Sr. Noreen was born in Ballyhaunis, in the west of Ireland and she had her early years at school in Kerry, the south of the country but her family finally settled in Dublin and it was here she spent most of her childhood and adolescence. After school, aged 18, she went over to England and trained as a nurse and midwife. She worked in London for two years as a theatre nurse and then went to Canada. In Canada, she nursed for two years and then worked with Air Canada as an air hostess for several years. The call to religious life must have been insistent, because in the early 1960’s she returned to Ireland, working as a secretary and receptionist in Dublin while figuring out how to answer God’s call. She was also caring for her niece and two nephews whose mother had sadly died.
Sr. Noreen joined MMM in 1965, aged 37. She brought a lot of life experience with her which stood her to good stead in the years ahead, especially when she began working with young student nurses.
After her initial religious formation, Sr. Noreen nursed for a year in Drogheda, and then went over to England and trained as a clinical teacher of nursing. On her return to the International Missionary Training Hospital (IMTH) in Drogheda, she worked as a clinical teacher for three years and then as Deputy Matron of the hospital. In 1979, she was asked to go to Nigeria for two years as a clinical teacher in one of our hospitals, Afikpo. During this time her interest in pastoral ministry developed and in the early 1980’s she went to the USA to be trained in Clinical Pastoral Education. On her return to Ireland, she worked in the Motherhouse in Drogheda, caring for our elderly and infirm Sisters. Her other passion in life was Christian Meditation Groups, based on the teachings of John Main, O.S.B. She founded many groups in Ireland and accompanied them as a spiritual director, right up to her final days.
In 1986, Sr. Noreen had a chance to go to Nigeria again, this time to work with Sr. Leonie McSweeney in the P.L.A.N. centre for natural family planning. On her return to Ireland, she spent several years in Kilmacow, near Waterford, a care home for the elderly run by MMM at the time, and in Mell community in Drogheda as bursar before finally retiring to the Motherhouse in 2011.
Her health declined over the next years and in 2022 she transferred to Aras Mhuire Nursing Home for more nursing care. She died there peacefully on the 5th of September 2026. She is buried in Drogheda.
Sr. Noreen was soft spoken and known for her gentleness and attentiveness. She will be greatly missed.
Sr. Mechtilde Robinson, baptised Margaret, was born in Ballinagh, County Cavan, Ireland, in January 1930. She was one of a large family. Margaret was educated locally and then did a Secretarial course in the Vocational School in Cavan.
Margaret worked as a bookkeeper and typist for ten years in both Ireland and England before entering MMM in 1957. After her Spiritual Formation, she made her First Profession in 1960, taking the religious name Sr. M. Mechtilde. As a young Sister she worked in the various offices in the hospital for approximately eight years in a secretarial/book-keeping role before being assigned overseas.
Sr. Mechtilde has had a varied life as a missionary, working in three different African countries. She began in Nigeria, working in Ikom, Ikot Ene, Abakaliki and Obudu for six years and then after a short break in Ireland was assigned to Tanzania where she worked in Arusha, Namanyere, Babati and Mbulu, for six years, mainly in administrative roles. Her final overseas assignment was to Angola, a former Portuguese colony, on the west coast of the continent, where apart from the challenges of facing a new country, she had to master the Portuguese language, no easy task. However, undaunted she worked hard and managed well.
In all her work, be it secretarial, administrative, financial or whatever, she exhibited a perfection and a thoroughness in all that she did and put all her energies into the task at hand. She was a great worker and a great all-rounder and approached everything with energy and enthusiasm. She was easy to approach, and the staff valued that quality in her.
In 1996, Sr. Mechtilde returned to Ireland and initially worked in the Central Secretariat in Rosemount, Dublin, for two years. She then moved to the MMM house in Artane. Finally, in 1999, she moved to Beechgrove, working as the Assistant to the Area Business Administrator and was also Local Bursar for years. It was frequently said that under her stewardship, not one penny went astray. She was accurate and thorough in all her financial dealings.
