On May 10, we RNDMs gathered in Lucan, Co Dublin, to celebrate 100 years of our presence in Ireland. It was a chance to involve our more recent ministry in Lucan where we have two communities. The Parish Priest, Fr Aidan Kieran of Divine Mercy Church gave us a lovely welcome to celebrate the Sunday midday Eucharist so as to bring our guests together to meet with our Sisters, members of the parish and with each other. People travelled from the North of Ireland, Scotland also our Sisters from Sturry and Wealdstone (UK), including a representative from our Generalate in Rome.
RNDMs gathered with Fr Aidan Kieran in Divine Mercy Parish.
We were able to embrace the history of many religious congregations who sent missionaries from Ireland to various parts of the world. We also wanted to celebrate our own history which included our early days when Euphrasie Barbier worked in close union with the Marist Fathers and indeed, an opportunity to celebrate our first Irish Sister,
Elizabeth Connachy, from Castlebellingham, Co Louth, who supported by Fr Favre, SM joined Euphrasie in Lyon in 1867. In fact, many young women who were originality from Ireland, whose families had emigrated to Australia and New Zealand, were inspired to join Euphrasie or attend RNDM schools. Consequently to mark this part of our history, we invited a Marist, Fr Martin McAnaney, to celebrate the Eucharist for us.
The Gospel reading for the Sixth Sunday really said it all: “I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. Yet a little while the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live . . . .”
This was highlighted during the homily that so many missionaries brought this message of hope to a world that in some places had not heard of Christ or who were under the pressures of war, disruption and poverty. We like so many religious have given our lives to bring hope to our fragile world. We can see it was a Consecration for Mission from Ireland.
After the Eucharist we gathered for lovely refreshments prepared by the parish and then later that day, we gathered in Churchtown for our evening meal prepared by the house manager and her team for us RNDMs and special guests. It was a day to be always remembered.
Selection of photos of the Celebration in Lucan:
Our Celebration in Churchtown
