Jubilee Celebration - 2008 in Dublin

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An interview with Sr. Nora Chambers by Sr. Zita on the occasion of the Diamond and Golden Jubilee Celebrations on June 14, 2008 in Dublin.

Beautiful Center Piece

Zita: Nora, congratulations on this your Diamond Jubilee year! How many Sisters are celebrating their Diamond Jubilee with you?
Nora: There are eleven of us but Sr. Catherine was unable to be at today’s Celebration.
There are also fifteen Sisters celebrating their Golden Jubilee but not all are in Ireland. We are remembering five Sisters who will celebrate their Silver Jubilee later in Nigeria.

These are MSHR Diamond Jubilarians

MSHR Diamond Jubilarians 2008-07-08

l-r: Srs. Mary McCooey, Mary Paulinus Lynch, Mary Aquin Enright, Olive Rogers, Mary Jo O’Loughlin, Catherine Nealon, Celine Gallagher, Nora Chambers, Nora Colbert, Dympna McLoughlin and insert Catherine Monaghan.

Zita: What is special for you about this Celebration?
Nora: The preparation and lead up to this great day. Reflecting on the past years… a long time… a lot of water under the bridge and reminiscing with the group at our gathering today.
The Eucharistic celebration of praise and gratitude and a festive meal

Zita: How do you feel?
Nora: I feel a very deep gratitude for all God’s goodness, kindness and mercy… a quiet joy... I can’t quite convey the great joy I experience.

Zita: That quiet joy sounded in your voice, Nora, as you struggled to express it. Where does it stem from?
Nora: In all of my 60 years, as a Sister, God has never let me down. So why shouldn’t I be at peace and filled with joy.

Zita: Why did you become a Nun?
Nora: I was always a thoughtful young girl, faithful to my daily prayers. The family Rosary was said daily in our home. I was very aware of God’s presence in my life and I wanted to do something special for him.

Zita: When did you join the Missionary Sisters of the Holy Rosary and why this Congregation?
Nora: In 1946, when I finished my Secondary School Education I wanted to go to Africa to care for people. I especially wanted to help children who were ill and dying and send them to heaven! For me at that time in my life the sky was the limit.

Zita: Who or what inspired you to respond as you did.
Nora: I read mission magazines like The Far East and was excited by the stories.
A priest from the Society of African Missionaries (SMA) whose family lived in our village visited our home regularly, when on leave, and talked about his life and work in Liberia. I was more convinced than ever about becoming a missionary.
When finishing my Leaving Cert I spoke to one of my teachers, a St. Louis Nun, about my longing to join a Missionary Congregation. I told her straight out, “I don’t want to be a Louis Nun”, “Why not? She asked”, “You have no Missions in Africa” I responded. “Then go to Killeshandra” she said and proceeded to tell me about the Missionary Sisters of the Holy Rosary and their work in Africa. “Will you write to them for me” I asked. “No! But I will help you write a letter yourself”.
I did just that.

2008 MSHR Golden Jubilarians

MSHR golden Jubilarians (all standing)

L-r: Srs. Margaret Ledwith, Mary Mel Greene, Philomena Lynch, Bernadette Farragher, Cora Richardson, Marian Moran, Nancy Raftery, Josephine Burke, Patricia Dervan and Sr. Grace Laffan (insert)

These Sisters are on mission here in Ireland at present and remembering their companions who are in other countries ie. Srs. Ann Marino & Bernadette Murdoch (USA), Sr Emer McGovern (Kenya), Sr Eleanor Hayes (Brazil), Sr Maire Shine (Mexico)

We congratulate all of them and thank God for all he has done through them.

.Zita: Did you ever have any doubts about your Vocation?
Nora: Yes, before I entered I had plenty of doubts and questions so I prayed a lot for guidance, but once I was accepted by MSHR, made my commitment and went to Africa, I can honestly say I had no more doubts.

Zita: Have you ever encouraged other persons to follow this way of life?
Nora: Yes, I have because I want others to experience the sense of fulfilment and joy I have experienced.

I encouraged and helped in the formation of young Kenyan women when I was Leader of the Congregation of the Assumption Sisters of Eldoret. Also, being Matron of a hospital in Kenya I had a great opportunity in my daily contact with the nurses, during Liturgy preparation and Prayer sessions, to listen to them and advise them regarding VOCATION in general.

Zita: This the “Year of Vocation” in Ireland we are asked to pray for vocations to the Married Life, Priestly Life and Religious Life. Have you any suggestions as to how we Holy Rosary Sisters, as well as praying, could encourage/foster Vocations?
Nora: We need to give witness and proclaim that ours is a happy and rewarding way of life.
I think that Religious ought always to wear a Congregational Emblem.

We could encourage Church Leaders to speak out more about the value and need for the Priestly and Religious Vocation as well as the Vocation to the Married Life.

We could encourage Career Guidance personnel and Counsellors in Schools and Colleges to have the Priestly Life and Religious Life on their list of Possible Options.