by Sr. Rita Kelly, MMM                                        Ireland                    14.06.2025

It is a dark cloudy Sunday afternoon, and I am debating whether to go for a walk or not. I put an coat on and decided to go out as far as the garden and “get some fresh air.” With the rain, heat and sunshine the garden was in full bloom and as Wordsworth quoted in The Daffodils it was “a bliss of solitude” and a sense of gratitude. But somehow the images of the terrible scenes in Gaza intruded into my thoughts. The bombings and the starvations and the overwhelming sense that no one in the International World appears to be responding to the crisis.

I had money in my pocket, and I decided to go down to Our Lady of Lourdes Church to light candles for the Palestinian people. There is a statue of the Pieta; with Our Lady holding her dead son in her arms. I was standing in front of the statue contemplating and praying for all mothers who was suffering for their children, when I sensed a presence behind me. I was a wary to turn around as I was in the Church on my own. There was a man standing behind me. My first thought that he was looking for money! But he apologised for disturbing me and asked had I known a MMM Sister called Mollie McDonagh? Immediately I responded “Mollie Meehan”. His face totally lit up and he said to a woman who was coming towards us….” She knew Mollie.” He was the nephew of Mollie who was known as Sr. Joannes Meehan in religious life. Sr. Joannes was a widow, from Belfast and entered the same time as me in 1967.

Harry and his wife were visiting Drogheda from Belfast. The last time he was in Drogheda was at his aunt’s funeral in 1979. He was a child. But also remembers visiting her with his family. He wished to visit the grave but did not know where it was. MMM are buried in the local graveyard of Sr. Peters. I accompanied them to the graveyard, and they were so delighted to find Sr. Joannes grave. Photographs were taken and prayers were said.

On our way to the graveyard, we shared memories of Sr. Joannes or Mollie as she was remembered in the family. Sr. Joannes was a widow when she entered in 1967. I also entered that year. We were temporary professed in 1970. Both of us were assigned to Turkana, North Kenya. Sr. Joannes as a Montessori teacher and I as a Nurse. With Sr. Joannes there was never a dull moment and always laughter.

As Harry and his wife wished to visit other historical sites, we bid each other farewell.

Reflecting afterward on the day there was a sense of being in the right place at the right time without any planning. Harry and I had started out on a quest to try and find an aunt’s grave. Because she was a religious, they thought she would be buried in a private graveyard. Medical Missionaries of Mary are buried in the local St. Peter’s Church. Harry was very young when he last visited Drogheda. They saw me going into Our Lady of Lourdes church and wondered could I help them. We had an enjoyable time, sharing memories of a beloved aunt and colleague.

In a recent letter, Archbishop Eamon Martin has called for each parish to be in solidarity with the people of Gaza, to lobby our politicians and especially to pray.

We continue to pray for peace for all areas of conflict, especially for the war in Gaza.