St. Joseph’s College, Summerhill, Athlone – one of the largest Girls’ schools in the region marked a significant milestone in its history recently. The transfer of the trusteeship of the college from the Sisters of Mercy to the Diocese of Elphin.

Members of the current and former Boards of Management, the College Principal Ms. Mary Fahy, staff, students and their families and friends along with a large contingent of Mercy Sisters and the Mercy Congregation’s leadership team gathered in Saints Peter and Paul’s Church Athlone. The occasion was marked with a special Mass of thanksgiving and blessing led by the Most Rev. Christopher Jones D.D., Bishop of Elphin. In his words of welcome to the packed congregation, Bishop Jones thanked the Mercy Sisters for their tireless work at Summerhill for well over a hundred years. He singled out their educational endeavours which he described as the “key that, in times past often unlocked the poverty of many of their students.”

During a beautiful gathering liturgy, Sr. Elizabeth Manning, Provincial Mercy Leader drew attention to the history and heritage of the college. Various symbolic gifts were brought to the altar in procession by students, staff and sisters. The homily was given by Rev. Dr. Michael Duignan, a native of Athlone and Lecturer in Religious Education at St. Angela’s College, Sligo. He began by noting that “at first glance it may seem a somewhat insignificant thing to gather for and to mark as we are doing. The transfer of trusteeship is not going to greatly transform or reshape the college. For many it may have even happened without them noticing.” That said he went on to highlight the importance of today’s celebration for “it offers us the opportunity to reflect and ponder on some important deep down questions.” He posed two in particular. “What is a college like St. Joseph’s all about? And what makes any college different from another one?”

Noting how “league tables and the incessant push for points has catapulted the academic side of school or college life and examination success into the forefront”, he insisted that “surely a college is much more than just this. The years spent there; from roughly twelve to eighteen or nineteen are some of the most important formative adolescent years of young lives. These are years when not just minds but young people and young personalities are formed and shaped for better or for worse. The time spent at college is a major factor in this. Our schools or colleges are about forming young people not for points but for life – and for Christian believers that life and that living to the full shown to us by God in Jesus Christ.”

Dr. Duignan spoke of how “each and every school, each and every college has its own unique feel or atmosphere. From the moment you step inside the door, spend a few minutes in the staffroom, walk the corridor, sit in a classroom you can sense it – you can feel it. Any visitor to St. Joseph’s at Summerhill can feel that too. The staff and students there give it its particular shape, its particular feeling.” He pointed out how “in St. Joseph’s this was given a distinctive form down through the years since its foundation by the Sisters of Mercy with their catholic sense of what a college is and what education is all about. Today gives us an opportunity to acknowledge and to thank God for the original Mercy vision and its continuance in the college by successive generations of dedicated sisters.”

In an emotional recognition of the contribution made by the Mercy Sisters to St. Josephs, he pointed out that “when you have plenty of something often you don’t appreciate it but when something becomes scarce it becomes rare. We can see clearer and appreciate better its original unique specialness. Perhaps in the past the work and dedication of religious sisters throughout the country in education, health and other things has gone under acknowledged. Their selfless dedication, skill and competency, vision and drive was and is immense. In these latter years as the sisters have grown scarce and we feel their absence, perhaps it is only now we can really appreciate them for what they did.” In agreement the congregation broke into a long and sustained round of applause.

Looking to the future, Dr. Duignan said that “today also offers us an opportunity to look forward to how the Mercy Sisters presence will be built upon and their heritage continued as the Diocese of Elphin takes over their role in the college and to ask God’s blessing on this venture. In joining the trusteeship of the Diocese of Elphin – St. Joseph’s joins a family of diocesan schools that includes the College of the Immaculate Conception, Sligo a college of 700 boys also known as Summerhill College due to historical links with Athlone and the site at Summerhill. St. Joseph’s joins, St. Cuan’s College, Caslteblakeney a co-educational college of over 400 and last but not least St. Aloysius College just a stones throw from here.” He noted that “amid these schools however, St. Joseph’s will stand out as the first all girls college to be part of the Diocesan Trust. A little unusual for a diocesan trust that for historical reasons tended towards boys school but a very strong indication of the Diocese’s commitment to the continued catholic education of girls.”

He ended by emphasising how “the Diocese of Elphin is committed to preserving and strengthening well into the future that distinctive character of St. Joseph’s given to it by the Mercy Sisters down through the ages centred on – that vision for life and living to the full – given to us by God in Jesus whose birth – these advent days prepare us and our whole world to celebrate.” The Eucharist was followed by light refreshments for the entire congregation at the nearby Palace Bar.