While living in Beechgrove, she was also responsible for the Mite Boxes, a valuable source of fund-raising. It involved collecting and replacing them in the local pubs and shops and, over time, she knew the owners very well. She also visited the sisters in Áras Mhuire as well as elderly people in the parish. With her sociable personality, she was a popular figure.
In more recent years, her health has deteriorated gradually with several hospital admissions. With each set-back she has courageously and quietly adapted and remained mobile for as long as possible. She was admitted to Áras Mhuire for extra care in March 2022. After a slow decline in her health, she died on August 30th in the evening. She was buried in St. Peter’s Cemetery, Drogheda on the 3rd of September, 2026.
Sr. Chinyere Priscilla Anyaorah, MMM, was born in 1949 in Umunkwo Isiala -Mbano in Imo State, Nigeria. She received her early education in Okigwe and Lagos before joining MMM in 1972. She was among the first group of Nigerian MMMs to have their early formation in Nigeria.
After her first vows in 1974, Sr, Chinyere trained as a nurse at Mater Misericordia Hospital, Afikpko, and worked in the hospital for two years. She later trained as a midwife in IMTH (now Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital), Drogheda.
On her return to Nigeria, she served in various ministries as staff nurse/ midwife in St. Mary’s General Hospital Ibadan, PHC Mobile Clinic /Maternity, Abakaliki, Mater Misericordia Hospital, Afikpo, St. Vincent Hospital in Ndubia, Irele Clinic, Ogoja, where served both in the Leprosy Village and the Maternity Hospital.
Sr. Chinyere obtained a Diploma in Nursing Administration and Management from DNAM, Nigeria in 1992 and Diploma in Theology from Kimmage Manor, Dublin Ireland in 1993. Back in Nigeria, she worked in Ogoja PHC/ Peadiatric Ward for four years and for five years as Nursing Administrator at St. Mary’s General Hospital Ibadan.
In 2006, following a Pastoral Ministry Renewal Course at Marianella, Dublin, Sr. Chinyere continued to explore ways of bringing healing and wholeness to those she served. In 2007, she obtained a Diploma in Complementary Therapy from Portobello College, Dublin. This became an important part of her ministry, and she generously shared this gift in various MMM communities over the years.
She worked for one year at the Community Health Project, Amukoko (Nutrition Department) in Nigeria before embracing another mission in Malawi in 2008. While in Malawi, Sr. Chinyere worked in Chipini Health Centre as a nurse midwife and a complementary therapist. She worked both with HIV/AIDS and in Palliative Care in Lilongwe.
It was in Malawi that many came to know and love her for her simplicity, warmth and acceptance of the people. She was fondly called Agogo, the Chichewa word for grandmother—a name that reflected the affection and trust with which she was regarded.
Sr. Chinyere returned to Nigeria in July 2021 and became a member of the MMM Uselu community. She remained a strong advocate for complementary therapy and continued to prepare her treatment mixtures as a means of complementing orthodox medical care. Her ministry was marked by a desire to accompany people in their journey towards healing, bringing together her professional nursing experience, her knowledge of complementary therapy and her compassionate presence.
In 2026, as her health began to deteriorate, she was moved to Abakaliki community for care. There, she was cared for lovingly until she finally passed away peacefully on the 26th of July 2026. She was buried in the MMM burial place in Benin city, Nigeria on the 19th of August 2026.
14th January 1930 – 10th July 2026
Sr. Veronica, baptized Philomena, was born in Kingscourt, Co. Cavan. She was one of a large family and all her life she was known as Auntie Phil to her many nieces and nephews. She went to the local primary school and then helped at home caring for her younger brothers and sisters until she joined MMM in 1947.
After her initial religious formation in Drogheda, Sr. Veronica was assigned to the Apostolic Nunciature in Dublin for six years. She was an excellent cook and had a practical, common-sense approach to caring for a household. She loved her time there but in 1956, just a few months before her Final Vows, she was assigned to Nigeria. She worked in many of our houses in Nigeria beginning with Akpo Utong and then moving on to Abakaliki and Urua Akpan where she was community leader for a time.
