by Catriona Dillon Ireland 05.07.2025
The year was 1957. Cardinal Cushing from Boston came to Drogheda to officially open Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital for MMM. It was the month of September, and I was eight years old. Our parents got an invitation to the celebration and we three girls were brought along. We were dressed in our Sunday best.
After the ceremony we went inside where long tables were covered with lovely white tablecloths. The tables groaned under the weight of tasty sandwiches, delicious cakes and trifles. Large teapots were passed around filling cups of tea for thirsty adults. There was mi-wadi orange juice for the children.
Towards the end of the evening an announcement came through that Louth had won the All Ireland football final. We all cheered and clapped till our hands were sore.
Two years later, in April 1959, Cardinal Cushing returned to Drogheda. This time to officially dedicate Our Lady of Lourdes Church which is right beside the MMM Motherhouse. He also baptised many babies. The first two babies to be baptised were John McArdle (Frank’s brother) and Jacinta McCormac. In 1966 the Cardinal came back to Drogheda. He arranged to meet with the children whom he had baptised. He gave them all a dollar bill.
This memory is dedicated to all the wonderful Sisters, nurses and doctors who have cared for us for the last seventy years.
by Sr. Rita Higgins MMM Ireland/Honduras 02.07.2025
The pot sits on an open fire in a smoky kitchen. It is a small room full of the sound of chopping, cutting and peeling. The scent of fresh pine resin, lemon, camomile, ginger and eucalyptus wafts about us. Today we are making our own cough syrup. There is excitement in the air. Old and young, men and women and children are involved in the activity.
For the twentieth time the chickens are chased out, dogs are staring longingly through the doorway. Someone checks the recipe again and we sit and wait for the mixture to cook. There is an animated discussion about what tea to drink when a child has asthma. Take 5 mint leaves, 5 eucalyptus leaves, 3 leaves of oregano, add boiling water and wait five minutes. Dona Carmen is painstakingly writing down the recipe. Dona Maria is illiterate, so her grand-daughter, Angelina, writes it for her. It is a very reassuring atmosphere. There is great peace amidst the activities. One of the elderly men is speaking about the recipes his father used. Don Angel commands attention when he speaks. He has a natural authority and a strong sonorous voice. He is saying “although we are poor people we have great riches – our plants, the soil, our families.” There is much quiet nodding in agreement.
Finally, the mixture on the fire is ready. Several people taste it with approval. Someone says it should be poured into the bottles in silence out of respect for the healing quality of the mixture. We look in awe at what has been produced and pray that whoever uses the syrup may find comfort and be restored to health. As we come towards the end of the workshop, coffee is prepared. This is the staple drink, home grown and roasted. After mother’s milk, coffee becomes everyone’s drink, we savour its hot, black, sweet flavour. The chickens dash in once more and we are all too absorbed to chase them out again. The radio plays in the background. It is almost time for the adult education programme.
Two questions: When is Maria coming to visit us? (referring to Mary Egan, MMM Associate who is involved in the literacy programme.) ” She will come soon. How is your reading this week?” A final prayer is said. “Goodbye, go well, and que le vaya bien!”
See you next month at the workshop.
(first published by MMM in 2001)
by Nadia Ramoutar MMM Communications Coordinator Ireland 28. 06. 2025
Recently, I have had the pleasure of working with the MMM Sisters to record a new song praising the gifts given by founder Mother Mary Martin. It’s a beautiful song written by MMM Sr Jacinta. She is very talented in writing and also in singing. It was great fun to gather an audience and film the choir performing. When I was directing this music video something occurred to me about the power of music, not just for those performing it but also for those listening to it. So I decided to do a little research on this. What I find confirmed to me that music is not just pleasant, it is important to our wellbeing.
The relationship between music and the brain is fascinating and we really don’t know enough about it yet. But it is clear that music helps the brain to organise and operate at higher function. If we think of it this way, music serves like exercise for our brain.
Music also offers us significant value in reducing our stress levels and expressing emotion in a healthy way. It also serves to alter our emotional state in positive ways.
My oldest son, Devin, is studying to get his Masters degree in Music Therapy. Because of this I have learned a lot about how music can help with not just recovery but also during surgeries. Music can reduce stress considerably and several experiments and medical trials show the positive impact. Unfortunately, music therapy is not used nearly as much as it can to benefit people. More research is just coming out now.
The Harvard Health news reported that a study done in New York on cataract patients showed impressive results. The listeners also reported that they felt calmer and better during the operation. Earlier research, though, found that surgeons showed fewer signs of stress and demonstrated improved performance while listening to self-selected music. So it benefitted both the patient and the surgeon.
