The American Ambassador’s Visit
American Ambassador, the honourable Mr. Daniel M. Rooney with his wife Mrs Patricia Rooney outside Convent of Mercy Longford with Chaplain, Fr. Tom Murray, Sisters and some of the staff from Scoil Mhuire.
Just after our community Mass on Wednesday, February 16th, 2011, our Chaplain, Fr. Tom Murray, announced that our community Mass on Friday, 18th would be scheduled for 9.00 am instead of the usual 8.30 am, because a distinguished visitor wished to be present at our daily Mass. No further details and, of course, we weren’t the least bit curious!!
After Mass, the guessing game began in earnest. Who was the important dignitary who would be coming our way? Maybe….? Maybe …..? Maybe even the new, as yet unnamed, Bishop? Who knows? Then suddenly the mystery was solved. The early delivery of the Longford Leader solved the puzzle. On the front page of the said newspaper was an inset which stated that the new American Ambassador, the honourable Mr. Daniel M. Rooney and his wife, were to attend Mass at the Convent on the following Friday to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the arrival of the Sisters in Longford.
That was news to us, as very few people were aware that we were preparing to celebrate, much less the US Ambassador. However news will out. It seems that the Ambassador is travelling round the different counties in Ireland speaking to different commercial groups. He is a daily Mass-goer, so attendance at Mass is part of his usual itinerary. The necessary arrangements were made obviously between the Longford Librarian and our Chaplain, and Longford Convent was the chosen venue.
We ‘googled’ for some background information on our distinguished guest and were delighted to learn that he was from Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. Of course we knew about Mother Frances Warde’s foundations in his native city, the first Mercy foundation on American soil, and wondered if they would be familiar with her story. Happily it turned out that both the Ambassador himself and his wife were educated by the Mercy Sisters – he for eight years and she for twelve. After the Mass he spoke briefly but eloquently about Mother Frances Warde and her marvellous legacy in education and health care to Pittsburg and beyond.
Owing to his busy schedule, time did not permit them to partake of a welcome cup of tea, but we did manage to have a photograph taken to mark the special visit. And we got unasked for publicity.
Text: Magdalen McGarry rsm
Photographs: Shelley Corcoran Photography
Western Province
