Sr Mary Raphael is fondly remembered
WHILE government restrictions may have meant that few mourners were able to attend her funeral, weeks on from her passing, the people of Wexford are still mourning and recalling Sr Mary Raphael Devitt in their prayers.
Sr Raphael passed away some weeks ago on March 13 at a time when our world was ever so slightly thrown out of kilter. While many would have loved to have been able to pay their respects, as per guidelines, there was a small attendance at her funeral Mass before she was laid to rest in the Adoration Sisters’ cemetery. However, she is sure to have figured highly in the prayers of the church community of Wexford in these intervening weeks.
Sr Raphael was born on April 22, 1917 ,and at nearly 103 years old, she had the distinction of being the oldest living member in the history of the Congregation of the Sisters of Perpetual Adoration in Bride Street.
A native of Dualla, Cashel, Co Tipperary, she was the eldest daughter of Thomas Devitt and Margaret Heffernan and she outlived her siblings, Dan, Michael, John and Margaret. She was educated in the Presentation Convent School in Cashel, the Ursulines in Waterford and the Crescent in Edinburgh, Scotland.
During her near 70 years of religious life in Wexford, she harboured an outstanding love for gardening and animals.
She was renowned for her empathy and charity to those who were poor or down on their luck and for many years she worked as sacristan in Bride Street Church. She could also turn her hand to making altar bread and vestments and always rolled out the red carpet for any visitors to the convent.
A great woman of prayer, she took her turn at Adoration until she was in her late 90s, both night and day. Should anyone be unavailable, she gladly took their turn too.
While not the expected funeral Mass, Sr Raphael was given the best send-off possible with Fr Aodhán Marken, Fr Michael O’Shea, Fr James Cullen, Fr Brian Whelan, Fr Aquino and Fr Matthew Boggan all in attendance, alongside Bishop Denis Brennan.
Sr Raphael is sadly missed by her beloved Sisters of Adoration, her sister-in-law Mary, nieces, nephews, grand-nieces, grand-nephews, extended family, friends and the entire religious community of Wexford. May she rest in peace.