Nationality: Irish
Congregational Register No: 242
D.O.B. 26.03.1928
First Profession: 07.09.1952
Died: 16.03.2000 Aged: 71 years

Born in Dublin and baptized Patricia, Sr. Petria had been working in a bank before she came to MMM on 3 October 1949.

She studied medicine in University College Dublin, taking first place in her final examinations. Medicine was to be her life’s work until she became unable to continue in 1992 because of failing health.

Her dedication to her patients covered not only time in Drogheda but also in Nigeria, Angola, Taiwan and Tanzania, where she worked in both Dareda and Kabanga.

She was a very intense person and put her whole self into everything that she did, but her loving concern for everyone with whom she came into contact balanced this.

A Sister who lived with her in Tanzania recalled: ‘It was no trouble to Petria to knit, listen to music and play Scrabble at the one time and still get the highest score! The knitting was usually a warm vest or blanket for one of the premature babies so dear to Petria’s heart. She lived out every day our MMM call to care especially for the mother and child.’

After returning to Ireland, she worked in Beechgrove in the guest department, where she was always present with a welcoming smile. Illness meant she could not continue this ministry. She had twenty months of serious illness, until God finally called her to new life on 16 March 2000.

Sr. Petria died in Drogheda and is buried there.