by Sr. Brigid McDonagh MMM (1935 – 2014) Ireland/Brazil 22.07.2024
First published by MMM in 2000
My work is with the women of Brasilândia, on the periphery of São Paulo, Brazil. We have a regional team of 10 women leading the work. There are also local groups. I work at both levels. When, at Regional Level, we started celebrating International Women’s Day in March each year, groups of 300 or even 400 women participated. The women then started to ask for some follow up to that day during the year. They choose themes that were relevant to their daily lives, relating to the struggles in the family, at work and in the Church.
We began to study the women in the Bible, and for two years groups met every week, taking different Biblical stories, reflecting and discussing the relevance of these stories to the life they were living today. Lessons were drawn. The message was applied. With all the many sufferings that touched their lives, it was surprising that one of the biggest dreams of most of the women was to be literate – to be able to read and to write. In most homes the boys were sent to school while the girls stayed at home. The attitude that “they didn’t need to study as they would get married” left them severely handicapped when it came to coping with modern life in an enormous city.
Zildinha, is a good example of the determination that these women bring to their journey. She started with a literacy programme. Then she went on to study a course called Suplitivo – that is a quick secondary school. Then she began to study for her Vestibular which is equivalent to matriculation to a Third Level course. The same perseverance was evident when Zildinha was finally admitted to university to study Sociology. She has now finished her first year at the age of 68!
Zildinha is a symbol of liberation for others and the women in the group know that. As a result, they all contribute to paying her university fees, each making a small monthly contribution.
In 1996 a community radio station was started in our area and the group were asked to contribute an hour a week, so we divided into teams of three, each team taking a week in turn. We divided the hour’s programme into four sections, first a Scripture reading presenting the women of the Bible, both the Old and New Testaments. The second part was a discussion on how to apply the reading to life today. The third part of the programme was devoted to health issues, problems women have to cope with in their own lives and in the lives of their families. In the last section we would give news and updates on events in the communities. In between each of these sections there would be music, songs, greetings and dedications.
We ran this programme for two and a half years without ever repeating a Bible reading, so it shows how many women there are in the Bible! The radio station was closed in July 1999 but we will be ready to resume this work if we get another opportunity another time.
One day I asked the women how the group had helped them. The answers were very touching. “It helped me to value myself as a woman,” “It helped me to face life, to speak out and look for my rights as a human being.” “My family are managing better because I am managing better.” “We are more aware now not to blame other women for problems.” “We have more solidarity with one another.” “We discovered a feminine spirituality through presenting our weekly radio program, on women in the Bible, and relating the stories of these women to today’s living.”
by Nadia Ramoutar MMM Communications Coordinator Ireland 20.07.2024
The Irish poet and writer, John O’Donohue once wrote “May you experience each day as a sacred gift woven around the heart of wonder.” One of the aspects of working with the MMMs that I most admire is the Sisters’ sense of wonder in the unknown. There is a very real commitment to looking at a situation and saying “Well, let’s just see what we can do here.” It is fascinating how no two MMM Missions are exactly alike because no two locations of the mission are identical and therefore no two communities have identical needs. The spirit of each mission is unique to the people there and what their greatest challenges would be.
When I began with MMM working in Communications I was overwhelmed at how much the MMM Sisters are doing and how much diversity there was in each country. I am now grateful that there is so much for me to learn in my role in communications. It is a never ending learning adventure. In comparison, one of the horrible things that happens in commerce sometimes is this idea that there is no room for uniqueness or differences. One product or service is the only choice. It’s not true but taking the time to learn the real needs of people takes time and it takes effort. Many people struggle to listen because they think they already know the answer. Many people are too quick to accept what is not acceptable.
Mental noise is the enemy of listening which is the key to good communications and healthy relationships. When there is “learning” involved then we can’t really lose because we are creating what is possible often on the back of what we learned the hard way. Complexities like global climate crisis make things even harder for people who are living on the edge of poverty. As our MMM Sisters try to empower people to have agency over their own life, there are massive challenges to often face. Yet, in this adversity, courage and ingenuity grow too.
We are venturing into a new effort to find solutions to even great problems than we have experienced before and the answer is not always clear. What is apparent though is that the greatest tool we have is each other. We, the staff, work alongside the MMM sisters and the MMM Associates globally committed to making the world a better place. Such a collective resources is what makes our impact possible. We are a combined force of love, faith, knowledge, expertise and adventure. There is much laughter and occasionally tears along the way.
