Sr. Bridie McCaffrey

Sr. Bridie was born on July 21, 1926, to Mary Anne and Michael McCaffrey in the townland of Annalough, Co. Monaghan. She enjoyed a happy childhood with her three sisters and her three brothers, attending the nearby Lisnagrieve National School.

Later she spent five years at the St. Louis Secondary School in Monaghan, after which she decided to enter religious life, joining the Sisters of Mercy in Enniskillen.

Bridie embraced her new life wholeheartedly, and was noted for her quiet devotion to prayer and service to the local church. Her special assignments included care of the altars in the local churches and in the convent chapel, and for her this was a labour of love. Her involvement in local branches of the Christian Life community and the St. Joseph’s Young Priests’ Society bore much fruit and many warm friendships.

She organised the convent and school laundry and formed strong friendly bonds with her band of willing helpers. Bridie’s days were marked with an outreach of hospitality to all who called at the convent and to all who shared her life. The lilt of Irish music gave her joy and relaxation.

As years passed and Bridie grew more frail, she found ease and deep contentment in the loving care of the staff of Millcroft Nursing Home. Her nine years there were peaceful and blessed, and so she slpped away quietly to her loving God and to all her old friends on New Year’s Day 2015.

On Friday, January 2, Sr. Bridie returned to the convent chapel, and there she was waked by her nieces, nephews, her many friends, and her loving community. The funeral liturgy took place on Saturday 3, with Monsignor Peter O’Reilly P.P. as Main Celebrant, assisted by Rt. Reverend Sean Cahill. Burial followed in the Convent cemetery.

The Month’s Mind Mass will be on February 5 at 6.00 p.m. in the Convent Chapel.