Nationality: Irish
Congregational Register No: 428
D.O.B. 20.05.1919
First Profession: 06.05.1959
Died: 17.08.1998 Aged: 79 years

Baptised Mary Catherine and from Drumree, Co. Meath, Sr. Salette entered MMM on 31 May1956. She was a fully qualified nurse on entering.

Did anyone then ever think that she would spend almost forty years ministering in the Hansen’s disease (leprosy) settlements in Nigeria in Ogoja Diocese: in Ikom, Obudu and finally in Ogoja?

To her last days in Ogoja she went out on clinics to people affected by leprosy.

She is remembered as being a very motherly person and showed great trust in the house-girls in Nigeria. Within her own family circle she was much loved. Her nieces were heart-broken on the death of their beloved Auntie Kitty.

Sr. Salette returned home from Nigeria in April 1998 and received treatment in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital. She moved into Beechgrove eventually and appeared to be doing well but unfortunately sustained a fracture of the femur and was readmitted to the hospital. After post-op recovery and convalescence, her condition deteriorated suddenly, and she finally lost consciousness within a week.

She is best remembered in the words from the homily at her funeral Mass for her “love for the people, the [people with leprosy], her kindness to all, her simplicity of life. Ogoja may not be known throughout the world, but Salette was famous in Ogoja”.

Sr. Salette died and is buried in Drogheda.