After ten years in Nigeria, Sr. Veronica returned to Ireland for health reasons. After a period of sick leave, she returned to the Nunciature for a time. In 1973 she went to the USA for three years to our house in Winchester MA. On her return to Ireland, helped out once more in the Nunciature. This was a special time because the Holy Father came to visit and she had the privilege of being an important member of the staff during this papal visit.
Between 1980 and 1982, Sr. Veronica went to Clonsilla, Dublin, where she did parish work and helped with the playschool. Then she returned to Drogheda where she was in charge of the Motherhouse catering for six years. Then a final assignment to Rosemount, Booterstown, where she cared for the Generalate community right up to 2018 when she finally decided it was time to retire to the Motherhouse community.
In January 2024, Sr. Veronica transferred to Aras Mhuire Nursing Home and her health slowly deteriorated. She died peacefully on July 10th, 2026. She is buried in her family grave in Cavan.
Throughout her life, Sr. Veronica was known to be devoted to her family – remembering birthday, christenings, marriages etc. She was a kind person and always made people feel at home.
Sr. Dumka Fidelia Michael, MMM, was born in 1974 in Zaakpon, near Port Harcourt in Nigeria. She had her primary and secondary education locally and then went to university to study commerce. She left after two years, taking some time to discern her future before finally joining MMM in 1996.
After her period of initial formation in Nigeria, she went to Kenya and studied commerce and Business Administration in the Catholic University of East Africa (C.U.E.A.).
Her first assignment in East Africa was to Malawi and she was the Administrator in Chipini Health Centre. This was followed by a request from Uganda for her services in Makondo and later to Arusha in Tanzania. She was popular as an Administrator and well respected.
In 2010, after her Final Profession of Vows, she received her master’s degree in strategic management from the University of Derby in England before returning to Nigeria.
In Nigeria she was the Hospital Administrator in St. Mary’s Hospital, Eleta, Ibadan, for the next eight years before her final assignment to the MMM community in Abuja where she became involved in works of social justice and counter human trafficking.
Sr. Dumka was a bright, cheerful woman and always looked on the positive side of life. She was an excellent Chorister and enjoyed travelling, dancing and driving. For all who had the opportunity to relate closely with her, she was a pillar of support and strength.
She became ill in 2025 and although she was under treatment, her health deteriorated.
She died on April 8th in hospital in Abuja. May she rest in peace.
Sr. Veronica Cawley MMM died peacefully on September 11th, 2025, at the VNA on Highland Senior Residence. In the time up to her death she was surrounded by family, MMM Sisters, and friends who loved her.
Sr. Veronica Cawley, affectionately known as Ronnie, comes from Jamaica Plain, a part of greater Boston, MA, USA. She was part of an Irish Catholic family of eleven children, seven girls and four boys and her large extended family of nieces and nephews was always an important part of her life over the more recent years. All Ronnie’s contemporaries in MMM knew and loved the Cawley family.
She was a clerk for a life insurance company before joining MMM. After her first profession of vows, she was secretary in Winchester MA and did promotion work for five years. In 1970 she went to Ireland, where she trained in hospital administration while doing secretarial work and helping in the Motherhouse Guests Department. While in Ireland at that time, Ronnie was able to meet her mother’s family which meant a lot to both her and them. In 1974 Sr. Ronnie was assigned to Malawi. She was the administrator in St. John’s Hospital in Mzuzu for three years. After mission awareness work in Chicago, she was assigned to Nigeria and did pastoral work in Oshodi, Lagos. Returning to Ireland in 1988, she was leader for returned missionaries.
In 1993, Sr. Ronnie was assigned to Uganda and provided counselling and pastoral care for people affected by HIV/Aids. After serving as a community leader in our Motherhouse she returned to the USA in 1998. In Somerville she visited the elderly, worked in hospice and elder support services. She did pastoral work in Portsmouth NH and was part of the MMM formation community in New York. She lived in the VNA on Highland Senior Care Residence in Somerville, near our community house there. Throughout her life, she was present to the needs of her family and was often care-giver for her siblings all of whom have died before her. She is the last of a generation of a loving, caring family.
