Sister Elizabeth Mary Burke, SSG, died in her sleep yesterday after a long struggle with a number of health difficulties. She was an early member of the Sisters of Saint Gregory, when it was still being brought to term within the context of the Brotherhood, and hence one of our firstborn. The photograph shows her making her life vows to Bishop Catherine S Roskam, who was visitor to the Sisters at the time of their establishment as an independent community.
Elizabeth Mary — usually known as "EM" — was a woman of great joy. She loved to sing; she loved to laugh — oh, did she love to laugh! I will miss that most of all.
Goodbye, EM. We will one day laugh together once more.
Tobias Stanislas Haller BSG
Sister Elizabeth Mary at her first profession.
Just a sample of that laughter,
as Brother Richard Thomas girds her with the cincture,
and Brothers James and Ciarán Anthony and I look on.
Joy never dies.
May flights of angels laugh thee to thy rest, Sister Elizabeth Mary. May you rest in peace and rise in glory.
ReplyDeleteMay God give comfort, consolation, and peace to all who loved Sister Elizabeth Mary.
Seen on a church sign:
ReplyDeleteJoy is the serious business of Heaven.
Last Sunday our supply priest asked us to describe how "joyful" feels. We could say what causes us joy but describing how it feels was difficult. Two aspects of joy are obvious in the two photos.
ReplyDeleteMay she rest in peace, and rise in glory!
ReplyDeleteIt´s the way that we see things that makes the World be things.
ReplyDeleteI see loveliness.