The following poem ‘Servants of the Poor’ was written by Pat Ray who met the Sisters of Charity for the first time in Seville Place in 2011…
From a sermon which was read
“The parable of Dives and Lazarus” she said
And in 1802
When received into the church
Mary started making plans
To put the sick and poor first.
Always there for the needy
Always there for the poor
The sick and the dying
The troubled, the insecure.
They don’t seek no riches
No wealth or no fame
They are Sisters of Charity
And helping you is their aim
In 1913* dark days they came by
And families were starving
Little children would die
But the word on the street
There was food to be got
From the Sisters of Charity
“We’ll share what we’ve got”
So they opened their kitchens
To all – there was many
Who could sit and be warm
And be well fed, for a penny.
So when you’re in church
Where it all started first
Please say a short prayer
“Thank God, they were there.”
*1913 refers to the ’Lock Out in Dublin‘ by the Unions that left the people dying of starvation.