In all the many roles Ronnie had, in all the places she ministered, it was not her tall height that brought attention to her, but it was how much she loved people, was so caring and always had a genuine interest remembering so many meaningful details in the life of each patient, family member, resident, parishioner, client, or neighbour. She was loved by so many for her caring manner and that carried over into her life in MMM community over the years. Her last years of life have been spent as a resident of the VNA on Highland Senior care facility where, again, she was part of the family and much loved. The care she received there was wonderful, and she was always so grateful. May Ronnie rest in peace surrounded by her loving family, all those she cared for over the years and her many friends and companions on her life’s journey. Her grave is situated in Holy Cross Cemetery, Malden MA.
Sr. Maura Magner, born Maria Rose, was a native of Rathkeale, Co. Limerick. It was there she had her early education,and her secondary level education was in Foynes, Co. Limerick. Like many young Irish girls of her generation, after school she went to England to train as a nurse. She qualified as a Registered Nurse in Scarsdale Hospital in Chesterfield. Later she worked in London and in the Isle of Wight where she completed her midwifery training in 1954. Sr. Maura continued her nursing career in England, and later Canada, but the call to religious life was insistent.
She joined MMM in 1961. After her initial religious formation, Sr. Maura was assigned to Nigeria. For three years she worked as a Ward Sister in Ibadan Hospital. Her administrative skills were noted. In 1968 she was recalled to Drogheda and asked to help in the Hospital Laundry administration for just over a year.
Finally, Sr. Maura returned to nursing. Following Final Profession in 1970 Sr. Maura went to Uganda for three years as relief Matron in Kitovu Hospital. This time again, her overseas assignment came to an end by a call from home! Would she help with a Mission Awareness programme? Ever adaptable and good natured, Sr. Maura set off on her next assignment to the schools and parishes of Ireland.
Sr. Maura’s next adventure was training to be a Clinical Nurse Trainer. The studies were in Scotland and in our own Nursing School in Drogheda was the practical part. With these studies safely completed, Sr. Maura returned to her beloved Nigeria, this time to Ogoja, Ondo and finally Mafoluku. This time she was allowed to stay for more than 20 years before finally returning to Europe.
Initially she lived in England in Romiley, Cheshire, where she did Mission Awareness and was an active member of her parish. She also volunteered in a local nursing home. Later she moved to Solihull. Here she continued her work in Mission Awareness and found time to volunteer in a local hospital. She was also a member of St. Vincent de Paul Society and a Eucharistic minister.
Over the years Sr. Maura faced many health challenges, part of this involved an extended stay in Beaumont Hospital, Dublin. Throughout all her illness, she remained positive, cooperating fully with all that was asked of her and the treatment she was now receiving. There was a tranquillity and serenity about her, seeming to rise to all challenges, whether it was caring for a very ill patient in her nursing days or facing her own physical challenges.
Since she was a child, Sr. Maura has loved horses and horse racing. She found time to sit and watch the famous races and always offered an opinion on the horse that would win. But she never once placed a bet on the horse!
As her health needs increased, Sr. Maura finally returned to Ireland in 2013 and moved to Aras Mhuire for extra care in 2019 after the spell in Beaumont Hospital. Her final days were tranquil, and she died quietly and peacefully on September 8th, 2025. She is buried in St. Peter’s Cemetery, Drogheda.
Sr. Kathleen Crowley was born in Macroom, County Cork, Ireland, in February 1940. She was one of a family of four, two boys and two girls. Kathleen was educated locally, both at nursery and Primary level followed by a Secretarial Course in the Technical College there.
She entered MMM in Drogheda in October 1960. After her initial formation period, postulancy and novitiate, her first assignment was to the office in the Maternity Hospital. She was an excellent Receptionist and Secretary, very sociable and very understanding of the patients and their families as they came in and out.
Her first overseas assignment came in 1973. It was to the Turkana Desert in Kenya. There she was involved in a wide variety of activities. In Turkana she worked with women’s’ groups teaching them skills like Mandaleo. This craft work enabled them to make beautiful baskets and other items which they were then able to sell, thus providing them with some income. She was also coordinator of Women’s’ groups helping in their education and development.
She was Administrator in Kakuma Hospital for some months.
