Written in Johannesburg, Sunday
16th. May, 1999 by Sr. Joan Agnes McFadden, R.G.S.
I was born the 7th. child in a family of 13 to Dominick
and Maggie McFadden, Killoughcarron, Creeslough, Co. Donegal Ireland. I was educated at Drimnaraw
School and the Technical School, Letterkenny. I joined the
Good Shepherd Sisters in 1950 and went to Cork for my novitiate.
When I left home in 1952 for France, I volunteered for
the Missions and we were never supposed to return to Ireland again.
I had to get used to a new culture, language and the French-cuisine.
It was tough going but I could always count on the prayers of my family.
In 1953 I received the habit and was given the name Sr. Mary of St.
Joan of Arc. Saint Joan of Arc was canonized in 1923 while
my father was in the Navy and he often talked about her.
On the 8th. February 1955 I was professed and had the
great joy of having my brother Gerard with me. As a rule
none of the Irish sisters had relatives visit them and I was overjoyed.
In May 1955 I went to London to study Nursing at Whittington Hospital.
We were allowed to wear our veils as nuns thanks to the Medical Superintendent,
Dr. Coyle from Dublin. While in London I was visited by
my Mother, Father and most of my family - but visits were limited to
one hour a month.
On vacation we stayed at a Good Shepherd Convent and
I was allowed to go back to Derry where my family visited me.
The "Hills of Donegal" could be seen from the convent garden,
how special to me...especially Muckish. I left London for
Johannesburg, South Africa on the 24th. November, 1958 - my Dad's birthday.
In January 1963 I received the sad news of his death; I still
remember the pain in heart that I would never see him again.
May he rest in peace.
A week after arriving in Johannesburg I started my midwifery
training. Upon completion I began taking care of single
mothers in Fatima House. On one occasion while taking one
of the girls to hospital to have her baby, we ran out of petrol and
of course we had no money. Since I was the midwife I stayed
with the girl in the van and Sr. Fatima got out and thumbed.
She got a life on a motorbike - in her full habit. They
were gone for a long time and I finally stopped some cars and asked
if they saw a motorbike with someone dressed like me... they just laughed.
Sister finally came back and we made it to the hospital !!!
Since then we have had many a laugh about it.
Down through the years I have worked at various jobs.
Taking care of girls from broken homes; running a home for girls modeled
after Boys Town; nursing the elderly Good Shepherd Sisters;
caring for 72 teenagers; starting a school for black children;
conducting sewing classes for parents; arranging with local stores
to give us food that was past 'sell-by-date' which we shared with the
poor and then used the left-overs for the Sisters meals.
Running a clinic daily in the poor area taking care of all sorts of
illnesses, from broken bones to the ordinary cold; maybe just
giving vitamins and a word of comfort; delivering babies and after
the mother rested she walked home with her new baby.
In 1967 I flew back to Ireland for the first time in
15 years, thanks to Pope John XXIII rules were now relaxed.
I also visited my family in America - what a joy to see my brothers
and sisters again and meet all the nephews and nieces. I
was visited in South Africa by family members in 1980, 1988 and all
six of my sisters and my nephew Fr. Pat Brady, in 1995 - our Irish faith
uniting us far and wide.
Since 1993 I work in the special ministry of caring
for the dying. At first I thought it would be depressing
but it turned out to be the opposite. There are two nuns,
Sr. Amelia, from Galway and myself, we don't get paid - the other staff
are African and get paid the going salary. Thanks to the
generosity of the people of Johannesburg we are able to pay our bills.
I thank God that I can care for and comfort these patients during their
last days on earth. It's a very stressful time for them
and their families. However, it's amazing how they improve
while they are with us at Sacred Heart House. Some die within
a week but others improve enough to go home. It would appear
that our little bit is like a drop in the ocean but that is all that
God asks of any of us - that we do what we can. Many thanks
to my own family for their constant support May God Bless and protect
them and my new sponsor family in Creeslough.
When the opportunity arises please raise your voice
for the endangered species = the nuns.
2005/2/8 - SR. JOAN'S GOLDEN JUBILEE
Sr. Joan Agnes Mc Fadden
celebrated
her Golden Jubilee of her profession into the Good Shepherd Sisters ( 50
Years a Nun). The
Good Shephard Sisters in Derry where she is now staying had a party for
Sr. Joan in which a local band played Irish music and she was joined by
all the sisters and her Irish family.
2009/6/5
- Donegal News. (Letter To The Editor)
Thank
you Mother Joan I am a South African whose
heart is full of love for Ireland and her people, the soft lilt of the
Irish voice never fails to bring out my "Welcome Mat", and
there are many more of us who feel the same.
Fourty
seven years ago , as a little lonely war orphan, I arrived at the
door of the ' Good Shepard Convent' Durban, South Africa, and there
stood Joan Agnes Mc Fadden, Mother Joan to us. Her joy of spirit, her
laughter, her Irish songs and poetry, her fairness and kindness were our
building blocks and we still quote her wise sayings in our old age.
I
saddens me that the broken heated abused children of Ireland did not
hame Mother Joan in their life, but if it be any consolation, she gave
many girls in South Africa, love, hope and strength to face a future.
She then went on to look after the poorest of the poor dying of AIDS.
What gratitude we owe Mother Joan and her beloved Ireland. If
anyone in Donegal sees a dear old nun in the steet, treat her kindly for
she verry well might be our Mother Joan
Thanking
you Dear Ireland
June
Dilleigh.
(Address with Editor)
