A Short Biography
Sr
Imelda was born on 27th October 1937 in
Ireland, and baptised Philomena.
She
came
to England to join the Boarbank
Community in 1955,
originally intending to train for the missions. She received the habit
on November
4 1955, and transferred from the Missionary Novitiate. Her first
profession was
on 3rd June 1958, and her final profession November 27th 1961. Between
1962 and
1965, she did her nursing training in Lancaster, including Midwifery.
On April
9 1964 she was awarded a prize at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary.
Sr
Imelda worked in Marymount all her
religious life, doing nights on occasion until 2000. In recent years
she sat
with the dying, accompanied patients to hospital and visited patients
and staff
daily. She was also responsible for the upkeep and updating of the
establishment, enhancing all aspects of the buildings for guests,
patients and
the community. She oversaw the building of the Oratory, which has won
national
architectural recognition, to mark the 1600th anniversary of the
conversion of
St Augustine in 1986. One of the most important improvements she
masterminded was
the reordering of the chapel in 1992-94. Her last large-scale project
was the
refurbishment of the rooms in Bethany, including the creation of a new
bedroom
and lounge, which was finished in time for Christmas 2010.
She
spent
the years 1971-1973 in Zambia,
making use of her midwifery training .
Sr
Imelda spent much of her religious life
in office, as Superior in 1981-87, 1990-1996, 1999-2006, and as Novice
Mistress
and Assistant in 1987-1990.
Although
she
bravely battled with cancer
for many years, she was bedbound only during her final illness, for a
mercifully short time. She died very peacefully, surrounded by the
Community
and close friends, on Easter Wednesday, 27th April 2011.
An Appreciation of Sr Imelda
The manner of Sister
Imelda’s dying on the morning of April
27th was entirely appropriate. Quietly and with drawing the
minimum
of attention to herself she died as she had lived. By way of contrast,
those
present – Community and close friends – were in no doubt about the
significance
of her death. For many who, over the last half century and more, have made their way to Boarbank, the House,
its hospitality, its ethos and Sister Imelda have been all of a piece.
That the
Community have readily recognized this, is clear from their having
repeatedly
elected her to be their Superior.
For the Church and
for Religious Life the second half of the
last century was a time of change and upheaval. Following on from the
Second
Vatican Council every Religious Order and Congregation became involved
in
engaging afresh with their origins, their purpose and contribution to
the
contemporary needs of the Church and world. In the midst of varied
opinions,
and tensions between old and new, sound leadership was essential.
Boarbank was
fortunate to have such in Imelda.
First and foremost in
her priorities was care and concern
for the Community and its members. This required a well-focussed eye on
the
essentials of the Augustinian charism, with its insistence on communal
and
private prayer, care for each other and
service to others. It was from these major concerns that the rest of
Imelda’s
contribution flowed: care of the sick, hospitality, improvement of
property. But
undoubtedly her greatest contribution was not so much what she did but
the
manner in which it was done. It was this that endeared her to so many.
Hers was
an unobtrusive but highly effective presence. There was an unfailing
attention
to detail. Many found in her someone who seemed to have a natural
understanding
of suffering. Though often busy, she had time. Her humanity, laughter
and
ability to enjoy the simple things of life were infectious.
Boarbank, of course, is more than any one person. Those of us who have good reason to be ever grateful for its care and love, know well enough that it is an entire community that creates an atmosphere. That said, there are key people who give direction and set a tone. Sister Imelda was such a one and we are the better for having known and loved her. May she rest in peace.
+Brian M. Noble.
We hope that the following pictures, either of or taken by Sr Imelda, will capture some of the very many facets of her rich, varied and very joyful approach to life, as well as her own keen eye for the beauty of things. Particular thanks to Toni, Florence, Liz, Paul and Lucy for making this possible.
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