For four years she combined the ministries of Diocesan Secretary and Medical Coordinator of the Health Centre. When Lodwar was handed over to the Diocese in 2009, Kathleen moved to Nairobi and became the Marketing and Sales Manager for Turkana Women’s groups until 2013.
She was also Regional Secretary in Nairobi for four years.
Kathleen was a great character – full of personality, highly sociable and passionate in her love for Irish games, hurling and football, especially when Cork was playing and preferably winning!
In 2013 Kathleen began to have health issues and was assigned to Beechgrove where she worked in Áras Mhuire and helped generally in the house. But in 2017 her health began to deteriorate further, and she was admitted to Áras Mhuire in February 2018 for much needed care. She was happy in Aras Mhuire and had many happy times there before her final illness. Her general condition worsened somewhat unexpectedly on April 26th, and she slipped away quietly on April 27th.
She is buried in St. Peter’s Cemetery, Drogheda.
Sr. Brigid Egbuna was born in Calabar in March 1954, one of a pair of identical twins, and had her early education in Onitcha and her secondary education with the Holy Child Sisters in Ikot Ekpene and Abakaliki. She joined MMM in 1973, straight from school.
After Profession of Vows, she trained as a nurse in Anua and as a midwife in Afikpo. Her first assignment was to Angola, so she first went to Portugal to study Portuguese and the worked in Angola for ten years, both in Chiulo Hospital and in Lubango which was more focused in primary health care.
On her return to Nigeria, she worked in Amukoko Community Health Project and then became matron of Abakaliki Hospital for six years. In 2001 she had a short break. She was able to visit family in the USA and have some time for personal renewal in Little Falls MN.
Back in Nigeria she worked for some years in administrative roles in both Urua Akpan and Abuja before being assigned to Zaffe in the Republic of Benin. Here she worked for several years before returning to Nigeria only recently. At the time of her unexpected death following surgery in Eleta, Ibanan, she was working in Codusow, Benin City. She died on March 17th, 2025. Her funeral Mass in the MMM Chapel in Benin City was on April 3rd, 2025 followed by burial in the MMM plot.
Sr. Brigid was known as a quiet, reliable, “solid” woman who took responsibility well. She will be dearly missed. May she rest in peace.
Sr. Ursula Cott, baptised Elizabeth, was born in Ballyclough, County Cork, in August 1940 and her early education was in the local schools.
Sr. Ursula joined MMM in 1959 when she was eighteen. Soon after her initial formation period was over, she went to Dublin and studied at Cathal Brugha Technical College for aa institutional management certificate. Then she was the Catering Supervisor in the IMTH Hospital (now Our Lady of Lourdes) for three years. After this assignment she transferred to Waterford and was Catering Supervisor at Airmount Maternity Hospital for a further three years.
In 1971, Sr. Ursula went to Nigeria, to Abakaliki and Ogoja, where she was responsible for Women’s Training Programmes. In 1978, she was requested for Mission Promotion work in USA. Based in Chicago, she coordinated Mission Development in the Mid-West region for four years.
In 1984, Sr. Ursula went to Brazil, first to the city of Sao Paulo, and later in the northeastern State of Bahia. In Bahia she worked in Paraiso de Jacobina, Salvador and Feira de Santana. In all the communities in Brazil, Sr. Ursula worked in pastoral care and human development. Her particular attention was to the empowerment and on-going education of women. She was known to be a tenacious campaigner for women’s rights and yet, knew how to relax and she had a great sense of humour. She was a practical, down to earth person with a great love for the poor.
In 2012, Sr. Ursula went to USA, where she cared for our elderly and frail Sisters in the Somerville MA community. She also did pastoral work in Malden for some months. In 2016, she returned to Ireland and continued caring for the elderly until her own health needs became more pressing.
Finally, she transferred to Áras Mhuire Nursing Home in 2020. Her health deteriorated slowly, and her death came peacefully on February 6th during the night. Her Funeral Mass was celebrated on February 11th in the Motherhouse and her cremation service in Dardistown, Dublin. She is buried in St. Peter’s Cemetery, Drogheda.
