FUNERAL MASS OF SISTER MARY PERPETUA
ST CATHARINE’S CONVENT, EDINBURGH
HOMILY PREACHED BY CARDINAL KEITH PATRICK O’BRIEN
FRIDAY 23RD DECEMBER 2011
INTRODUCTION:
It is indeed a privilege welcoming you all here to St Catharine’s Convent as we celebrate this Funeral Mass for Sister Mary Perpetua, a member of the Community of Our Sisters of Mercy here in Edinburgh.
Sister Perpetua was born in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland, the second of a family of seven children of whom two are still alive. Our special sympathy is extended to them – Cissie and Jimmy, with his wife, Agnes – and I know of course also that Sister has very many nephews and nieces – and a total of some sixty members of her family are able to be with us for this Funeral Mass today.
Obviously, our sympathy is also extended to the spiritual family of the Sisters of Mercy here with us in St Catharine’s Convent in Edinburgh – as well as, of course, to the other communities who are represented here from other communities of Sisters in Scotland, including Glasgow, Dundee and Elgin. Of course, other Sisters are here from communities South of the Border, especially those representatives from the Mercy Union Generalate in London, who bring a special message from Sister Sheila, the Superior General of the Mercy Union Generalate, who unfortunately cannot be with us today and has sent her apologies.
LIFE OF SISTER MARY PERPETUA:
The life of Sister Perpetua was one similar to very many girls and young women of her time born and brought up in Ireland. She wished to serve others especially through hospital work – and it was while engaged in such work that she realised the importance of service and of dedication and was moved to join the Sisters of Mercy. Perpetua always said that her task was to serve Our Lord in whatever capacity her superiors required. Consequent on that initial commitment she did indeed serve Christ in others in a variety of ways for over sixty years in religious life.
She was assiduous in the various tasks assigned to her – particularly regarding visitation of the sick in hospital and in their homes; sacristy work in the Church; and catering, cooking and other household duties in St Catharine’s Convent itself. I would like to think that she enjoyed quite a long break in her service at St Catharine’s Convent when she undertook those same household duties in St Andrew’s College, Drygrange. There her quiet unassuming apostolate continued – and I am sure that not only the material needs of many students and members of staff were cared for by Sister Perpetua but also their spiritual needs as they witnessed something of her own personal life of prayer and her dedicated example to them in her very unassuming way.
Similarly if there were times when I needed some extra help in Archbishop’s House, it was to Sister Perpetua that I turned even when she was older and less able to fulfil some of the heavy responsibilities which she had in St Catharine’s Convent. It was indeed the most simple and humble tasks which she was willing to undertake and for that she had not only my admiration but the admiration of both Theresa and Norah in St Bennet’s with her.
On asking the Sisters at St Catharine’s for some of their views about Sister Perpetua I invariably was told that her answer to any request was always a ”yes”. Perpetua never measured or stinted or showed any unwillingness to give of herself, no matter how demanding and even unpleasant a task was. That willingness to be of use was a mark of her understanding of her commitment to Christ whom she had come to serve directly as well as in others. And I was told that her devotion to her prayers and religious observances was quite outstanding.
SPIRITUAL LIFE OF SISTER PERPETUA:
Having said something about the life of Perpetua that was evident to us all it is rather more difficult to speak of that hidden spiritual life which was hers and which inspired her to continue her valued apostolate into her old age.
But perhaps we can learn something from those readings so carefully chosen for today’s Mass.
In that first reading from the first letter of St John we are told of the Word of God, that word who is life, and is the subject of that first letter which John wrote. When thinking of the life and the hidden apostolate of Perpetua, I think that her guiding principle was that Word of God himself, Jesus Christ, on earth 2000 years ago, but still on earth in his people.
And her deep and abiding faith can be summed up in those beautiful words from St John’s Gospel which we have heard read as the Gospel Reading of today’s Mass: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God still, and trust in me!” Her quiet peaceful exterior did indeed indicate that she trusted in God and that whatever else was going on around about her she herself did not let anything trouble her or upset her.
Her Sisters in religion indicated that in her life there was the perfect marriage of the Gospel story of Martha and Mary – Perpetua was always at the Lord’s service doing things while still doing them in a beautiful contemplative way.
We are told in St Luke’s Gospel that Mary “sat down at the Lord’s feet and listened to him speaking” – she engaged in deep prayer with the Lord. Martha on the other hand we are told “was distracted with all the serving” – and it was to her that Jesus said that “you worry and fret about so many things, and yet few are needed, indeed only one. It is Mary who has chosen the better part – it is not to be taken from her”.
I do think that Perpetua combined the lives and the basic characteristics of Martha and Mary to an exemplary degree in her own life.
If I can quote from a poem about Mary, it states:
“Give me, O Lord, the vision that can see beauty in the homely tasks, in work well done - Give me the courage that will cheerfully accept my lot, nor wish an easier one. Give me perspective that the little things may keep their places, nor overbear the faith and hope that are the spirits wings to rise in thee, dear Lord. Grant this my prayer”.
And I contrast that with the prayer of Martha with the words:
“Lord of all the pots and pans and things, since I’ve not time to be a saint by doing lovely things, or watching late with thee or dreaming in the dawn’s light or storming Heaven’s gates; make me a saint by getting meals and washing up the plates”.
I leave it to yourself to judge just how well Perpetua combined the lives and the characteristics of each of Mary and Martha in her own life of work underpinned by that basic wonderful life of deep prayer.
CONCLUSION:
Perpetua had very few needs in her life – but among those needs was a need of love of that wonderful family who surrounded her in their own times of need. Her family meant everything to her and I am sure she would be so moved to see so very many of them here at Mass this morning as yesterday evening, again in the convent for the Reception of her mortal remains.
And I would like to think that there were two great highlights in her life following on her own profession as a Religious Sister.
One was being presented to Pope John Paul II in Rome when she was on a pilgrimage to the Holy City when I was created Cardinal; and perhaps the other was receiving the medal Bene Merenti from myself as a small token of appreciation for all of the physical work which she undertook throughout her life and especially in St Bennet’s, inspired by her life of prayer.
Gathered here this morning we know full well that Perpetua did not seek after any earthly rewards – rather she simply looked for that reward granted to those who faithfully served Christ in so many ways here on earth.
To help her towards her heavenly home, it was a joy for me last Sunday, the day before she died, to administer the ‘Last Sacraments’ to Sister Perpetua – the final anointing with the Last Blessing so shortly before her death.
Perhaps she would like me now to say those words again to her family which Jesus said to his followers before his own passion and death: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God still and trust in me”. And I am sure that final prayer of Perpetua for her blood family here with us as well as for her sisters in religion would be those same words of Jesus to his followers: “You know the way to the place where I am going…..I shall return to take you with me so that where I am you may be too!”
As we pray for the happy repose of her soul may we through our leading lives of similar simplicity to that of Sister Perpetua happily prepare to go home to the Lord where we know and we believe we shall see him face to face.
May God indeed grant Sister Perpetua eternal rest and comfort all those who mourn her at this time.