The Sisters of Charity of Jesus and Mary
Anglo Irish Region

Sister Elizabeth Roche

Sister Elizabeth taught Science and Religious Education at St. Angela’s Comprehensive School for ten years. Having studied for a Master’s Degree at Southampton University she returned to the School and served on the Senior Management Team, where as Deputy Head Teacher she had overall responsibility for the Pastoral Curriculum. During this time and until June 1992 as a qualified Counsellor she also worked for a voluntary organisation. In the mid-eighties she was involved in facilitating the amalgamation of two schools (St. Angela’s – girls and St. Michael’s – boys) which became The John Henry Newman School. In 1992 she went as a missionary to Peru, South America, and worked in Primary Health Care and Catechetics.

In 1999 she was appointed to Brussels where she served on the General Leadership Team of the Congregation for six years until August 2005. She was appointed as a member of the Provincial Leadership Team in 2006 and in July 2010 was appointed Provincial.

 

Sister Mary Ellen O’Brien

Sister Mary Ellen joined the Congregation in 1963. She trained as a State Registered Nurse at the Whittington Hospital in Highgate. She was Manager of our Care Home in Roxley Court, Willian, Herts. for 12 years. She was Administrator of the Congregation’s Hostel and Nursing Home in Melbourne, Australia, with 120 residents, having responsibility and overall administration and operation of the home with over 100 staff for 8 years. She spent 6 years in Peru, South America, working in Primary Health Care. She was Matron of the Congregation’s Nursing Home in Ireland for 2 years and thereafter was Provincial until 2 July, 2010.

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Sister Joan Yates

Sister Joan taught Mathematics and Religious Education in St. Francis’ College, Letchworth Garden City and St. Angela’s School, Stevenage, before spending three years at Southampton University as a Research Fellow. She then lectured at Bristol University for five years. From here she moved to Holly Mount Home for the Elderly with a staff of eighty where, for three years, she was responsible for its management before being appointed Provincial. Since then she has worked for Westminster Diocese in Adult Pastoral Formation. She was a member of the International Finance Commission from 2007 until 2011 when its term of office terminated with that of the General government of the time.

 

Sister Patricia Josephine Callaghan

Sister Patricia Josephine Callaghan joined the Congregation in 1960 as a qualified teacher and spent twenty years as Head Teacher of a Diocesan Primary J.M.I. School. She was subsequently appointed Provincial Bursar in 1990 and retired from this post on 30th June 2007, being replaced by a lay Bursar.

 

Sister Philomena Enright

Sister Philomena Enright joined the Congregation in 1960. She trained as a Teacher in Roehampton Institute of Education and then taught in Holly Mount Lancashire, Letchworth and Devon where she was Headmistress. Following twenty one years of teaching Sister Philomena opted for a change of Ministry and trained as a Nurse in Sussex Downs School of Nursing, where she enjoyed eighteen years of Nursing in an acute District General Hospital until her retirement in 2008. On retirement Sister Philomena moved to Ireland where she is currently contact person. She is actively involved in the local Community where she is a member of the Parish Committee and co-ordinator of The Children’s Liturgy. Sister Philomena is also a trained volunteer with the local Citizens Information Service. The Citizens Information Service is free, confidential, independent and private and is available to the public.

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Sister Deborah Windle (Sr Margarite)

Trained as a teacher in Roehampton Institute of Education and then taught English, Religious Education and Classical Studies at St Francis’ College, Letchworth, Herts. She was also house mother to students who boarded. She later studied Theology & Scripture at Milltown Park, Dublin, a Jesuit run Institute. This was followed by study at the Irish Catechetical Centre in Mount Oliver, Dundalk.

 

On returning to England, she went to Stevenage, where she taught Religious Education, first at St Angela’s and, after the amalgamation of two schools (St Angela’s – girls and St Michael’s – boys), at the John Henry Newman School. In 1992, she moved to St Joseph’s Parish, Epsom, Surrey, where she became Catechetical Co-ordinator for the Epsom Deanery, with specific responsibility for St Joseph’s Parish, Epsom. While there, she trained as an assistant Religious Education Inspector for OFSTED and assisted with school inspections in Religious Education in the Diocese and Arundel of Brighton. She also participated in a number of workshops in Safeguarding. In 2016, she retired from full-time ministry at St Joseph’s Epsom but continues to assist in a variety of ways on a voluntary basis.

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Sister Ann Devine

Sister Ann was born and raised in county Westmeath in Ireland the eldest of a family of six. She joined the Sisters of Charity of Jesus and Mary in the mid 60's and following two and a half years of Religious formation followed a career in nurse education in London. In the early 70's she was appointed as coordinator of a residential unit for children with mild learning disabilities and worked as a member of a multidisciplinary team. Having completed further nursing studies she set up and managed a preschool / care unit for children with moderate learning disabilities and multiple special needs. Sister Ann worked there for four years. She was appointed by the Sister Provincial to join a parish team in inner city Dublin to support and work with socially disadvantaged young people and the homeless. Later she was invited by the Midland Health Board and the Sisters of Charity of Jesus and Mary and the local Parents and Friends Association to set up a service for adults with intellectual disabilities to further their education and create opportunities to enable them to live happy and fulfilled lives. Sister Ann is currently a member of the Pastoral Support Team for the Muiriosa Services in Ireland and a member of the current Provincial Leadership Team.

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Sister Eileen O’Connor

Sister Eileen taught Geography, Sociology and was Head of Religious Studies and Careers over a period of ten years at St Francis College, before moving to Birmingham to do a Masters in Theology. Here she worked in a voluntary capacity in Charitable Centers, with Refugees (for three years) and Vulnerable Women (for fifteen years). Presently she is Hospital Chaplain at two city hospitals for three days a week, work she finds very rewarding. Sister Eileen is a member of the Provincial Leadership Team.