Bower's Sr Austin honoured 75 years after ordination

Sr Mary Austin, a 94-year-old member of the La Sainte Union sisters who is described as 'something of a legend in Athlone' was honoured at a special Mass held in St Mary's Church last Saturday.

Many friends and past pupils of Sr Austin gathered for the 'Mass of Thanksgiving' to mark the 75th anniversary of her ordination.

The Bishop of Ardagh and Clonmacnois, Francis Duffy, celebrated the service while the homily was delivered by the St Mary's parish priest, Fr Declan Shannon.

Sr Austin's work focused on education and, with others, she was instumental in establishing St Hilda's Services for those with special needs.

In his homily last weekend, Fr Declan spoke of conversations he had with Sr Austin about her life and work.

'On a recent visit with Sr Austin, I asked her, ‘What stands out as you look back on the last seventy-five years?' Her initial reply made me laugh; she said, 'I'm surprised to be still here!'

'But the more we chatted, there were one word that struck me and that was the word ‘gratitude'. 

'To look back on any career or any vocation after seventy-five years and for your abiding emotion to be one of gratitude; then you know you've done something right.'

* To read this story in full, and for more photos from the event, see this week's Westmeath Independent