On July 15 we remember with gratitude our Newfoundland Mercy foundress, Sister Mary Francis Creedon, who died on this day in 1855 at the age of 44 years.
Francis was, in the words of Sister Kathrine Bellamy “The Steadfast Woman,” a woman who trusted, loved and lived in the midst of seemingly insurmountable difficulties, setbacks, conflict, loss and suffering, as well as in the joys of loving companionship, shared hopes and dedicated service.
Francis was a newly professed sister living at Baggot Street when Catherine McAuley died in November of 1841. She was among the sisters named in the codicil of Catherine’s will, charged with the preservation of the charism of Mercy. This awesome trust Francis took to heart, as was evident in her whole-hearted embrace of the mission of Mercy to the people of St. John’s. In the late 1840s and early 1850s she and her sisters became familiar figures in the lanes and alleyways of St. John’s, bringing food, comfort and hope to people, many of whom lived in deplorable poverty and wretchedness.
By the Spring of 1855 the struggles and hardships of the early days of the mission, school responsibilities, regular visitation of the sick even in times of epidemics, instruction of young women who were entering the Order, opening an orphanage and an infirmary to care for sick orphans at Mercy Convent all began to take a toll on Francis’ health. However, on July 2, less than two weeks before her death, she presided at a ceremony for the reception of Anastasia Tarrahan, the first Newfoundland-born woman to enter the community.
When Francis died on July 15, only four young sisters, one of them a novice, were left to carry on the mission. Undoubtedly inspired by her spirit and example, they created a legacy of compassion, commitment and courage that has characterized our congregation to this day. For this, we are grateful to Francis Creedon and to all our foremothers in Mercy. Having received Mercy, Francis did indeed become Mercy. This is our call, our challenge, our gift…
- Read more Sisters stories documenting our Newfoundland Mercy Story
El 15 de julio recordamos con gratitud a nuestra fundadora de la Misericordia de Terranova, la Hermana Mary Francis Creedon, que murió un día como hoy en 1855 a la edad de 44 años.
Francis fue, en palabras de la Hermana Kathrine Bellamy “La Mujer Firme”, una mujer que confió, amó y vivió en medio de dificultades aparentemente insuperables, contratiempos, conflictos, pérdidas y sufrimientos, así como en las alegrías del compañerismo amoroso, las esperanzas compartidas y el servicio dedicado.
Francis era una hermana recién profesa que vivía en Baggot Street cuando Catherine McAuley murió en noviembre de 1841. Estaba entre las hermanas nombradas en el codicilo del testamento de Catalina, encargadas de preservar el carisma de la Misericordia. Francisco se tomó muy a pecho este impresionante encargo, como quedó patente en su adhesión incondicional a la misión de la Misericordia para el pueblo de San Juan. A finales de la década de 1840 y principios de la de 1850, ella y sus hermanas se convirtieron en figuras familiares en las callejuelas y callejones de St. John’s, llevando comida, consuelo y esperanza a las personas, muchas de las cuales vivían en una pobreza y miseria deplorables.
En la primavera de 1855, las luchas y penurias de los primeros días de la misión, las responsabilidades escolares, las visitas regulares a los enfermos incluso en tiempos de epidemias, la instrucción de las jóvenes que ingresaban en la Orden, la apertura de un orfanato y de una enfermería para atender a los huérfanos enfermos en el Convento de la Misericordia empezaron a hacer mella en la salud de Francis. Sin embargo, el 2 de julio, menos de dos semanas antes de su muerte, presidió una ceremonia para la recepción de Anastasia Tarrahan, la primera mujer nacida en Terranova que ingresaba en la comunidad.
A la muerte de Francisco, el 15 de julio, sólo quedaban cuatro hermanas jóvenes, una de ellas novicia, para continuar la misión. Inspiradas sin duda por su espíritu y su ejemplo, crearon un legado de compasión, compromiso y valentía que ha caracterizado a nuestra congregación hasta nuestros días. Por ello, estamos agradecidas a Francis Creedon y a todas nuestras antecesoras en la Misericordia. Habiendo recibido Misericordia, Francisco se convirtió en Misericordia. Esta es nuestra llamada, nuestro reto, nuestro regalo…
- Lea más historias de Hermanas que documentan nuestra Historia de Misericordia de Terranova
What must have been their thoughts as they looked upon the forbidding landscape with its towering rocky c liffs and craggy head lands ? Although they had seen poverty in Ireland, t he abject poverty of this place with its rude shacks and derelict fishing stages perched on the side of the hills, would have seared their hearts and minds. Sister Francis had lived in the colony for six years, but for Sisters Ursula and Rose the scene before them must have caused some dismay and distress.
