Mary Francesca Dempsey

Mary Francesca was born in Tokaanu in Waihi Village in 1931, the youngest of 9 children to Catherine and Thomas Dempsey.  She grew up with her family of six sisters and two brothers in Little Waihi, a Tuwharetoa village situated on the southern shores of Lake Taupo.

Mary Francesca was baptised Patricia Mary but was often known affectionately as Baby.   Growing up she remembers her childhood as “lovely”.  The story is told of how she would go out the back gate to the lake and catch a trout for the evening meal.  Her father went to Little Waihi to help the Catholic Priest manage the butter factory and being the only European family amongst the Maori villagers, Mary Francesca gained at an early age, a respect and love for the Maori people which remained with her all her life.

She received her primary education from the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart at the convent school overlooking the beautiful lake.  She was a strong young girl and would often carry sacks of flour or sugar up the hill to the convent for the sisters.  The seeds of her vocation were sown by the Sisters of St Joseph and by her parents who were great models of living faith.

She attended Sacred Heart Girls’ College Hamilton as a boarder for her secondary education.  These were fun-loving days when she would dance and sing and enjoy life in the boarding school.  It was here she met the Mission Sisters and following their example, she wanted to take up the challenge to “go and teach all nations”.

In 1949 Patricia made the trip to Christchurch to join the sisters of Our Lady of the Missions.  When she began her Novitiate in August 1950 she was given the name Mary Francesca which she has been known by ever since.  Straight after her profession in 1952 she began her long teaching career.  There must be thousands of people all over the world who can look back with gratitude to the education they received in Mary Francesca’s’ classroom.  She taught in Hamilton, Panmure, Opunake, Morrinsville, New Plymouth, Frankton and finally Cambridge, the latter where she spent 40 years of her life.   She taught middle classes and was well-loved for her engaging and encouraging methods of teaching.  She was able to get the best out of her pupils.

She was often responsible for the First Communion classes and teaching the sacramental programme was a great joy to her.   In later years she also prepared adults for the reception of the sacraments.

Wherever she was teaching, she was renowned for the speech competitions, dramas and productions she would put on.  Every year there would be a Christmas production and sometimes theses were very big events.   She always had the help of others.  She had a way of getting people involved and someone was always obliging enough to put up that poster or curtain or make some prop for a production.  She was gifted in her ability to draw others in and although she didn’t play an instrument she was very musical.

Mary Francesca loved sport. She was herself a great netballer and she always took teams to the Catholic netball tournaments in Auckland and would coach from the side-line.   She was energetic and loved to watch her team play and win.  She followed rugby and netball religiously and thoroughly enjoyed the America’s Cup racing especially when it was in Auckland.

In 1981, Mary Francesca attended the Spiritual Life renewal programme in Rome.  This would have been a time of meeting new people and experiencing something of the world outside of New Zealand.

Cambridge became home to Mary Francesca in 1977.  She taught in the school for 16 years and when she retired, she worked in the parish, helping the parish priest and touching many lives with her care and love.  Whatever she did, she did to perfection.

In the later years of her life she was really restricted physically by the arthritis she suffered from.  However she didn’t complain and it didn’t stop her from involvement with people, dreaming up new ideas and coaching others.

Mary Francesca had an ability to draw people out of themselves and over the last few years of her life at Atawhai Assisi Rest Home, she became, for many, a listening ear and a caring presence.  The staff would seek her advice and ask her to pray for them in difficult situations.  She was “missionary” to the end.  Her wish to “go and teach all nations”, may not have taken her outside of New Zealand but she definitely touched the lives of many from different nations.

Mary Francesca died peacefully at Atawhai Assisi hospital on Wednesday 31 January.   Having spent the last several years of her life at Atawhai Assisi Rest Home it was fitting that a time of ‘Prayer and Remembering’ for Mary Francesca was held in the chapel at Assisi.  Many of her past pupils spoke lovingly of the education and friendship they received from her. On Monday, 5 February, about 250 people gathered in the Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Hamilton East for her Requiem Mass.  Bishop Steve Low celebrated the Eucharist accompanied by Bishop Dennis Brown and several other priests of the diocese.  This was an indication of the esteem that Mary Francesca was held in; in the diocese and the work she had done over many years.

Mary Francesca’s life was characterized by her love of people and care of others, her creativity and a sense of fun along with determination and a strength of will.  Her strong commitment to her religious life and dedication to the rosary and to St Joseph helped her through many difficult times.  May she rest in peace.