As we face even greater challenges than before, we have to be careful not to allow our apathy or ambition to work against us. In our patience and persistence we will find the answers though they might not come easily. I feel it as great privilege to work with the MMM Sisters and be part of their unshakeable faith in what might not be obvious, but is possible. Together we are wonder-full.
by Sr. Sheila Campbell MMM Ireland 18.07.2024
The other day, when I sat down at my desk to work, the first two emails put me in a bad mood. I had that instinctive reaction “This is going to be a “blank” day”. You can add in your own adjective! And, true to form, the rest of the day wasn’t great. A co-worker looked at the emails and they put her in a bad mood too, so now there were two of us! Worse off than before.
I tried to distract myself from the emails by trying to do ordinary work, but my mind was elsewhere. It kept spinning around the content of the emails and I found I could not concentrate on any creative work at all.
At the end of the day, I sat in the chapel and thought about the day. Yes, to be in a bad mood every now and again is normal. I would say even Jesus was in a bad mood when he drove the money changers out of the Temple! But I don’t want to let one little incident contaminate my whole day. At first, I thought of the phrase “do not let your heart be troubled, trust in God”, and I sat with that one for a while, but there is the danger of denying the upset and the pain. No, how do I recognize it and yet put it aside?
The next morning for some unknown reason I changed the normal reading at Morning Prayer and used a phrase from Colossians and then my eyes drifted onwards until I came across the following gem:
“Conduct yourselves wisely towards outsiders, making the most of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you will know how to answer everyone.” Col 4, 5-6
Yes, I thought, seasoned with salt! At times we need to be “salty” if the situation requires it. I just need to keep in mind the graciousness bit! Thank God, having dumped all this problem on God in prayer I feel better now!
Recently our Sisters had a heritage tour here in Ireland. They visited places associated with Mother Mary’s life and the early foundation years of MMM. One of those places was St. Joseph’s parish church in Glasthule, South Dublin ,where Marie Martin was baptised. I too was there a week ago at the funeral of an elderly in-law. Can I tell you about my own very prayerful visit?
I have had a wish to visit Madrid, capital of Spain, for some years now and in May of this year I succeeded. I wanted to visit the art museums, especially Museo del Prado, Spain’s main art museum, and Museo Reina Sofia. I am not an art expert, but I am fascinated in the human capacity of imagination and creativity. I may not understand some art, but I can appreciate the effort it took to create. I’m sure a larger effort than writing blogs!
Our human failings have not changed much in 500 years.by Sr. Jo Anne Kelly MMM Ireland 12.07.2024
For some years I held the position of Vocation Directress. It was a very special time in my life as I met numerous beautiful, enthusiastic young women who felt God was calling them to religious life. First of all they were all trying to discern which Congregation they would join. The first indication I would receive was a letter in the post requesting information about Medical Missionaries of Mary. It was before the time of mobile phones and computers. Many areas did not yet enjoy a reliable supply of electricity but the postal service was good. Some would write quite a lot of information about themselves, others little or nothing. I answered every letter, and sent basic information and encouraged them to keep in touch. Some continued the correspondence and then I would meet them or invite them to “Come and See” and we would go from there. The majority of those writing had found our address in “The Ambassador” a publication produced by a then new Missionary Society which included, among many other things, a list of addresses of all the Religious Orders and Congregations in the country.
One day I got a letter with a difference –a brown envelope with a prison stamp on the back. It was from a man, asking for information about MMM. It was a nice letter but I was puzzled. I wondered if this man was on the prison staff and writing on behalf of his daughter or young sister. But in that case I doubted if he would put on the prison stamp. However, I didn’t really know what to think. I answered the letter, gave him the basic information and told him if he had some young woman who was interested in joining MMM I would like to hear from the girl herself.
After some time I got a reply, again a brown envelope with the prison stamp on the back. He explained he was a prisoner, accused of a serious crime, was convicted and was now on “death row” waiting for execution. Because of his misdeeds his family had disowned him so he had no visitors and had very little communication with anybody and nothing to read. He was lonely and feeling very guilty. A priest came in sometimes to say Mass but he did not go there. However the priest left a copy of “The Ambassador” and there he found the addresses of all the religious orders. Hungry for some communication he wrote to many of these addresses hoping someone would reply. To date I was the only one who sent a reply and he was so grateful and hoped I would continue. I wrote back as nice a letter as I could and encouraged him to talk with the priest if possible.
I had one more letter from him, in which he mentioned God for the first time and he had talked to the priest and hoped to continue doing so. I answered that letter too, but there were no more from him. I wonder if his time had come!
