Sr. Bernadette McGrath (Marie Bernadette)
Marie Bernadette was born in Co. Fermanagh, Northern Ireland, the first child of Eleanor and Hugh McGrath. It was within her family circle of eight brothers and two sisters that Bernadette’s natural gifts for caring, loving and hospitality were nurtured. Her mother Eleanor was known to be a very generous woman and her father Hugh worked hard to make sure Bernadette and her siblings were well provided for. It was within this setting that deep Christian values and practices were nurtured and lived woven with family stories that were enriched around the Family Rosary each night!
How did Bernadette hear about the Sisters of Our Lady of the Missions? She recalled two Sisters visiting her school and then they went to meet her parents who did not live far from the school. In 1957, Bernadette left for Hastings but not before her mother prepared a farewell party. All the neighbours and friends came but, as Bernadette has written in her ‘Early Memories’,” it was sad for Mum and Dad and my brothers and sisters who were very young.” Then she adds, “When I went home for my first visit in 1968, my brothers and sisters did not know me”. This was truly a sad moment for her.
After Profession, Sister Bernadette went to several communities and cheerfully contributed to the life of the community in the ministry of hospitality. She had a great gift to see the good in everyone and everything. She had a grateful heart and delighted in learning new skills from the older Sisters whether it be working in the garden or learning new cooking skills or being taught new, tasty recipes. She would say “they were very good to me”! The simple things in life were her joy and delight. Above all her great joy was that one of her brothers became a Kiltegan Missionary priest. She never missed an opportunity to tell about him and his work among the poor in his parish in Brazil.
In 1975, Bernadette started her Nursing Training in East Sussex Hospital Hastings, gaining her SEN and spending years caring for the sick and elderly in Hastings, Brighton, Guisley. Perhaps best of all were her seven years in Kenya, from 1985 to 1992. In the famine years she worked in Kabaa Dispensary with another one of our Sisters. On her return she was missioned to Sturry for a while and finally to Beech Court, Deal where she endeared herself to the community and helped in so many ways.
Over a significant length of time, Bernadette was manifesting signs of declining health. The Sisters in the community noticed that Sister needed more care. This eventually led to her being transferred to St. Anne’s, Sturry in April 2017. The Sisters in Deal community held the mystery of ‘letting go’ and the joy of knowing that her physical and spiritual needs would be lovingly cared for by the staff and Sisters in St. Anne’s. The Sisters in Euphrasie Barbier Community regularly visited her as did the Sisters from the Deal community. If the word ‘community’ means the ‘gathering of gifts’, it certainly was in evidence at St. Anne’s!
On 8th June when the Sisters had gathered for afternoon tea Bernadette was among them but she slipped away, dying peacefully in an atmosphere of hospitality that characterised her life of service. This time she was invited to another Banquet and she could not refuse!
A week before Bernadette’s death, another Sister had died on June 1st. So we had a double funeral celebration on June 29th. As their coffins were carried into St. Anne’s chapel, the ‘Annunciation Bells’ from the CD ‘Benedictine Sisters of Notre Dame del Annunciation’, brought a sense of the Mystery of the moment. Bernadette’s family had come from far and near and their good singing voices added to the joy of the celebration to give thanks for the two Sisters who had spent many years in the Congregation, part of which was their shared Kenyan stories. The funeral Mass was concelebrated with Fr. Malachy Steenson, Passionist priest from Herne Bay, and Fr. Patrick McCallion from Kiltegan who was there to support Bernadette’s priest brother.
Following the commendation the cortege left for Deal cemetery where both Sisters were laid to rest with RNDMs who had gone before them. After the funeral, all roads led back to Euphrasie Barbier Community where there was a welcome meal prepared for everyone. In typical Irish wake-fashion, stories were shared and memories of times past and how grateful all were for the love and care Bernadette received and gave in the different communities where she lived. The day did not end without a few songs especially ‘Our Lady of Knock’ sung by one of her sisters with her final goodbye: Slan agus Beannacht Bernadette. Goodbye and blessings with you
Those who are faithful will live with him in love for grace and mercy await those he has chosen…Wisdom 3:9