This article is from page 26 of the 2008-09-16 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 26 JPG
PHONE in hand, the Abbess of the Poor Clare Monastery in Ennis, Sr Bernadine stood ready to be made aware of any changes to the Presi- dent’s schedule.
Inside the monastery, everything sparkled for the return visit of an old friend, who this time would be mak- ing a short visit in an official capac- ity to mark the Golden Jubilee of the Poor Clare’s in Ennis.
At llam the helicopter flew over the monastery and minutes later the state car drove into the grounds – there had been no change to plans.
When the President emerged from the car, Sr Bernadine and Sr Gabriel greeted her at the door.
The chatty women had welcomed the gardai, presidential security and the press with open arms, but for the President and her husband there was a special and familiar welcome.
While most present greeted the spe- cial guest as her excellence or Mrs McAleese the sisters in the enclosed order greeted her as Mary, and she in turn called each nun by name.
The President of Ireland has been a private visitor to the monastery in Francis Street for the past 11 years, and just weeks before had visited the
monastery for one of her retreats.
Now she was back to help celebrate the sister’s Golden Jubilee in Ennis.
In what were familiar surrounds to Ireland’s first citizen she prayed with her friends, the dozen sisters in the order, and the seven friars from the neighbouring friary.
Reading the scripture and singing along with the Poor Clare sisters dur- ing the psalm the President fitted in with ease.
In a jovial celebration the presi- dent’s husband Dr Martin McAleese joked at the tea party after, “I would like to thank you personally because you don’t know the great craic I
have when she goes on retreat every year.”
President McAleese had nothing but praise for the women of the or- der. “You are great custodians of the tradition in Clare, great friends, great sisters.
‘I know from times down here how many times the phone rings, how many times the bell goes,” she said.
“You can’t take the burden of sor- row from them but you can go on the journey of life with them and that matters so much – the courage, the faith, the hope. Your prayers give them the little bit of energy to keep looking forward to tomorrow,
keep hoping for tomorrow. That is SO important, just bringing the joy of Clare, the joy of Christ into their lives,’ she added.
In the visitor’s book the President inscribed, “Congratulations on 50 years of prayerful, loving care of so many people whose sorrows you shared, whose joys you enhanced. God bless this lovely community as it sets out into the deep of the rest of the 50 years.”
For the neighbouring Franciscan order, yesterday was also a day of celebration as two new members were preparing to join the Frnacis- can order.