Sr. Rita O’Connell, Director of Health Care Ministry at St. Irenaeus Parish in Cypress, is an active member of the Presentation Sisters of the Virgin Mary (PBVM). Eight Presentation Sisters are currently in residence at their home adjacent to St. Irenaeus Church in Cypress. They assist the parish in different ministries, especially with their prayers.
During the month of November, all of the Presentation sisters throughout the world participated in a novena starting on Nov. 12 and culminating on the Feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary which the Catholic Church celebrates on Nov. 21.
When asked why she joined the Presentation Sisters, Sr. Rita said that she was impressed by the story of its founder, Honora “Nano” Nagle. Nano was born to a wealthy family but dedicated herself to providing education and religious instruction in the Catholic Faith for the poor in Ireland in the 1700’s. She lived during a time when Catholics were being persecuted by the British and were not allowed to go to school or learn about Catholicism. Nano also compassionately visited the sick and elderly who needed help at night and was known as “The Lady with the Lantern.”
Even though Nano Nagle lived a long time ago, during 1718-1784, her legacy of promoting education and teaching the Catholic Faith continues by the Presentation Sisters today. Sr. Rita also said that she knew that the Presentation Sisters went on teaching missions throughout the world. She said that she wanted to go on a mission to teach young children about the Catholic Faith and to spread the Good News of Christ as Nano Nagle did.
At the age of 20 in 1954, Mary Rita O’Connell joined the Presentation Sisters of the Virgin Mary in Bailieboro, Ireland. After 18 months of prayer and studying to become a teacher, she was ready to go on her first mission. She was sent to Pakistan where she taught young elementary age children for eight years. She was later transferred to Delhi, India, where she continued to teach children for three more years. Sr. Rita said that she enjoyed working with the people and their simple lifestyle in the missions. She felt that they appreciated the education they received from the Presentation Sisters.
After her stay in India, Sr. Rita was sent to serve as a teacher at St. Norbert’s School in Orange, California. Sr. Rita chose to return to using her baptismal name of Rita in 1964. While she was at St. Norbert’s School, she taught third and eighth grade students and other students from 1969 until her next assignment in 1976.
Mission to St. Irenaeus Parish
Her current mission began in 1976 when she was sent to serve at St. Irenaeus Parish in Cypress as Director of Pastoral Care with a focus on assisting with vigils and funerals for parishioners. During her 39 years at St. Irenaeus, she worked with four different pastors, the late Fr. John Keller, Fr. Michael Heher (now Monsignor Heher), Fr. Pat Rudolph, and the current pastor, Fr. Patrick Moses.
Pastoral Care of parishioners at St. Irenaeus is still an integral part of Sr. Rita’s responsibility, but now as , Director of Health Care Ministry, her responsibilities encompasses many more aspects of parishioners lives. Sister works with volunteer members of the Health Care Ministry Board to achieve the Mission of Health Care Ministry at St. Irenaeus which is “to promote and encourage health of Mind, Body and Spirit though education and support services for the community.” St. Irenaeus, an early Father of the Church, believed that “the glory of God is man fully alive.” Health Care Ministry at St. Irenaeus Church hopes to give glory to God by helping parishioners to become fully alive in Mind, Body and Spirit.
Sr. Rita strives to fulfill her mission at St. Irenaeus by inspiring and encouraging all the volunteers who serve in ministries such as Bereavement (Grief) Support, Care Facilities, Funeral and Vigils, Home Bound Eucharistic Ministry, Love Thy Neighbor, Parish Nurse Program, Rosary Ministry, Shawl Ministry, Capacitar Classes, and National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Meetings. Health Care Ministry also sponsors Educational Workshops, ALL Souls Remembrance Masses, Giving Tree Gift Collection at Christmas, Labyrinth Meditative experiences, Valentine or Easter Outreaches to Residents of Care Facilities, Cancer Support Groups, and also assists at Masses for Anointing of the Sick and Blessing of the Hands of Caregivers.
Sr. Rita said that she appreciates all the people who volunteer their time in all the ministries and is impressed with their willingness to act as Christ’s Hands and Feet in their ministries. She said that the Funeral and Bereavement Ministries can be emotionally challenging but she feels that they offer people the opportunities for growth in their faith and a stronger trust in God.
Sr. Rita believes, as Pope Francis said, that we should reach out and especially help families in need. As a Presentation Sister, Sr. Rita carries on the work of Nano Nagle of helping those who are most in need through the many different ministries at St. Irenaeus Church. Through these ministries parishioners experience spirituality and faith development, lifelong learning, outreach to the community, and healthcare education.
Pope Francis declared Nano Nagle as “Venerable” on October 31, 2013 as a “Pioneer of Catholic Education in Ireland.” Sr. Rita and all the Presentation Sisters pray that Nano Nagle will be canonized as a saint one day.
The article above was submitted by Edna Ethington.
Featured photo
Sr. Rita O’Connell, Director of Health Care Ministry at St. Irenaeus Parish in Cypress.
Sr. Rita, a member of the Presentation Sisters of the Virgin Mary, began serving parishioners at St. Irenaeus as Director of Pastoral Care at St. Irenaeus in 1976.
Photo by Edna Ethington
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