On Saturday, 10th July, 2010 Sister Xavier Guiry and I celebrated the Diamond Jubilee of our Profession. We gathered with the Sisters of the South African Province and our friends, in Saint Teresa’s Convent Chapel, Rosebank, Johannesburg, where exactly sixty years ago, with Sisters Francis Murphy and Veronica Condon — (both now gone to God), we pronounced our first vows. We were especially blessed to have family representatives sharing this celebration with us. Sr. Xavier’s nieces, Breda and Marguerite, and my sister Sr. Margaret travelled from Ireland for the occasion.
Sr. Magdalen sharing her memories at the celebration
During the meal that followed the Eucharistic celebration, we were given the opportunity to share some of our memories of the past sixty years.
Thanksgiving was the predominant theme: thanksgiving to God for the call to Mercy and for the many opportunities we had to practise Mercy: thanksgiving to community, family and friends for support throughout the years. We started our Mercy journey in Westbourne, Limerick, in September 1947 and after our spiritual year we set sail for South Africa to join the Mercy Sisters in Rosebank. It was not quite what we had expected. Because of the apartheid laws, we found ourselves teaching white children in a “white” suburb.
It is amazing how many developments have taken place over the years: some local such as provision of larger schools to provide for growing numbers of pupils and the opening up of new apostolates such as nursing, adult education, and HIV/AIDS mininstry.
Sr. Xavier
Others were more significant. 1962 saw the beginning of our first primary school for African children in Soweto followed a few years later by the building of St. Matthew’s High School. On the political front the opening up of all our institutions to people of all races in 1975 was an event which presented us with the challenge of facing penalties from the authorities, the closure of our schools, and the loss of support from former friends and benefactors. In 1975 Tsogo High School was opened in Mmakau, in the Pretoria Archdiocese. Winterveldt in the same Diocese was our next area of ministry starting in 1984. We rejoice that all of these are still flourishing and giving us an opportunity to share our Mercy charism with thousands of people of all ages in the fields of education, health care, HIV/AIDS ministry, care of orphans, and shelters for homeless people and abused women.
1994 was a year none of us will ever forget. The apartheid regime collapsed, the government which had supported it for almost fifty years was dissolved and replaced by a democratically elected one chosen by all the people of the country. All was done in a peaceful manner. Perhaps one of the most memorable developments was the formation of the Congregation of Mercy also in 1994. Many of the smaller groups were united to form this one Congregation. As a result our horizons were broadened, and we saw Mercy from a world-wide prospective. We now have contact with the hundreds of other Mercy Sisters working in our own Continent, Africa, in Latin America, USA, and Europe.
We thank God for the many graces we received during these sixty years and for all the love and support of our Sisters, family and friends who accompanied us on this journey.
Magdalen Greene rsm
South African Province
