Monday, September 21, 2009

The English Jesuit And Sister Magdalene

On September 8, the Feast of the Birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Sister Magdalene Quinn of the Little Company of Mary, Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, celebrated the 75th anniversary of her final profession on September 8 1934.

In her long active ministry she served as a nursing sister in hospitals in Edinburgh (St Raphael's) and London (Dollis Hill) as well as parishes in Liverpool. She also served as housekeeper to Bishop Patrick Casey during his time in Westminster and finally as Bishop of Justify FullBrentwood.

The anniversary Mass was celebrated by Fr Alfred Buttigieg SJ, chaplain to the Little Company of Mary Sisters in Westcliff-on-Sea. By coincidence Fr Buttigieg himself celebrated the 50th anniversary of his entry to the Jesuit novitiate in Stamford Hill on September 8 1959.
Friends and family paid their respects to Sister Magdalene, among them her niece who is Mary Whelan, Irish ambassador designate to the Netherlands, and her nephew Alan Whelan, principal emeritus St Benedict's College, Colchester.

The Little Company of Mary was founded by Mary Potter on July 7 1877 and is an international Marian congregation whose ministry is to care for the poor and suffering of the entire world. Pope John Paul II declared Mary Potter Venerable in 1988.

Link (here)

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