Music can add so much to our daily life but what will also really bring us benefits is dancing to the music. It has been shown that of all exercise methods, dancing benefits the brain greatly and not just the body. You can see that adding a little bit of music to your daily life routine could bring many significant health and psychological benefits.
Life can be stressful and listening to bad news all the time can have a negative impact on us at several levels. Making space and time in our life to include music and movement is a wonderful investment in our wellbeing. It is worth the effort and consistency over time will bring us major benefits.
MMM Publications 1954 Ireland 25.06.2025
A story from early MMM life in Anua, Nigeria
The week before the “big day”, (the consecration of Bishop Ekandem, first Nigerian bishop in West Africa) reminded me of the crossroads incident that happened in Ireland during the War. Irish American soldiers were coming down from Derry to visit their friends and relatives in the twenty-six counties. They all described themselves as “army technicians”.
This proved too much for one country youth wo enquired,
“ What is a technician, anyway?”
“Can you hold a paintbrush?” enquired the visitor. “Yes.” “Can you do this?”, making imaginary strokes with a paint brush.
“Yes, of course.”
“Then, I guess you are a technician.”
Well, for one week at least all of us in the mission at Anua have been technicians. Pliny says that the cobbler should not go beyond his last. But we went further than that, we only stopped short at the matchet. Such flying of brooms and paint brushes, needles and suds. The woodmen and the wahermen, the carpenters and tailors – all were on overtime to have all-in ship-shape order for the great occasion. That is all but the head tailor. He was one of the untouchables, much too busy preparing Bishops “cloth” to be bothered with Sisters’ palaver. Important guests were invoiced for days in advance, and everything was scheduled to a nicety with no margin left for mistakes or loss of time.
Consequently, we had never tested the newly turned canvas seat on our best outdoor chair, and so, with a rending zipp, it gave way under the first important caller.
by Sr. Jane Frances Ihekuna MMM Nigeria 21.06.2025
On that fateful day, I embarked on a journey which I knew nothing about, no address, no companion, so confused of what to do, worried about how the journey would be. All I knew was that I must arrive somewhere, but I had no clue about the place. All I knew was that I had a destination. With hope, I will get to my destination, with openness, accept the destination in good faith.
While on this journey, I encountered some ups and downs of life. There were times I fell and times I was tired, weak and discouraged to continue. Going backwards was war, going forward was scary. There was a book I took along with me. One fateful afternoon, I just opened the book to know its content, I found myself reading the book with confidence. At once I realized I was filled with energy, happiness and zeal to continue with my journey. I set off to continue and I held that book so tight, close and in reverence because I never knew its worth until after that encounter.
At every stage of this journey, I met different people; some were false friends who tried to discourage me, trying to convince me to remain with them. Some claimed to be my companions. Most fell off to where they belonged, some tried to pull me down due to selfish interest, envy and jealousy. I never realized this until I got to the junction of self-evaluation which took me through the road of introspection, that brought me to self-awareness, revelations, growth and change of perception.
Arriving at a particular place, I told myself that I needed to take a break, enjoy the environment, adopt some of its living and values. And also, to lay a foundation there, so that at any time, I can freely spend some time there.
After that moment, I felt so convinced that at least I am becoming aware of the knowledge of my destination; though not too clearly. I realized that this particular environment is preparing me ahead for my future journey. At this point, I am still enjoying the environment, bringing it into my day-to-day encounter with the creatures around me.
So far, so good, it is a wonderful journey with enriching experiences.
Do enjoy every one of your moments but be prudent in all that you do.
The Word of the Lord (the Holy Bible) is my companion together with the Holy Spirit. You can never walk alone when you value the Word and work in accordance with God’s commandments.
Enjoy the ever presence of God in your life journey
by Sr. Margaret Anne Meyer MMM USA 18.06.2025
“Be sure to be at the airport by 10:30 AM. “These words were said to me by a Holy Ghost Father, whom I had visited the day before. He had been in the Biafran War in Nigeria and was now helping refugees in Ethiopia. I was transporting some letters for his brother, Fr Doheny, who was also a Holy Ghost Father, in Arusha, Tanzania. Because the US Congress had stopped the coffee trade with Uganda, I was asked to leave. The border between Kenya and Tanzania was closed and I had to fly from Addis Ababa to Mount Kilimanjaro. It was a very upsetting time for me. I felt sad to leave my beloved Uganda and the people to whom I had become close. Yet I knew from the Bishop’s concern for me, and my community’s supporting the decision of the US Government for me to leave, was the one to follow, no matter what the cost.
