Sisters of the Parish
Congratulations
We offer our congratulations and warmest wishes to Sr Margarite, Sr Roseanne and all the Sisters of Charity of Jesus and Mary on their Bi-Centenary which they are celebrating this week (November 2003). The Congregation was founded in Lovendegem, a small village in Belgium in 1803, by Fr Peter Triest and Mother Placide, as a response to the poverty and destitution left in the wake of the Napoleonic wars. The Congregation has spead to many parts of the world including Holland, Ireland, Zaire, India, Pakistan, Australia, New Guinea, Mali, Israel, Rome, South America and the Philippines. We are endebted to the Sisters for agreeing to come to our parish some twelve years ago now and we acknowledge the huge contribution they have made to our parish life. As well as Sr Margarite and Sr Roseanne who are actively involved in so many of our parish activities, we remember with gratitude and affection Sr Fionnuala and Sr Brendan who gave so much of their time and talent to building up our parish community. The Congregation's guiding force and inspiration is to reveal that God is Love - "Deus Caritas est". (extract from Newsletter 2 Nov 2003).
Sr Roseanne
Sr Roseanne joined the Parish Team in December 2002. She is a teacher by profession and has taught in schools in Stevenage and Harlesden. She has also led retreats and worked with Age Concern. She has experience of parish life at Our Lady of Willesden where, amongst other things, she was involved with taking communion to the hospital and to teaching English to refugees. She plans to spend a few months settling in at St Joseph's before deciding which areas of parish life she wants to be involved with.Sr Fionnuala Retires
Following a magnificent service to this parish over a good ten years Sister Fionnuala left us last Sunday for her new home in Dublin. Saying 'goodbye' is never easy, and last Sunday (29/9/02) was no exception. Fionnuala was the first of the Sisters to arrive here in early 1992 and was established even before myself. Principally her work was to co-ordinate our pastoral community care in such places as the hospital (EGH), the housebound and bereaved, Nursing Homes and families in need. These were but some of her tasks, the list goes on and on. Together with the other Sisters, Margarite, who thank God remains with us, and Sister Brendan who died in June, Fionnuala's work and life among us has helped beyond measure our efforts to be a more caring and welcoming community. Sadly for us there is no one to replace Sister Fionnuala. So many of our parishioners' lives have been blessed and touched by her love and care, she had a magic way of being able to be present to so many of us in so may ways. This parish of St Joseph's owes to Sister Fionnuala a great debt of gratitude and by extension our diocese. I know you would want to join me in wishing her every happiness in her future life in Ireland. Sr Fionnuala's words to me last Sunday, were that the past ten years here in Epsom have been some of the happiest of her religious live. May the good Lord reward Fionnuala for all the prayer and good works she did among us. There will be an opportunity for us to say a proper 'Thank you' and farewell in about five weeks time.Sr Fionnuala - plans to retire
Sr Fionnuala has been a member of the Parish Team these last ten years. It is with much regret that I have to tell you that she will be leaving us at the end of this month. Sister Fionnuala has served our parish community unstintingly with energy and with prayer during this time. Of her own volition she has decided that the time is now right for her to move on.I would like to record here our heartfelt thanks to Fionnuala for all her work and in the many small and great ways where she has been so effective as a Team member. We will miss Fionnuala very much indeed. She has served tile parish with great dedication and generosity- Her areas of responsibility have been mainly in the field of pastoral and community care. She has been Chaplain to Epsom General Hospital (Epsom & St Helier NHS Trust) and to Surrey Oaklands Trust (people with mental health problems and learning disabilities). As well as visiting and being on call, this has entailed regular meetings with both Trusts. She has also visited the housebound, the bereaved and families in need. Within the parish itself, Sr Fionnuala has co-ordinated many activities such as our Senior Parishioners' Annual Lunch (including fund raising for this event), the annual Mass for the Sick, Days of Reflection for Eucharistic Ministers, CAFOD Hunger Lunches during Lent and the recruitment and training of new Eucharistic Ministers (in conjunction with Deacon John Brockman).
We will have an opportunity to thank Sister Fionnuala officially at a later date.
Fr Bill (extract from the Newsletter Spring 2002)