SISTER MAUREEN McBRIDE

Maureen McBride was a member of the French Province for only 15 months when a tragic car accident took her from us on Saturday 26 November 2016, at about 11 00 am. But like all RNDMs, we knew and appreciated her as our Congregation Leader; and during the illness which struck her in the course of her first mandate she came several times to rest in the calm of our hospitality house at St Rambert-en-Bugey. At the end of her second mandate as Congregation Leader she expressed the desire to come to France to be in charge of the development project for our hospitality house. So in this she had a special bond with France.

Maureen Ann Majella, born 8 November 1953, was the only daughter of Edna and Michael Noel McBride, born after four boys. She was the joy of her parents. She grew up in Nelson, a magnificent region in the north of the South Island of New Zealand, with its beautiful beaches, its major walks and its wonderful climate. Her primary and secondary education were spent at the school and college of the Sisters of our Lady of the Missions in Nelson. Without doubt her religious missionary vocation was awoken there. In addition, she had heard during her childhood the story of her great aunt, Sister Mary Victoire McBride RNDM, a missionary to Bangladesh where she died of cholera. She also had a school friend, Erin Mary McGuire, with whom she shared her hopes and who later became a Little Sister of the Poor.

At the end of her schooling, she entered our novitiate in Christchurch and, after two years of formation she made her first profession of vows on 30 December 1974. Intellectually very gifted, she then undertook university studies and obtained her Masters degree in French and German language and literature at the University of Auckland. She loved study; she was passionate about reading and was always exploring new areas of knowledge. After a year of formation at Teachers’ College, she was appointed as teacher at our Lower Hutt Sacred Heart College where she taught French and German as well as being head of religious education. Maureen’s enthusiasm for study led her to encourage young people to develop their full potential.  At this time, a very strong movement for justice and peace was born in the Church; developments in social analysis led to a much deeper understanding of what was happening in society, and how we could respond in faith and action. Maureen was deeply committed to this movement.

In 1986 she undertook studies at the Maryknoll Institute New York and obtained a Masters in Social Theology – Justice and Peace. At the end of her studies she lived for six months in Senegal (Mboro); she greatly appreciated this experience and it left a deep impression on her. On her return to New Zealand, she taught at the Institute of Theology in Auckland.

Maureen had a great desire to be sent on international mission, and in 1992 her desire was realised when she was named for the Philippines mission. She immersed herself completely in her new mission, learning the Tagalog language in order to understand the life and culture of the country. She loved the Philippines and the people. Numerous religious and lay people benefitted from her teaching, her generosity and her friendship. Responsible for the formation of our first two Filipino Sisters – Fe Felizarta and Cora Cagalawan – she also taught at the Notre Dame University in Cotabato (on the Island of Mindanao in the south of the archipelago). In 2000 she was named leader of our Philippines Region.

2002 was a great year for Maureen; she went as a delegate to the General Chapter of the Congregation and was elected Congregation Leader. Re-elected for a second mandate in 2008, she accomplished considerable work in the course of 12 years of leadership of the Congregation and she expanded the horizons of our missionary hearts:

• Under her government, the decision was taken in 2004 to establish a common programme for the formation of RNDMs in temporary commitment, to prepare them for final vows. This programme was established in Davao (Philippines) and an international team was named. The first group of Sisters was welcomed to Davao in 2006.
• Maureen’s enthusiasm for mission led her to commit six RNDMs to the Union of Major Superiors’ project “Solidarity with South Sudan” and she became the first project president. Other missions were opened in Kazakhstan, Taiwan, Laos and on the border between Thailand and Myanmar, at Kawthaung and Ranong.
• In 2011 the 150^th anniversary of the foundation of our Congregation was celebrated in all Provinces and Regions and this led to a spiritual renewal, a strengthening of our unity and a new outburst of missionary zeal, to say nothing of a renewal of our administrative and financial structures
• Maureen was passionate about deepening the knowledge of our identity as Religious of Our Lady of the Missions. When she was re-elected in 2008, a significant item of her mandate had been the re-writing of our Constitutions. A 4-year process committed each member of the whole Congregation to a work of reflection and sharing. This was an extraordinary experience of deepening the essence of our call to a life of consecration for mission with the key elements being Contemplation, Communion and Mission. On Thursday 24 November 2016, just 2 days before her death, Sister Josephine Kane, Congregation Leader, put into Maureen’s hands the first copy of the new Constitutions which had just arrived from the printer. Her task was accomplished; her face was radiant.

Thanks to her visits to the provinces and regions, Maureen came to know each RNDM personally, which is why such a deep and heart-felt pain was experienced throughout the Congregation when her untimely death was announced.

As Sister Josephine said on Thursday 1 December, at the time of Maureen’s funeral celebrated in the church at St Rambert-en-Bugey by the Episcopal Vicar of the diocese surrounded by 8 priests, and before a large number of mourners among whom were two of her cousins representing her family: Tania McBride from Israel and KellyAnn McBride from England  –

“Maureen, you have been this valiant woman, diligent and solid in your service at the level of the Congregation, the Church and society. You have given without counting the cost, and you have given yourself fully to all that has been asked of you. You have been open to broader horizons, learning from your experiences and always ready to share your knowledge with others … with kindness and conviction. You have left us a heritage of writings and research from your sabbatical year in Nijmegen (Holland). You have been strong, accepting difficulties with courage and hope. We want to express our gratitude for the gift you have been to each one of us. For many, you have been light in the darkness, and the hope which brings vision and possibility … and you have been that for the whole Congregation and for many others religious and lay people. For us you have revived the flame …

May you now be able to rest in the eternal Love and Peace of God!”