I prayed much for that man and hoped that he had found some awareness of God’s presence and a sense of forgiveness and peace.
I looked up the meanings of ambassador and one definition is “an official messenger of good will, good news”. Ambassador publications were known in parishes all over the country and were very popular. I hoped that particular “Ambassador” was a message of good news for that man.
I am reminded of St. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians which says “we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making His appeal through us, to be reconciled to God.”
A reflection in my Missal on this Sunday’s reading says “Let us be sensitive to all kinds of people and situations through which God may be showing us his will.”
by Sr. Sheila Devane MMM Ireland 10.07.2024
I find myself reading death notices quite often. Sadly, these days I now know more of the people written about than I’d choose to admit! Ageing brings many things; old age takes from us too. In Ireland, the main way we learn about someone’s death is through an online service called “RIP.ie” and I check for the recent deaths every now and then. So be it.
Yesterday I spent time with a friend; we chatted about lots of things: tennis, our families, and days gone by. I heard this story from her about the way a death was announced to her grandmother.
Over a hundred years ago in Ireland we certainly had no form of external communication with anyone except by letter. It was a time of mass emigration to USA, England, Scotland Australia, and Canada. Also, many missionaries were leaving their families to go all over the world never to return home again.
May Quinn, Sally’s grandmother, came from a large family & had two brothers who joined the Franciscans. Both left Ireland, one for Australia, the other for South Africa; neither ever returned to Co. Mayo. They wrote letters home telling of their missionary work; these took months to arrive and those written in reply on a special, green, light airmail page also took ages to reach their destination. So, it was all about getting the letter. This was a time even long before the telegram. People would frequently ask each other “did you get a letter?” In rural Ireland post was carefully watched by the postman or postmistress who knew who was receiving letters and who wasn’t. Confidentiality was different then too!
One morning May came to breakfast announcing to her youngest grandchild that Andy had died. The child knew he was her father’s uncle who she had never met, and that he was a priest in Australia, a very big country where there were kangaroos and other strange animals. The grandchild also knew Australia was hot, as the two photos they had showed him wearing sunglasses and a large, brimmed sunhat. She passed no remarks but on going outside met her father to whom she told “Uncle Andy has died.” He was shocked, this was his oldest uncle and one he had met before he left many years ago. What had happened? Did they get a letter?
May told her story; she had received no letter but Andy passed through her room the night before. The family were alarmed more at the announcement of the death than of the death itself. Was mother losing her mind? Did she dream? True? What?
About six months letter a letter did arrive, but not from Andy. It came from someone calling himself the Minister General in Rome, announcing the unexpected death in Perth, Australia, on the very day May had “met” Andy herself.
Death comes in many ways, death announcements too.
by Sr. Sheila Campbell MMM Ireland 08.07.2024
The other day I came across a letter I had received about twenty years ago. Why did I keep it? Well, this is the story. The letter was from a lady called Margarida, and she was telling me that I had cared for her many years earlier while she was pregnant with twins. During her pregnancy she had suffered a heart attack. She had survived, but the pregnancy was at risk. I used to visit her regularly, checking her blood pressure, and generally supporting her during the pregnancy. She was writing to thank me for my care at that time and to let me know that her twin daughters were now both at university.
I had absolutely no memory of who this lady was! Yes, I remembered working in that area of Sao Paulo, and it would have been typical of the kind of house visits I would have done. How could I not remember such a dramatic pregnancy? I began chastising myself for my bad memory and felt very guilty. Then I stopped and decided to keep the letter.
Now, why did I keep the letter? I think I kept the letter to remind myself that we do not always remember the good things we have done. Many of us remember the faults, the failures, the times when we didn’t come up to the mark. It is good to have a reminder that sometimes we did get it right, that our work for others has had an impact on the real lives of ordinary people.
We can all make a difference in other people’s lives by small acts of kindness. It doesn’t need to be grand gestures, sometimes just a smile, a comforting pat on the arm, a gesture of good will. The fact that we forget we have done well sometimes can also be a good thing. It is a reminder that to be kind and thoughtful is normal, natural, part of what God is calling us to be.
by Sr. Cecily Bourdillon MMM (1941-2023) Zimbabwe 06.07.2024
Editor’s note: Sr. Cecily wrote this during her early years as a doctor in Zungeru, Niger State, Nigeria. It was first published by MMM in 1977.
One morning during a busy clinic, a local traditional doctor came to consult us about a patient of his who had developed tetanus. We went with him and found a very ill man who had fallen from a palm tree and had three broken limbs and deep infected wounds. The patient needed hospitalization, but the traditional doctor would not agree, for there, he would not be able to carry out his own treatment.
