“I exult for joy in the Lord, my soul rejoices in my God, for he has clothed me in the garments of salvation.”
Isaiah 61:10

Her sister, Barbara, has spoken about Mary’s family life and earlier religious life and ministry.  It is my privilege to share, with you, something of the woman Sr Mary Fyfe was and a little of her contribution to our congregation.
In her last letter to the sisters in our international congregation at the time of her resignation as Superior General, Mary wrote of her deep love of the congregation and the great privilege it was for her to be able to serve the sisters in this capacity. She concluded her letter by saying, You will always be in my heart and the joy of knowing every single sister within the congregation is surely one of the richest graces of my whole life.

These few words express the heart of who Mary was. Joyful witness, along with complete dedication, self-giving love and sincere interest in all, were manifest throughout Mary’s life. Her genuine love for each and every sister throughout our congregation of 1,200 women was a great gift that Mary gave to all.

Mary’s love for each one was full of respect, kindness, gentleness, concern, compassion, faith and trust.  For her, such love and caring was the fruit of goodness and was characterised by tenderness and protection.  Slow to judge, Mary safeguarded the good name and reputation of the sisters. She was patient and understanding. Mary was also committed and constant in the small things that meant so much: telephone calls to those in isolated missions, on special occasions or at times of bereavement. Nothing went unnoticed by her. Nor was she ever too busy to extend such kindness no matter the time, either day or night, according to the various time zones that she took into account.

Mary was also a unifier in our international congregation and she contributed much to strengthening and deepening existing bonds between and among us. It was so important, to her, that we formed one family in the Heart of Jesus. Her tireless visiting of every Province, Union, country and Region and her communication with us all through FDNSC on Mission were cherished by us. When she visited Senegal and Burkina Faso earlier this year, the last countries to be visited by her as Superior General, Mary wanted the sisters in these very poor countries to know that they were important and that she loved them. The regional meetings she initiated in 2008 have also been powerful in enabling sisters, across regions, to get to know one other better, to collaborate more closely and, indeed, to form personal friendships. Our international and family bonds have deepened and are precious to us.

Finally, Mary had a passion for mission. She had a priority for those who were, in any way, poor or deprived. In her Easter edition of FDNSC on Mission, she reminded us that one of our apostolic orientations from our 2011 General Chapter was to work with, advocate for and empower the poor and all who suffer, particularly women and children including  the abused and trafficked, refugees and displaced persons.  Mary also reminded us to open the doors of our hearts to listen to our world and to go forth building right relationships with God, each other and creation, willing to cross boundaries, to further the Reign of God. She finally urged us to go forth to live the charism entrusted to us by Jules Chevalier and witness to the compassionate love of the Heart of Jesus, reminding us that such a call demands, of us, that we reach out to others with the tenderness of the Heart of Christ.

This is what Mary did and who she was. Hers was a life of deep faith, heroic courage, conviction, joy and the compassion and tenderness of the Heart of Christ. She gave of herself with great generosity to God, to us her sisters and to our congregation, not to mention God’s people, that the Heart of Jesus be everywhere known and loved.

As we bid you farewell, Mary, we pray the prayer that you prayed on the Feast of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart in Issoudun in 2008: Dear Mother, may all of us, your daughters continue on in our vocation full of confidence and hope, knowing that you are with us. May we continue with enthusiasm to reach out to the people of our times, especially the poor, the marginalised, the suffering, the unloved and the rejected so that they many come to know that God loves them unconditionally, with the human heart.

We thank you for the person you have been for us and for the love and witness of your life. We thank you also for your message to us through the first reading which you chose, Let your roots grow down into him and draw up nourishment from him, so you will grow in faith, strong and vigorous in the truth you were taught (Col. 2:7).  Mary may your faith, courage, joy, hope and enthusiasm be, for all of us, a light on our journey. In the words of Colossians, may our lives, as yours did, overflow with joy and thanksgiving for all God has done.

May you rejoice in the vision of God you now behold and rest in peace, dear Mary, in the embrace of God who has now welcomed you into your heavenly home.

“I exult for joy in the Lord, my soul rejoices in my God, for he has clothed me in the garments of salvation”.
Isaiah 61:10