RIP Margaret (Mairead) Quigley RSCJ

In the early hours of Wednesday 19th February, God called our sister Margaret (Mairead) Quigley to the fullness of life, at the age of 89.

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Known to many people as Mairead, our sister was christened Margaret, and requested that this name be used during her funeral. Margaret was how she was known to her family, friends and sisters in Ireland; its Irish equivalent, Mairead was the name she adopted after moving to Wales, and living in community with another Margaret. This obituary will use both names, according to how Margaret would have been known at that time.

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Born on the Society's 135th birthday, 21st November 1935, Margaret recalled a happy childhood with her parents and brothers, and five happy years spent as a pupil at the Convent of the Sacred Heart in Roscrea. This was a formative time, in which Margaret began to feel drawn to religious life in the Society - but the pull towards studying medicine felt stronger. However, the moment she received her letter of acceptance from the Royal College of Surgeons, Margaret knew that a deeper invitation to become a sister was the right thing to do.

Margaret entered the Society at Mount Anville in Dublin on 8th September 1954, making her first vows on 8th March 1957. She then trained to become a bursar, and served in this capacity in Mount Anville, Roscrea and Leeson Street (Dublin). Bursaring in the Society included managing large properties and grounds, and fundraising for school building projects: thus, at a very young age Margaret learned to take on great responsibilities. After five years she went to Rome to prepare for her perpetual profession, made on 21st July 1962.

Back in Roscrea as bursar, Margaret also began working with the local Girl Guides, eventually becoming District Commissioner. Their guide companies were non-denominational, and she described this as a 'golden age' for her. She felt that in a small but real way she was making a contribution to peace, unity and ecumenism within the country. Then, in the mid 1960’s, Margaret studied at Mater Dei in Dublin for an MA in Religious Science. She became head of RE and taught English in Mercy College, Coolock. When she moved to Cara Park and lived in a community among the Travelling People she continued her work with Girl Guides. She then returned to Roscrea to teach English, RE and Commerce. But not for long; during this time her throat caused her problems, and the doctors suggested that she give up teaching.

In 1980 Margaret ‘met’ Llannerchwen, our retreat centre in Brecon, Wales. For three years, she returned to make her retreat and to work there in the summer. She loved this, and began a discernment on what God was calling her to, while living and working there full time for another three years. Finally, in May 1986 Margaret transferred from the Irish-Scottish Province to the English-Welsh Province, and continued her ministry at Llannerchwen. It was during this time that Margaret 'became' Mairead.

Apart from some time for study and training in the USA, Mairead remained at Llannerchwen until 2002, and was widely regarded as a very skilled and intuitive spiritual director and retreat giver. After a year at Joigny, the home of St Madeleine Sophie, her deliberations on ministry took her, at the age of 69, to Salisbury, England, to become an Ecumenical Chaplain at Sarum College. She was Pastoral Tutor to students on various MA programmes, played an active pastoral and professional role in training weekends for the Southern Theological Training Scheme for Ordinands, and was widely involved in spiritual direction and retreat work. The ecumenical work begun with the girl guides and continued with retreatants at Llannerchwen from other Christian denominations, found its fullest expression in Salisbury. These were among the happiest years in Mairead's life, and it was during this time that she celebrated the Golden Jubilee of her vows, with a truly ecumenical service in the Cathedral.

In 2015, as she approached her 80th birthday, Mairead was asked to move to London, to live in the community opposite Duchesne House. This was a huge wrench for her, and it took her a long time to settle and find her feet; finally, aged almost 83, she became a volunteer chaplain in Queen Mary’s Hospital in Roehampton. However, ill health meant she had to move to Duchesne in 2018. A year later she was diagnosed with breast cancer; in subsequent years she also had two lengthy stays in hospital. She was delighted to come home to Duchesne, where, as her health deteriorated, she truly came to appreciate the exceptional love, care and kindness of the staff.

Margaret once wrote that her parents taught her that 'real love comes in not-perfect packaging.' As she came to terms with her sadness at leaving Salisbury, and her illness, Margaret also came to a deep, God-given peace in herself, finally surrendering her not-perfect packaging to the real Love she had made known for more than seventy years.

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