100 years old! Sr. Colette Anne McLeod
Icon for St. Matthew's, Jarrow
The Daughters of Mary and Joseph
ask your prayers for their dearSister Joan
who died on 2nd August 2010
in the 56th year of her religious profession
aged 76 years.The Requiem Mass was celebrated on
Friday 20th August 2010 at 11.30 a.m.
in The Chapel, Layhams Road,
West Wickham, KentMay she rest in peace.
Click Here to read the Eulogy
The funeral was a great tribute to Sr. Joan's life of love and compassion. Around 800 people attended an Ecumenical service in New Addington on Thursday evening and about 400 were at the Requiem Mass on Friday. There were people from many places and walks of life including friends, DMJs, family, bishops and priests.
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_[320x200].jpg "Fr. John O'Donoghue, Joan's cousin")
_[320x200].jpg "Fr. Tony Charlton")
_[320x200].jpg "Fr. John, Bishop Pat Lynch, Bishop Howard Tripp")
_[320x200].jpg "Sr. Margaret Eason dmj")
.jpg "A Final Farewell")
Sunday 25th April 2010 was a day of celebration for two of our sisters. Sr. Margaret Moloney celebrated her Golden Jubilee, 50 years of religious life, with mass at Coloma Court Care Home and lunch with the sisters and some of her family in St. Joseph's community.
At the same time, in Herne Bay. Sr Margaret Homan celebrated her Platinum Jubilee, 70 years of religious life, with DMJ's and sisters from St. Peter's Care Home where she lives.
100 years old! Sr. Colette Anne McLeod
On 20th April 2010 Sr. Colette Anne celebrated her 100th birthday.When she was born in Scotland in 1910 her parents were told, so the story goes, that she would not last a day. Look at her now 100 years on!
When she entered with the Daughters of Mary and Joseph she went to Belgium and with the outbreak of World War II was unable to return. Most of her working life was spent there. After she returned to England and retired she found another ministry as a "lollipop lady". She also became very involved in the Charismatic Renewal.
The big birthday was celebrated by a special mass in the nursing Home which was televised so that Sr. Colette Anne could watch in her room. Later there was tea with the community and a cake to be shared.
Coloma School 140th Anniversary Mass
On Monday September 28th Westminster cathedral was filled with a sea of blue blazers as the 1000 pupils of Coloma and 700 guests gathered to celebrate 140 years of the school. Having begun in 1869 with 3 sisters and one pupil, Coloma has become a thriving and successful school specialising in Music and Science.
Mass was celebrated by Fr. Robert Hamilton cj, the Superior General of the Josephites who, like the DMJs, were founded by Canon Co
nstant William van Crombrugghe. In his sermon he pointed out how this young priest in 19th century Belgium had recognised the importance for sodiety of giving young women a good Christian and academic education. Coloma continues this work today and this year will be dedicating their charity work to the new Coloma primary school in Uganda.
The music was beautifully led by the Coloma special choir. Pupils, governors and staff read, served and took part in the offertory procession.
At the beginning of the Mass Mrs. Maureen Martin, the Headmistress and a DMJ Associate, thanked everyone for their contributions to the day and over the years. At the end of Mass Sr. Linda Webb, the DMJ Superior General also said a few words of thanks and encouragement.
For more Click hereSaturday and Sunday 26th and 27th September were very busy and very joyful days for the DMJs of the English region as we met in Emmaus for our Autumn Days.
On Saturday we were facilitated by Sr. Raymunda Jordan OP. in moving towards a more Gospel life together in community. She pointed out that now is a Holy Saturday moment for religious and urged us to focus on being in communion for mission rather than the getting hung up on the structure of community. Each community then met to pray and decide on a response, a concrete step, to help us grow in our life together.
In the evening, the sisters who taken part in the celebrations of the Golden Jubilee in Uganda shared their experience with us.
On Sunday Sr. Linda and Sr. Kate, from the general team, worked with us on our journey towards the General Chapter 2010. We began with reflection and faith sharing on the Gospel of the day (Mark: 9:38-43,45,47-48). We asked ourselves how this spoke to the aim of the day which was "to facilitate in faith the reawakening of the Regional purpose..." We agreed on the following:
"As women of hope and integrity our purpose is to deepen our relationship with Christ in prayer and contemplation so that we may respond with compassion to the spiritual needs and the fragmentation of our society in England today. We reach out especially to those "for whom society says ‘there is no place for you here'".
We then went on to consider this might point to for the Congregational purpose and began to reflect on the type of leadership structure which could facilitate this.
In the middle of the day we took time out to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of Sr. Bernadette Lecluyse and the diamond jubilee of Sr. Teresa McManus. Both spent many years in Africa. Sr. Teresa lived and worked in Burundi, mainly with prisoners. Sr. Bernadette was also in Burundi before she was elected as Superior General. After her time in office she became a hermit, first in Cameroon and then here in England. Mass was celebrated by Fr. Richard Lear cj in the Emmaus chapel followed by a wonderful lunch.
