Sister Moira Ross (Mary Raymond)
Moira was born in Wellington in 1925 one of four children of Joseph and Elizabeth Ross. Her two brothers Des and Kevin, both deceased, and a younger sister, Barbara. Barbara and Moira shared the same birthday date, the 12th July. Moira often told us that her best ever birthday present, on her third birthday, was the arrival of her little sister.
Moira went to school at St Peter and Paul’s Lower Hutt and then onto Sacred Heart College where she was Dux. From an early age music was part of her life. She was taught piano at the convent in Margaret Street and gained both LTCL and LRSM qualifications. She never relinquished her love of music. It was a gift she shared with so many – playing for church liturgies, for the elderly in rest homes and she was the centre of many a “sing-a-long” for the sisters and friends. Even in her last years her eyes lit up and her fun loving nature was evident when she touched the keys of the piano.
On the occasion of her golden jubilee in 1998 she was interviewed by the Dominion Post and this is what she said of her vocation and the influence of one sister in particular. “This sister was a lovely person I admired and respected very much. The year after I left college she died of cancer. She was only 43. I thought I would like to go and take her place.” That sister was a Sister Raymond and when Moira entered the novitiate in 1945 she not only took her place but her name too.
Moira was professed as an RNDM in 1948 and then began a period of training and study and the start of her wonderfully successful teaching career in many of our Sacred Heart Colleges in New Zealand. She was appointed Principal in several of them. She particularly loved her time at Sacred Heart Napier and the Ross building that bears her name is testimony of their gratitude to her. She was a great correspondent and kept in touch with many of her students over a number of years.
The last years of her full time teaching were at Logo’ipulotu College, Savaii, Samoa. A few years ago she wrote a couple of pages highlighting a number of her life’s special memories. This was what she recalled about Samoa: “The initial culture shock and loneliness merging into love of the people with their smiling faces, generous acceptance and harmony of song, rhythmic beauty of dance, the blue green ocean, white beaches and swaying palms.” Incidentally she loved swimming.
In 1984 Moira’s life did a U-turn when she was elected to our leadership team in Rome. For the next six years she was part of the international team responsible for the sisters and works of our congregation in many parts of the world. For someone who hated flying this was very challenging as she flew not as a tourist but as a missionary to and from countries like Myanmar, Bangladesh, India, Kenya, Senegal and in the western world Italy, Canada, France, the British Isles, Australia and home. One can only imagine the wealth of experiences and cultures encountered during those six years as well as the difficulties, joys and sometimes the pain. She is still remembered with love in all those places.
In 1990 Moira came home to New Zealand and Lower Hutt. For a few more years she assisted in leadership roles here and in Samoa until 1996 when she retired to our Province House (then in Bloomfield Terrace.) Here she began her new pastoral ministry. She visited families, took communion to the sick, joined the Vincent de Paul, taught English to the International Students at Sacred Heart College and she was chaplain to the Women’s League in the parish until her failing health made it necessary for her to go into care at Aroha Care Home in Taita.
Moira was one of the most loved sisters in the congregation. Love, kindness, prayerfulness and faithfulness permeated her life.
Moira spent the last four years at Aroha Care Centre and always spoke gratefully of their care. In spite of increasing frailty and diminishment it was a joy to visit and reminisce with her.
Moira had not been well during the days leading up to her death on October 18. Her funeral celebration held on Tuesday 24 October in the St Peter and Paul’s Church, was one of joy with much music and song. The song which Moira composed in 1986, “Woman of Faith” was referred to in the eulogy given by Sister Valerie Lawson and sung with great love by the sisters.
Father Patrick Bridgman was the main celebrant with Father Jim Lyons sharing some words of wisdom about Moira, reflecting on the way she “beamed love into her community of Sisters, into the parish, into her family and into his life.”
Moira was buried at the Taita Cemetery on a beautiful sunny day.
Moira was a wonderful example to all of us of the joy of living and has touched thousands of lives during her life as teacher, a missionary and leader in the congregation. May she now rest in peace.