Monday, 19 July 2010

On Sunday 18^th July, 2010, Bishop Terence Brain celebrated Mass in Salford Cathedral in Thanksgiving for the work of the Holy Family (St. Emily) Sisters who will soon be leaving the diocese after working here for thirty-seven years.  

For almost thirty six of those years, Sister Anne O’Shea (pictured above with Canon Anthony McBride) has been working as a Parish Sister in Salford. Twenty-five of those years have been spent in the Cathedral Parish where she was Parish Sister and Sacristan. The Bishop paid tribute to her and all the Sisters and wished them well in their future work for the Lord wherever that may take them. 

This is how they came to be in Salford: 

Following the Second Vatican Council, the Holy Family Sisters of Saint Emilie, who had worked mainly in education in schools, were encouraged to become more involved in parish and community life.

In the wake of this, in 1973, two sisters, Sister Kathleen and Sister Carmel came to live in the presbytery at Mount Carmel, Salford, and work in the parish. They were joined in 1974 by Sister Anne O’Shea.

When Mount Carmel parish closed, they worked in the united parishes of Mount Carmel and St. Joseph, Ordsall. Sister Anne O’Shea has worked in Salford from 1974 up to the present time. As well as being Parish Sister in Mount Carmel and St. Joseph’s, she has been for many years now Parish Sister at St. John’s Cathedral and Cathedral Sacristan. As well as managing the sacristy, Sister Anne worked with children and adults in the Sacramental Programme, Baptismal Preparation and the Instruction of Converts. She has been a well known name and face in Salford, especially among the poor, the sick and the marginalised, fulfilling Saint Emilie’s wish for her Sisters.

Over those 37 years, a number of other Sisters came and went; Sister Monica, Sister Theresa and Sister Mary. At the moment, as well as Sister Anne O’Shea, the community comprises Sister Margaret O’Riordan, who works in North Manchester General Hospital, Sister Nancy Mogan, who worked for many years in the schools and, having worked in the Cathedral Drop-in Centre, still works at Cornerstone Drop-in Centre.

Their presence, prayer and work has been a blessing to Salford and they will be greatly missed both as people and as religious sisters.

(L to R): Sr. Kathleen, Sr. Margaret, Canon Anthony McBride, Sr. Anne, Sr. Nancy and Sr. Carmel