¿Qué debieron de pensar al contemplar el imponente paisaje de acantilados rocosos y escarpados promontorios? Aunque habían visto la pobreza en Irlanda, la abyecta pobreza de este lugar, con sus rudimentarias chozas y sus abandonadas etapas de pesca encaramadas en las laderas de las colinas, les habría abrasado el corazón y la mente. La hermana Francis había vivido en la colonia
By this time, the Sisters had been in Newfoundland for almost a year, a year in which they devoted themselves to the visitation and care of the poor and the sick of the town, traversing the narrow streets and visiting the rude shacks in which many of the Irish Catholics lived. Forty-two pupils were enrolled when the school opened, and in the following year fifty-five students were in attendance.
The Fourth Sunday of Easter, also known as Good Shepherd Sunday, has been celebrated as Vocation Sunday since 1964. 
Mary, the woman we know as Mother of God, was one like us, a person who lived each day and faced the joys and the challenges of each day. We meet her first in Scripture as a frightened adolescent who is being asked to do an almost impossible thing. The last time we meet her in Scripture she is an older woman, more confident perhaps, yet still being asked to do an almost impossible thing
In my home province of Newfoundland and Labrador, when anyone meets a stranger, the first questions are “What is your name and who are you called after?” and “Who are your parents?” The first page of our New Testament, the beginning words of the Gospel of Matthew, could well have been written by a Newfoundlander! In these words we find the answer to the same questions about Mary
At the Annunciation, a young woman whose name is Mary is visited by an angel who tells her that she is to bear a son who will be special in many ways. When Mary challenges the possibility of this ever happening, the angel’s reply is decisive, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you” (Lk 1:35). With this assurance, the young woman replies, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word” (Lk 1:38)
Mary’s response was immediate. She spoke the most words spoken by any woman in the New Testament. She used echoes of words spoken by the women of the Old Testament: Deborah, Miriam and Hannah. In this song, she passionately gave what the theologian Edward Schillebeeckx called “a toast to our God,” which we call the Magnificat.
In the days before Mary was to give birth, she and Joseph were forced to go to Bethlehem to be counted for the census. They had no choice in this matter. The late stages of Mary’s pregnancy and the difficult journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem did not matter to the political leadership of the day.
On another visit to the Temple to celebrate Passover when Jesus was twelve years old, Jesus remains behind and speaks with the teachers with authority, and then he says these mysterious words to his parents, “Did you not know that I had to be in my Father’s house?” This time the writer tells us that “His mother treasured all these things in her heart.”
The young Jewish peasant girl has become a confident woman, a teacher, a mentor and a commanding presence. She has grown into her calling to be a partner with God in the work of Incarnation and Redemption. Having given life to her son, she now calls him into his new life of public ministry, she remains with him to support and nurture him to the end, and she will remain when he is gone to support and nurture the church which continues his presence on earth.
“Spirituality is that which gives us the strength to go on for it is the assurance that God is in the struggle. Spirituality spells out our connectedness to God, our human roots, the rest of nature, one another and ourselves.” In this way in 1994 the Third World Theologians redefined spirituality and began our thinking on “right relationships.”
Let us reflect on Mary in right relationship with the environment. First we must speak to our emerging understanding of ecology, a new sense of how all creation has been created by God, is good and is interconnected. In the 13th century Meister Eckhart said, “Apprehend God in all things, for God is in all things. Every single creature is full of God and is a book about God. Every creature is a word of God.”
There are several beautiful passages in the Gospels in which we get an understanding of Mary’s sense of self. At the Annunciation, we see Mary’s poignant inner turmoil in the face of an awesome task being asked of her, “But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be” (Luke 1:29). She then asks outright the question, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” (Luke 1:34)
These women ancestors of Jesus suffer indignities and oppression, but live to reflect the face of God, the righteous One, the merciful One, the maternal One, the One who is found in the company of those who are marginalized, oppressed, suffering, poor and powerless. Jesus, the son of Mary, has indeed inherited the qualities of his foremothers.
The beautiful prayer of the Magnificat which Luke ascribes to Mary is a powerful description of Mary in right relationship with other people. While the first part of her psalm focuses on Mary in relationship with her God, the second part expresses Mary’s love for people. Mary rejoices in God her Saviour because God‘s mercy is from generation to generation.
Mary was first and foremost a Jewish woman, a practicing Jew who remained faithful to Judaism. She would have been aware of the Hebrew Scriptures, the sacred books she called Torah and we Christians call the Old Testament. She bears the name of the leader Miriam about whom God said in the book of Micah (6:4), “I brought you up from the land of Egypt, and redeemed you from the house of slavery; and I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam
Sister Elizabeth’s reflections are published online in the Spirituality section under the appropriate liturgical season. They can be read online or downloaded.
We begin our liturgy today with Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, as the people shout, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!” (Matt 21:9). The people were rejoicing in the coming of the Messiah, but they were placing all their hopes in a Messiah who was a king, a mighty and powerful leader, certainly not a Messiah who was a suffering servant, who would die by the lowest form of death possible – crucifixion. They were right to trust in this Prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee. They were mistaken in understanding how this Prophet, this Son of David, this one who was coming in the name of the Lord, would lead them into new life. These same people, when their hopes seem lost, mock Jesus and choose the man Barabbas over him…