Sr Rose Marmion

I grew up in County Louth in the Republic of Ireland. Faith was very important to parents and prayer was an important part of family life. Most of my schooling was in schools where Sisters were teaching so from an early age I wondered what my vocation would be. I wanted to follow Christ more closely in some way. It was during a long spell in a hospital run by the Daughters of the Cross in Cabinteely, Co. Dublin that the idea of a call to Religious life began to take shape The joyful dedication of the Sisters attracted me. The Sisters of Mercy who had taught me in school were a great influence in my life but it seemed that it was to the Daughters of the Cross that God was calling me.

After school I did some secretarial training and worked part time for some months in a solicitor's office. This was an interesting experience which also gave me invaluable insights into human behaviour. About this time I had been corresponding with one of the Daughters of the Cross who had been in Cabinteely but had gone on a mission to Brazil. She asked me in one letter to tell her what I was doing with my life. I wrote back and gave her great details about my work and other activities. She responded by asking what I really wanted to do. The time had come to make a decision and I knew it would probably be to at least try my vocation as a Daughter of the Cross.

Letters were written, arrangements were made and it was not long before, with a companion from Dublin, I was on my way to Carshalton in Surrey where the Sisters then had the Provincial House and Novitiate. 

That was over fifty years ago and since then life has taken many turns. I trained as a primary school teacher and have taught in schools in Carshalton and Penzance. Other activities have been catechising children in the parish, serving on Parish, Deanery and Diocesan Pastoral Councils, and some retreat work. All of this is supported by prayer and Community life.