At 10:45 AM, the Comboni Sister with whom I was staying was kissing all her Sisters goodbye before getting into the car. At last, we were on our way, but the Sister driver decided it would be nice to see the sights of Addis before getting onto the plane. Finally, an hour later we arrived at the airport. Sister’s luggage and mine together were 100 lbs. I was about 2 pounds over the limit. All her tapes were confiscated, and she had to pay for the extra weight. Sister was going to establish a novitiate for a congregation in Tanzania and had many books. By this time, the plane was revved up and ready to take off. At the last minute, the Holy Ghost Father showed up in his Volkswagen, flashing all his official badges, and drove us out onto the runway. The gangplank was about to be removed. I had told Sister his instructions but as the previous plane was five hours late, she did not think it was necessary to be on time for this one. The sweat was pouring down my back. How could anyone think like that?
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.
by Sr. Harriet Mutonyi, MMM Uganda 11.06.2025
When I was young, I vividly remember my grandmother sitting by the fireplace, lovingly sharing stories and riddles with her grandchildren most evenings. One such evening, she narrated a poignant tale: “Once upon a time, the wind passed through a banana plantation carrying a melodious tune. One banana stem had both dry and green leaves. As the wind played its music, the dry banana leaves danced with joy. However, the green banana leaves grew angry and scorned the dry ones, calling them ‘old ugly fools’ and demanding that they stop making noise. The dry leaves replied, ‘We were once young and vibrant like you. Treat us with love and respect.’ Despite this plea, the green leaves treated the dry ones harshly, eventually ensuring their fall from the stem.”
The banana plantation
After finishing the story, my grandmother urged us never to treat anyone poorly, especially the elderly. Her words resonate with me to this day: “The elderly you see today, including myself, have worked tirelessly in their youth. They were once young like you and deserve respect, love, and care.”
Regrettably, many of us behave like the green banana leaves, neglecting the elderly as if they no longer exist. Even those with affluent children often suffer as if they had none. We forget that without them, we would not be where we are today. They are the giants whose shoulders we stand upon. I recall a heartbreaking story of an elderly woman who fell ill and was abandoned at home in my village. She endured immense suffering without care. Yet, when she passed away, her children appeared, purchasing an expensive coffin and organizing a grand funeral. This left the community questioning where they had been during her time of need.
One aspect of my vocation in the Medical Missionaries of Mary (MMM) that brings me immense joy is caring for humanity as a whole. I firmly believe that MMM has heard this silent cry of the elderly and responded with compassion. Although our foundress, Mother Mary Martin, began the Congregation with a focus on mothers and children, her mission extended to all in need. This foundation has made it natural and fulfilling for me to serve in this ministry.
by Nadia Ramoutar MMM Communications Coordinator Ireland 07.06.2025
In what has become an iconic book now, theologian Matthew Fox in “Creativity: Where the Divine and the Human Meet” writes, “Creativity when all is said and done, may be the best thing our species has going for it.”
As a professional communicator, I have read this book a few times and a former me underlined this sentence a long time ago. I want to underline this for you now too because I think in a digital age where we are bombarded with Artificial Intelligence (AI), humans have some ethical issues to consider.
Rather than asking whether AI is right or wrong, good or bad, I have another question I want to ask: “Have we exhausted our own Human Intelligence?” I feel unusually confident in answering this with a resounding, “Eh, no. I don’t think so.”
In Ephesians 2:10 it states, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
Yet, I think when we look at the world, we often see that humans are walking in the shadow of violence, disease, political strife and mental health issues. To a point perhaps where these plights in the world are almost presented as normal, typical or just the way the world is.
What would it take for humans to question this and to ask what “good works” can I do? How can I use my own Human Intelligence to make a difference in the world, or even within my own daily life.
To save you some time, I did some research and here are some ideas that surprised me.
For one thing, most creative people are not one way but are in some ways a contradiction. (That’s a relief to some of us!) They are social but need solitude and quiet. They are good listeners but can communicate. They are capable of being practical but using their imagination. They are realists who are also hopeful.
Another part of embracing our own Human Intelligence is making sure we design our lives in such a way that there is space for our creative side to be cultivated. We are not robots.
· We need some reflection time in prayer or meditation. Allowing moments of self-awareness to emerge.
· We need some unscheduled time to let our minds wander and active the daydreaming part of our brain that leads to innovation.
· We seek creativity in a book, or a film or art or even in other people. Engage with people and places that inspire you to be more.
· Watch out for distractions. People who bring drama or exhaust us need to be minimized and we need to have some free time but not waste our energy.
We are complex but really competent beings. We humans can be brilliant. Let’s focus on what we can do together and see how far Human Intelligence sprinkled with compassion can take us.
Nature is beyond décor, it is alive. It whispers through mysterious sounds with objects apparently falling and nocturnal, unseen movements.