Sr. Mary Rose McGeady died September 13th at the age of 84. In the process of reconfiguring our provinces and getting to know one another, we each wrote up a mini bio for a book. Sr. Denise shares what Sr. Mary Rose wrote,”After the Seminary (novitiate of the Daughters of Charity) I was assigned to Boston as a Group Mother, a job I loved and continued at Astor Home where I lived, worked with disturbed children, and began my graduate studies at Fordham in Clinical Psychology. I subsequently became Director at Astor in 1967. I returned to Boston as the Director of Nazareth Child Care Center. In 1971 I had the privilege of being asked to pen a new mission and ministry in Brooklyn at St. John the Baptist Parish in conjunction with the Vincentians who served the parish. Beginning in 1971, I began 15 years of service on the Provincial Council of the Northeast Province, nine as Councillor and six as Visitatrix (Provincial Leader). I then returned to Brooklyn as Assistant Director of Catholic Charities from which I was recruited to become President of Covenant House where I remained for 13 years. In 2005, I retired at St. Louise House where I have been able to do some volunteer work with a local shelter for homeless mothers and children.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/17/nyregion/sister-mary-rose-mcgeady-84-revived-shelter-network-for-homeless-youths.html?_r=1 Link no longer active
And here is a special video tribute done for Sr. Mary Rose with many photos and a few presidents: http://secure.smilebox.com/ecom/openTheBox?sendevent=4d7a4d794d5441784f444e384e7a41334d4463354e54413d0d0a&sb=1
I was able to meet Sr. Mary Rose when I was teaching at Mother Seton Academy (http://www.mothersetonacademy.org/). Someone came up to the 3rd floor to cover my class so I could go see her. She couldn’t do stairs much by that time so she stayed on the first floor. I was impressed how this Sister (who was in my community, but had been in a different province) who was such a mover and a shaker was so interested in me. I saw her as a woman so far beyond me, yet we sat at the table with our lemonade and chatted like equals–which I was surprised by. It was like meeting a famous celebrity and being even more impressed when I realized how down-to-earth she was despite all her great accomplishments and name recognition.
As we celebrate the Feast of St. Vincent de Paul, I think about how alike he and Sr. Mary Rose were. They both worked closely with the “haves” and “have-nots” in order that both could have their very different needs met which would be a benefit to the other. St. Vincent was comfortable sitting with royalty and comfortable sitting with the beggar–he didn’t put on airs with either group. He was a man of integrity and so was Sr. Mary Rose. It was her integrity, her dedication to prayer and her tenacious love of God’s children that saved Covenant House from destruction–with the help of many dedicated individuals who rallied around her.
How tenacious am I about standing up for the rights of others? the not yet born? the abused/neglected? those forgotten in prison? the unwelcomed strangers? the sick? the unwanted? We, as Vincent modeled, have the opportunity to be the voice for the voiceless and to help them find their own voice. May we find the care and compassion of Christ to walk forward in courage and take a stand!
Posted by Sr. Denise LaRock
Tags: Covenant House, Daughters of Charity, Mary Rose McGeady
