I have known Sister Mauretia for as long as I can remember. I felt great sadness when I heard of her passing. Oh I'm sure she's fine, I have no doubt of that. Don’t you just know that she’s probably already rearranging things to her liking up there in heaven.
But even though I have no fear for Sister, I couldn’t help mourn the loss of a dear friend. I will miss her sage advice and her political support. She & I were of the same political persuasion and it was great to have her as an ally in those political debates with my father. I will miss the great family stories she shared with me. The last time my Dad & I saw Sister Mauretia was during her recent hospitalization at Albany Memorial Hospital. Interestingly, even though she had had a very bad night, she seemed determined to drill the family facts into my thick skull once and for all. Oh Mary I told you, don’t you remember?, she would say to me when for the millionth time I attempted to clarify the facts about who married who and how exactly they were related to each other. That last visit together, she also told me that my Grandfather, TJ. O'Donnell, had dated her Mother, Kate Hannon and my Grandmother, Margaret Coleman, had dated her Father, James Kelly, before realizing that it worked much better the other way around.
So by now you may be wondering - how exactly where we connected?
It just so happened that my Mother's Great Aunt, Bridget Byrne, had married Sister Mauretia's, Great Uncle, Patrick O'Reilly. They lived on a beautiful old farm in a quaint country hamlet named, St. Joseph’s, Pennsylvania. When my mother was a little girl growing up in Brooklyn, she loved coming up to the country every summer since both her parents were born and raised on farms in the Endless Mountains of PA. While there, she was often invited to stay overnight at her Aunt Bridge's farm in St. Joseph's PA. On many of these occasions, another little girl would be invited to stay overnight also. This little girl happened to be none other than Uncle Patrick’s grand niece, Anne Kelly, aka Sr. Mauretia. My mother loved these special times and over the years she and Anne Kelly became best of friends. Sometimes, Anne’s brother, Paul, would be staying over at the farmhouse too. Many years later, my mother loved to tease my Dad telling him that she had slept with Paul Kelly before she ever slept with him. She left out the part that she was a little child and Aunt Daisy was in the bed between them – why spoil a perfectly scandalous story!
When they grew up, Anne Kelly realized that she was being called to the religious life as a Sister of St. Joseph. My mother, not wanting to let go of her friend, told Anne that she would become a nun also. Anne was wise and understood that God had other plans in mind for my mother. Ever the teacher, she was correct of course and my father, Charlie, and I are glad that she was so willing to share her wisdom with my Mom.
Even though they traveled different paths, they remained wonderful, steadfast friends throughout their lives. Back in October of 1940 young women were not permitted to leave the novitiate simply to attend the wedding of a best friend. My mother however was thrilled when she was able to make the trip up from Brooklyn to the city of Troy to witness Sister Mauretia’s profession of final vows. Many years later my Mom & I happened to be driving towards the Hudson River Bridge when she suddenly recognized a building on a hillside on the opposite side of the river. She was so excited when she realized that this was the place she came to celebrate with her dear friend, Sister Mauretia all those many years ago. She even made me drive around to locate the YWCA where she stayed for the night.
By the time my husband & I married in 1971, dear Pope John the 23rd had opened some windows and doors and Sister Mauretia and a dear Sister friend from the Midwest (wish I could remember her name) were able to come to Brooklyn to attend our wedding. They had a marvelous time and it was a blessing for us to have them with us to celebrate our big day.
Eventually my parents migrated from Brooklyn up to the Capital District. Shortly afterwards Sister Mauretia retired to the Provincial House here in Latham, So, as fate would have it, or should I say as God designed it, Sister Mauretia was living at the St. Joseph's Provincial House during my mother's final illness. Once again as in their childhood, they shared a bedroom, as Sr. Mauretia sat by my mother's side and held her hand in her last days on this earth. I overheard Sister reciting the names of all the people who would be there to meet my mother at the pearly gates.
And since my mother's death in 1998, Sister has remained a true and faithful friend to my Dad, Charlie, as he was to her. He enjoyed chauffeuring Sister Mauretia to every Dollar store in a 30 mile radius of the provincial house. He was also forever hunting for Sister‘s specific brand of Gingersnaps. And my Dad felt certain he was earning some credit in heaven when he brought hot cross buns for Sister Mauretia and her friends on the 5th floor. I, being the daughter of Charlie & Rita benefited too from this marvelous friendship.
Being a garage sale/thrift shop fanatic, I appreciated the fact that Sister Mauretia always gave me a personal invitation to the fabulous mission sale held every year at the Provincial House.
I must confess there was a time I was a bit afraid of Sister Mauretia, maybe you’ve heard she could be tough.
But as I matured, I grew to love the fact that Sister was not a shrinking violet and was more than willing to express her views on all kinds of topics. She was a great role model of real womanhood. She never seemed like an old lady to me, she knew the score and no one was going to pull the wool over her eyes. Even at the end, she called all the shots. There was no use arguing with her, once Sister made up her mind. She was finished with this life on earth; it was time for her to go and that was that.
However, I do believe she is still accepting prayer requests. Thanks Sister Mauretia and by the way would you do me one more favor - Please give my Mom a great big hug for me. I know she’ll be happy to see you again.
Love, Rita and Charlie's Daughter, Mary Beth
Love, Rita and Charlie's Daughter, Mary Beth
The photo was taken in the St. Joseph's Provincial House Chapel the day of Sister's funeral.
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