Sisters of St Joseph of Lochinvar

Sr M Vincent Fennessy

Sr M Vincent Fennessy IMAGE

Died 03 December 1894

Mary Fennessy, daughter of Patrick and Catherine Fennessy (née Lynch) was born in Hamilton, Newcastle, N.S.W. on the 20th June, 1863 and joined the Sisters of St. Joseph as a postulant on the 2nd of February, 1886 taking the religious name of Sister Mary Vincent of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour.

Sr Vincent was one of our very early Sisters. She received the habit on the 4th July, 1886 together with Srs. M. Eugene, Brigid Moy and Hyacinth Webber; and on the 10th of that month she travelled with Srs. Imelda and Gertrude to be part of the Quirindi community.  She made her First Profession with Srs. Eugene, Brigid and Hyacinth on the 30th of June, 1887.

In February, 1888 Sr. Vincent went to the new foundation at Carrington with Srs. Xavier and Bernard, and after the June retreat was transferred to Merriwa with Srs. Evangelist, Gertrude and Catherine. During the following few years she worked in turn at Lochinvar, Largs, Dungog and Brookfield. In July 1893 she made her Perpetual Vows and returned to Brookfield. After a short time at Lochinvar she again went to Largs in April to take the place of Sr. Clare Murphy and remained there until the retreat in June/July.

The diary for the 2nd July, 1894 says: "Sister Mary Vincent entered the Infirmary" and on the 8th received Holy Viaticum. Visits to Maitland and Newcastle to doctors from early 1893 possibly indicate that she had been a victim of the disease, consumption, of which she died. During the remaining months of her life she was confined to the Infirmary and frequently received Holy Viaticum there. On October the 6th she was given the Last Sacraments.

On December 3rd, 1894, the community diary recorded. "Sister Mary Vincent, R.I.P. departed this life at 3.15am. Sisters remained up all night in turn",  and on the 4th December: "Requiem Mass was celebrated by Rev. P. Roche. Office for the Dead commenced at 10 o'clock. The funeral left for the cemetery after Mass."

Sister Mary Vincent Fennessy was buried in the sisters' portion of the Catholic Cemetery at Lochinvar.