Sr Joan Aherne
Born: 05/06/1927
Entered: 28/01/1974
Died: 26/05/2024
Joan Aherne was born in Cork on June 5th 1927. Her parents were John Francis Aherne and Elizabeth Aherne nee Barter. She grew up in a faith filled home in the Wellington Road area of the city. She was the eldest of four siblings – all girls. She was obviously very bright and when her secondary school education was completed she chose to study Pharmacy. She served her time and worked for many years in Lesters Pharmacy in Patrick Street and McCurtain St. She made life long friends among her pharmacy colleagues. Her description of the apprentice type education of pharmacists in those days was quite amusing. She found it quite ridiculous that some lectures were only held in Dublin in the College of Pharmacy and this entailed long journeys to and from Dublin.
As a young adult, Joan took her baptismal call very seriously. She became involved in personal faith development and scripture studies and attended many courses in Ennismore Retreat Centre. Her interest in Scripture continued throughout her life. She became involved in the Legion of Mary and travelled abroad many times on Perigrenatio pro Christi (traveling for Christ). She spent some time working in England and returned to Cork prior to 1974 when she worked in a pharmacy near St Patrick’s Hospital, Wellington Road. Joan had an unbelievable devotion to the Rosary, the distribution of Miraculous Medals and later Divine Mercy Devotion. While she was working in the pharmacy at St Luke’s Cross she got to know the sisters in St Patricks very well.
Joan was well advanced in years when she applied to join the Religious Sisters of Charity, being inspired by our Foundress Venerable Mary Aikenhead who of course was also a native of Cork City. Eventually on the 29th January 1974 Joan entered the Religious Sisters of Charity in Mount St Anne’s, Milltown, Dublin.
After Religious Profession Joan was missioned to the English/Scottish Province. She lived in Birmingham, then Airdrie in Motherwell Diocese in Scotland and eventually Birkenhead. In all these places she was involved in Parish Ministry for a total of twenty years. Her gift and ability to evangelise was central to this Parish Ministry. Joan was a ‘peoples’ person. She believed in getting out and visiting people in their homes. She took a keen interest in all current affairs and was a great person in community as she interacted well with one and all.
In 1996 Sr. Joan returned to her native Cork, being missioned to St Vincent’s Community until 2014 when she transferred to St Anthony’s Community. For twenty three years she worshipped in the Cathedral, walked the streets of the local area, visiting families and reaching out to those most in need. A condolence message from Ita Duggan, a teacher in St Vincent’s Secondary school speaks volumes. Ita was home school liaison and would frequently meet Joan in family homes, listening to stories of joys and sorrows. Her faith was so strong and she was able to communicate this in a very natural way to those whom she visited bringing hope and comfort to those who seemed to be in impossible situations. She was involved in many Prayer Groups, most especially the Word of Life Prayer Group and also continued to attend Scripture studies, Lectio Divina and Divine Mercy devotions.
On a lighter side, Joan learnt how to play Bridge and went weekly to participate in this social outlet in the Sacred Heart Bridge Club. Her bridge partner Bernie O’Riordan remained a life-long friend and visited her in Marymount shortly before she died.
Joan was not without a huge cross in her life. She became severely visually impaired and the consequences of this was that she had many falls, broken bones and above all lost the ability to read the Examiner newspaper from cover to cover daily. She had been an avid reader. She spent many hours in the reception area of St Vincent’s answering the phone and the door- bell. This gave her an opportunity to scan newspapers and magazines. No one ever heard her complain of this cross. After a number of hospitalisations following falls a decision was taken in 2019 for her to move into care in Marymount Older Care Services.
Her arrival in Marymount opened a new chapter in her evangelising experience. The daily rosary at 4 p.m. became a very important event of the day. She encouraged others to join and eventually became the leader of it. Her fellow residents helped her out in later times when she might dose off and forget where she was at. Joan was determined not to become bed ridden. She attended all activities and was the life and soul of all that was happening.
The celebration of her Golden Jubilee last January was a very joyful event. Her family members, niece Karen and grandnieces Anna and Eva, and the community in St Anthony’s joined those assembled for Sunday Mass in Marymount at which Sr Joan made a devotional renewal of her vows. Following the Mass the staff of St John’s Ward provided a cake and tea for all present. The following day a celebratory lunch was held with her family members, Sr Geraldine Byrne, Provincial, who knew Joan very well as they were novices together, and Sr Mary Benton, who had been Joan’s Provincial in England and Scotland.
After just one week of being confined to bed, Joan died very peacefully on Sunday evening 26th May 2024 . Her care in Marymount was excellent and appropriate. On the Monday morning the saying by Sr Stanislaus Kennedy for the week was “Gratitude is an attitude that makes us more alive to what we receive” This summed up Joan’s disposition of reaching out to others and forgetting herself. Some months ago when Sr Patricia Somers talked with Joan as to what readings, hymns etc she would like whenever she died. Her response was leave that to God. It will all work out. Her funeral took place in the Cathedral of St Mary and St Anne on her feastday, the feast of the Visitation of Our Blessed Lady. Sr Joans mortal remains have been buried in St Finbar’s cemetery.
Joan may you now rest in peace