We are also very happy to welcome Sr. Clarisse Nirere from Burundi who will be studying here.
O
n the evening of Friday, 25th September 2009, the Daughters of Mary and Joseph celebrated the 40th Anniversary of their arrival at the Parish of St Andrew, Thornton Heath.
Bishop Paul Hendricks was the main celebrant of a mass at which the sisters renewed their vows. He was joined by Fr. Francis Moran (parish priest), former parish priests and clergy from the deanery. There were many DMJs, parishioners and friends. It was a wonderful celebration followed by a typical Thornton Heath feast in the hall.
_[320x200].JPG "Sr. Colette Anne and her card from the Queen")
Father Francis commented: 'Many, many thousands of parishioners of St Andrews are greatly indebted to the Sisters, who have lived
and worked among us over the last four decades. They have helped countless young people, visited the elderly and sick at home and in Mayday Hospital and given tremendous practical help to those on the margins of society in this area. It is great to have this opportunity to recognise and celebrate all they do. Long May it continue.'
For more photos click here. For another report click hereDMJ Sisters in Thornton Heath Community since 1969
Kathleen Rathe, Parish Sister 1969 -1992 RIP
Patrick O'Grady, House and parish 1969 -1971 RIP
Sheila Jerome, Student Nurse 1969 -1970
Teresa Clements, Teaching Coloma
and parish 1969 -1970 RIP
Anatolia Kabarebiraho, Student and parish
1969 -1970 Africa
Mary Anastasia O'Connor, Teaching St. Anne's, Sanderstead
1970 -1971 RIP
Marie Paula Tomei, Head Teacher Regina Ceoli
1971 -1974 RIP
Pauline Plummer, Teaching and parish 1971 -1978
Margaret Mary Davis, Ministry to Irish Travellers/parish
1971 -1973 Ireland
Celia Beale, Teaching St. Joseph's 1974 -1975
Margaret Eager, Teaching St. James the Great
1974 -1992 RIP
Mary Peter O'Leary, Parish Sister 1975 -1992 RIP
Jennifer Condron, Ministry to Irish Travellers
1976 -1978 RIP
Bernardine Angel, Forces Chaplaincy 1985 -1988
Annette Lawrence, Novice on placement in parish
at "The Passage" and at Coloma. 1988 -1989
Teaching St. Mary's, then Coloma 1995 -1999
Student 1999 -2001
Retreat work/congregational 2006 - now
Sylvia Probst, Retired missionary 1988 -1989 RIP
Sheila Barrett, Nursing Mayday 1990 -1993
Paula Spark, Student Nurse and parish 1990 -1995
Joyce Anderson, Retired and parish 1992 -1993 RIP
Susan Cogan, Parish Sister 1992 -1997
Ann Jordan, parish 1992 (4months)
Margaret Eason, Lecturer in Scriptureat Seminary
w/e parish 1991 -1997
Mary Goretti Betchetti, Wickham Court Nursing Home
1993 -1996
Agnes O'Shea, Parish Sister 1995 -1996
Student 2007 -2008
Deirdre Slade, Retreat work and parish
1996 -1997
Noreen Murray, Nursing Cardinal Hume centre
1996 -1998
Teresa McManus, Retired and parish 1997 -2000
Mary Jude Parkinson Parish Sister 1998 - now
Margaret Moloney, Retired and parish 2001 -2005
Beatrice Ndayubaha Student and parish 2002 -2004 Africa
Sheila Moloney, Mayday Hospital Chaplaincy
Congregational Ministry 2004 -now
Jennie Eldridge Parish Sister 2009 -now
Icon for St. Matthew's, Jarrow
When St. Matthew's Church in Jarrow was redecorated last year, Fr. Peter Martin, the parish priest wanted to replace the icon of the Mother of God of Perpetual Succour in the lady chapel. On Easter Tuesday the new Icon, written by the hand of Sr. Annette Lawrence dmj, was blessed and put in place in the altar.
The new icon is in the traditional colours of older Orthodox icons. The Mother of God wears the red of humanity as her outer cloak with the blue of the spiritual for her inner garment. Jesus wears the gold and whiteof the divinity and uncreated light. He looks towards the angels carrying the instruments of the passion while gently supported by his mother.
The Daughters of Mary and Joseph
ask your prayers for their dearSister Mary Baptist
who died on Ist November 2008
in the 65 th year of her religious profession
aged 94 years.The Requiem Mass was celebrated on
Thursday 13th November 2008
in The Chapel, Layhams Road,
West Wickham, KentMay she rest in peace.
Click Here to read the Eulogy
The Daughters of Mary and Joseph ask your prayers for their dear
Sister Leonard
(Mary Harrison )who died on 26th September 2008
in the 67 th year of her religious profession
aged 88 years.The Requiem Mass was celebrated on Friday 3rd October 2008
at 1 pm in the Emmaus Chapel, West Wickham, Kent.For the Words of remembrance shared at Sr. Lennie's Requiem Click Here.
