My vocation story like most others was first influenced and nurtured in my own home in Co Limerick. Every morning my father would kneel and pray at a kitchen chair before beginning his work on the farm. This simple gesture made a lasting impression on me.

Limerick

I first encountered Mercy Sisters when I was sent to a Mercy boarding school for my secondary school years. They were on the whole, happy, fun loving, prayerful people who encouraged us in every way. The notion of joining them never occurred to me until my final year. I felt that the only way to get it out of my system was to go in and give it a try and if it didn’t work out I could come home and get on with the rest of my life.

Sr. Esther Murphy

Four of us from the class entered in 1968. I obviously liked what I saw and experienced during those early years and my time in the Novitiate was both life giving and happy. Soon after making First Profession I went to teacher training college for 3 years. That was my first exposure to life outside of Mercy. I got on well there and in my final year and the year following I went through a very dark experience in prayer over which I had no control. That experience certainly shaped my spiritual life and I knew that God would never again be taken for granted in my life.

I made Final Profession in 1976 and for the next 25 years or so I taught in various primary schools. I lived in big communities and small and for a short period lived on my own. During those years I met many wonderful people and endured many challenges. In 1982 I was one of four people asked to start the mission in Brazil. I was very excited about this but alas my missionary career did not last long. In less than two years and with great frustration and disappointment I was back home again.

I returned to the school scene and did 6 years as a Principal followed by a year as Local Leader in a big community. Wherever I was asked to go for the sake of ministry I went. This gave me great inner freedom and I learnt early in life that I can be done without very easily and ministry depends more on God than on me. All the moving about helped me to realise that God is the only constant in our ever changing World.

Serving on our Provincial Leadership Team in recent years was another sobering and challenging experience. At the end of your time you are both jobless and homeless and this forced me to look at who I really am apart from what I do. The temptation to slot back in to school life, which I loved, was very strong. However, the pull of the Congregational Chapter to “work with people in extreme poverty” tugged at me too. After honest discernment I have chosen to work in Prison ministry. For the first time ever I have done out a C.V. and gone for an interview. I was apprehensive and nervous when my new job started. I hope that life in Mercy has taught me to be truly merciful and compassionate. I am grateful for all of life’s experiences and the opportunities I have had to serve. This is surely what vocation is about.

Wheatfield Prison

I started work in Wheatfield Prison in July 2008. It was a pleasure to work there. The work was hard and constant but I loved it. It is a men’s prison and there were about 450 of them from all corners of the world. The age range was from 18 to 80 years. For some it was very traumatic as they did not speak English and for others coping with serious mental health issues was the challenge. I was shocked at the number of men under 35 years old who could not read or write. As a former primary school teacher it shocked me.

As Wheatfield is a work and training prison it provided good opportunities for the men to pick up skills  in Joinery, Construction, Welding, Catering and Picture framing. The school gave many opportunities to others to progress their education and do state exams. After 8 years there I got an opportunity to come nearer home and work with women.

Dochas Centre

The Dochas Women’s prison is on the North Circular Road  and there are about 120 women there at any given time. Like the men’s they come from all over the World and the language barrier still exists. We have a higher proportion of women with mental health issues . They tend to be anxious and stressed because many of them have children in foster care or being looked after by other family members. We had 4 babies born in the prison last year and they are still with us and the babies. Another girl is due back from hospital tomorrow after having her baby on Wednesday. These women need a lot of support  and it is great to be in a position to give it.

In both Prisons, I would say drink and drugs play a huge role in bringing people to prison. Instead of building more prison spaces the Government would be better off spending the money on addiction centres.

I try and befriend a small number of people who have left prison and are trying to adjust to life outside. It can be very difficult and some want to come back and be looked after rather than being on the streets.

I am still in the Dochas and work every second week on a voluntary basis. This year I took on a Local Leadership role and with 2 others we look after 7 communities. My life is not in any way dull and I have great support in my community.   I do feel my life depends on the goodness of God and how and where he or she will lead me in future years.  I am so grateful for what has been so far.

Esther Murphy rsm
South Central Province