We eventually persuaded him and encouraged his help in cleaning up the wounds, removing his splints and leaves, re-setting the limbs and applying the plaster. The gentleness and skill with which he ran his hands over the deformed limbs and the tenderness with which he moulded them into their normal shapes, the patience and care with which he tended the patient after he had been comfortably placed in bed, the concern he showed for him was an inspiring experience.
We came to realise that amongst the villagers themselves are people with love and concern for their fellow villagers, people who are respected and trusted, people who know and understand their own, people who have an influence on the attitudes and traditions of those among whom they live. We know we must pass on our skills to these, so that our team may be augmented and that we may reach out to all people. The village midwife and any suitable person chosen from among the villagers and by the villagers, can be taught elementary aspects and the basic principles of curative, preventative and promotive medicine and so, with supervision, help bring health to all.
In a predominantly Moslem area, where only women may enter the homes, Mother Mary’s special concern for the care of mother and child urges us to enter these Moslem homes, to bring Christ’s healing and Christ’s love. Christ was a teacher; He is our teacher. He sends us out as His Father sent Him out. As we enter the homes to bring healing, we hope to make Christ present through our love and concern, bear witness to Christ’s love and to all to share in the good news of salvation.
by Sr. Margaret Anne Meyer MMM U.S.A. 04.07.2024
Yes, Conferring Day contained many lessons. It was a day “betwixt and between”. The brief visit at our house of studies in Rosemount brought home to us that we were beyond our strenuous medical course studies and not yet capable doctors. Our Hippocratic Oath both guided and bound us to do no harm. Thank God for this period of guidance from experienced doctors who held the patients at heart and did their best to relieve their painful situation. There was also more to do and more to learn. We were fortunate to have a good medical library and current issues of the British Medical Journal on display. We also enjoyed presenting a case at the Medical Club held every Monday morning. All departments participated.
At that time, the hospital was only half built. A beautiful staircase lined the outer wall, and one could look out at the surrounding hills while walking to the various floors. I remember being overwhelmed one day with the number of patients for examination. I had tried to keep to what I had learned to do. However, a very thorough examination including the central nervous system was not always called for. I began to realize I could not spend so much time doing so on each patient. One day, as I gazed out the window, Psalm 121 came to me, “I look towards the mountains from whence shall come my help.” And plenty of help came to me from uttering that prayer. All the patients were seen in and helped in a good way.
I also liked the regularity of the convent life. were rung for the various prayers, and I liked joining in with the other Sisters when we were not on duty. We did not have beepers in those days, but the hospital tele system would resound all over and we would call the operator to see where we were needed. As we left the hospital, the Sister doctors would sign off on a sheet giving our next location. The operator would call for us there. For the first time, I had a telephone in my room so I could be called at night.
I found the night calls very exciting. Sometimes you would get a call that a patient was on the way, and they would not arrive until two or three hours later. At that time there were no Pediatric Registrars, so the Medical House Doctor would admit the sick children during the night and call the Pediatrician, Doctor O’Sullivan, who would prescribe treatment based on your clinical findings. I was also called for Casualty emergencies when the Surgical Team was in the theatre.
After some time, I got to know the patients very well. Many patients on the sixth floor, Male Medical, had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Some required tracheotomies and were hospitalized for a long time. I thought it would be good to see if there were any underlying factor causing so many men from Drogheda especially from Windmill Road, to suffer this condition. I asked Dr. Costello if I could return to the library of UCD, my medical school, to do some research on their condition. Dr. Oliver Mc Cullen drove me to Dublin and stopped off at Temple Street at a blacksmith’s shop to tell me this was the only shop left of its kind in Dublin. Many men got COPD from inhaling the fumes off the horse’s hoof when the hot horseshoe was applied. I marveled at this and his interest in teaching me. I cannot remember what I learned in the library, but Dr. Costello was impressed with my efforts and gave me a current edition of Cecil and Loebe. It was regarded as the Bible of medical knowledge. I was very pleased and grateful to him.
I remained fascinated with the whole experience of seeing a patient come to us very ill, listen to their story and make a diagnosis with their information, some lab tests and other diagnostic tests. Sometimes it was not so clear and what originally was thought to be the case did not help the patient very well, so other avenues were explored. Costello was a whiz at this process, and I learned very much from him.
The months continued until mid-October when it was time for Martha Collins and me to make Final Profession of Vows. Maura Lynch would make hers the following year as she had started Medical School as a second-year novice. You will hear all about this in another story.
