar while giving me a wink and a smile. This gesture changed my negative attitude towards nuns.
Sr R. So, what decided you to enter the Sisters of Charity?
Sr M. One day as I looked out the window, I saw six little boys washing themselves outside in muddy water as there was no running water in the tenements. That was a decisive moment for me – I now wanted to become a Sister of Charity and look after the poor. And so, I entered. After my profession of vows I was missioned to Clydebank Hospice in Scotland run by the Sisters of Charity to look after the sick and dying. But after just three years there, I returned to Ireland and started my training as a nurse in St Vincent’s Hospital. Finishing training, I was sent to the St Joseph’s Hospice in Hackney, London, and spent some years there to look after the sick and dying. I was then asked to do midwifery training.
Sr R. Following your midwifery training where did you go?
Sr M. I went to Mazabuka, Zambia, and ministered in a maternity ward in a General Hospital. Part of my work there was going out to the villages in a land rover to weigh the babies and to bring back to the hospital any who were sick or malnourished. One day I saw a woman lying at the side of the road. She had been on her way to hospital but was so weak she lay down at side of the road to die. I got her into the land rover and brought her back to the hospital and we were able to get her the care she needed. It was great to see her return home well again. Part of our work in the hospital was training the African nurses to a high standard so that they would be able to take over the running of the hospital when we would be gone.
Sr R. Were you happy in Zambia?
Sr M. Oh, yes, I loved it and spent thirteen very happy years there. Following this time in Zambia I was recalled to Ireland to St Vincent’s Hospital, Dublin, where I acted as ward sister. One day a patient in the ward called me over and he said, “Sister, you are doing a very great job, but you have no time for people.” This jolted me into considering training as a Chaplain.
Sr R. How did you find Chaplaincy?
Sr M. I loved it and I felt I should have been doing this all my life! After thirteen years in Chaplaincy, I was missioned to a parish in Dublin to do pastoral work. I was delighted to be in this role as it brought me into contact with disadvantaged people. After all, our Congregation was founded by Mother Mary Aikenhead to serve the needs of the poor and this was work after my own heart.
Sr R. How long did you spend in pastoral work?
Sr M. After a number of years in the parish I officially retired at age 75, but I continued doing pastoral work which I loved.
Sr R. Well now that you have celebrated your platinum jubilee have you hung up your boots?
Sr M. Not at all! I still do some pastoral work here in our parish and I hope to be able to continue this work for some years to come.
Sr R. What are you particularly proud of when you look back on your life as a religious?
Sr M. I experience a great peace knowing that I was a listening ear and a compassionate and loving heart to people in their troubles.
Sr R. Can you share with us a happy memory?
Sr M. A good memory I have is when a poor child was unable to get to visit his seriously ill mother in hospital and I pleaded with the staff nurse to allow him to see her as he was very upset. Permission was given. Some time later the mother improved, and I was present on her discharge. When the little boy saw me, he ran and put his two arms around me and looked up at me as he said, “Thank you for giving me back my mother.” This gave me a lovely warm feeling.
Sr R. If you had to choose over again, would you do anything differently?
Sr M. I wouldn’t. I would enter religious life again because in spite of the ups and downs, which are part of every life, I have had a most happy and fulfilled life.
Sr R. What would you say to any young person considering religious life today?
Sr M. I wouldn’t discourage them. I’d advise them to train in a profession first and to pray for guidance as to where God wants them. There are many people in society today crying out for help.
Sr R. Sr Margaret, thank you so much for giving me your time to tell me about your most interesting life story. Congratulations again and may you continue for many years to come to walk in the footsteps of Mary Aikenhead by bringing a listening ear and a cheery smile to all you meet along the road of life.
Interview with Sr Claire Fleming, Religious Sister of Charity, on the Occasion of the Celebration of her Platinum Jubilee
Sr M. When did you first consider a religious vocation? 
Sr C.I think I was about 22 years old. I was engaged to be married — to Eugene White, my boyfriend of three years. We were planning our future together. But then some of my friends invited me to go on a six-day religious retreat. I didn’t expect anything major, but during that time, something shifted. God took over. I felt a deep peace and a pull that I couldn’t ignore.
Sr M. How did that lead you to becoming a Religious Sister of Charity?
Sr C. After the retreat, I felt such clarity. I spoke with the Mother General of the Sisters of Charity almost right away. I knew I needed to respond to what I had felt. I entered the novitiate, which lasted two and a half years — a time of learning, prayer, and preparation. After that, I was professed as a Sister of Charity. Not long after, I was sent to Scotland, where I was involved in a lot of convert work sharing the faith with people who wanted to become Catholic.
Sr M. Can you tell us about your early ministries did you serve overseas?
Sr C. Yes, I did. In Scotland, many people were interested in becoming Catholic. I helped give them instruction in the faith. They were baptized, received Holy Communion at Mass, and were later confirmed. It was a very special time — walking with people as they came to know Christ and the Church.
Sr M. Are there any moments of spiritual fulfilment or personal growth that stand out to you?
Sr C. The moment I made the decision to join religious life stands out most of all. I had a strong inner urge, it’s hard to put into words, but it was joyful and sure. Every moment since then has held its own spiritual meaning. I can honestly say every day brought something — a grace, a lesson, or a quiet joy.
Sr M. What are you most delighted or proud of when you look back on your life in religious life?
Teaching first graders to read and to learn about God — that was such a joy. Helping them understand who their guardian angels are, watching their eyes light up with wonder. To see a child learn to pray or realize God loves them, those are treasures to me.
Sr C. What legacy do you hope to leave behind through your life and work as a Sister of Charity?
Sr M. If I could leave behind anything, I’d hope it’s kindness and the importance of listening. I’ve always felt called to really hear people’s stories. Sometimes people just need someone to sit with them and truly listen. That’s where healing begins in being present and kind.
