Sister Maureen Sinnott

Expanded Life Journey by Maureen Sinnott

There is no one that I loved more than my mother, Mona. She was the heart of my life, and when she was in her 80’s and giving honorable mention to her many wrinkles, I would reply: “I love every one of your wrinkles; they are beautiful!” She would respond with a radiant smile and a twinkle in her eyes. She was so full of life that even remembering being at her death bed with my family in 2005 brings tears to my eyes. Her last words to me were: “Reen, when you need me, I will be here,” as she touched her heart. Gazing at the reflection of my own 80-year- old wrinkled face in the mirror, I feel overwhelming gratitude for all the relationships I have been blessed with, from within my mother’s womb until now. Every wrinkle reveals a story of joy, grief, and every possible in-between feeling in my relationships with those whom I have loved and who have loved me.

After grade and high school, I asked my parents if I could enter the convent; both times they refused saying I needed to get further education in case I left. So, I began nursing school and began dating a very like-minded and kind young man, which motivated me to find out if I was really called to religious life or marriage. Then I decided to join a community and expected God to either call me a little louder or I would return home. I chose the Medical Missionaries of Mary (MMM) because they were Irish, served in Africa in health care, wore shorter skirts and veils that revealed more hair, than other nuns. Does this sound like vanity? My parents agreed to let me try it out, and later told me that they expected me to return home within the year.

I flew from Detroit to Boston and joined 14 other young women to begin this adventure. By first profession, there were only 5 of us left and we were probably the ones, who broke the most rules, of the bunch. We have remained faithful friends for over 60 years! After profession, I graduated from Catherine Laboure School of Nursing, flew to Ireland to study Midwifery, then was assigned to Taiwan for 8 years. The first two years were spent studying Mandarin in Hsinchu, with other young sisters and priests from around the world, which was enriching, inspiring and fun! Our MMM community was far from there. It took a long train ride followed by a long bus ride through beautiful mountains to our small hospital in Taitung. Three older MMM’s from Ireland had already been there a few years and welcomed me with open arms, and gratitude that I would be taking turns on night duty. I whole-heartedly embraced the Taiwanese culture and assumed I would live there for the rest of my life. The friendships, experiences and enculturation enchanted me and a highlight was making my final profession in Mandarin. Besides midwifery, I helped a couple, Chris and Rollie Hopgood, adopt a baby, Mei-Ling, which took eight months to get through all the red tape. Finally, a lawyer for the Hopgood’s had to officially appoint Fr. Peter Cheng and myself to apply for and adopt Mei-Ling by proxy for them. Trust me, I felt like I was her mother after caring and loving her for eight months and found it very difficult to let her go. It would take a book to tell the story of her life and she eventually wrote it, called Lucky Girl. Then one of the Chinese priests asked me to visit three prisoners on death row for murder, and take them bibles. I began visiting them; they began reading their bibles; the Holy Spirit hovered over them; and all three were converted and baptized. Not long after they were baptized, they were executed, and I grieved them as friends and still have a photo of them in my prayer book.

Soon after this, I attended our General Chapter in Rome where it was decided that we needed to close our Taiwan mission because we did not have enough Sisters to serve in Africa, Brazil and Taiwan. Daughters of Charity took over our hospital and leaving Taiwan and my friends was agonizing. My Dad flew to Taiwan to travel home with me through Hong Kong, Thailand, India, Greece and all over Europe in a van with my good friend, Shirley Smith MMM (who had joined our Taitung community a short time before), my brother, Danny, his wife Judy, their three young children and my 18-year-old brother, Tim. This was an unforgettable family adventure!When I returned to the U.S, I was asked to prepare to be Novice Directress and attended Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, graduating with an M.A. in Religion and Personality. However, at that time there were no novices, so I was assigned to Tanzania, East Africa. My ministry continued to be midwifery and I also began learning on the job, how to give anesthetics during surgery, and thankfully, everyone survived! My Dad visited me in Tanzania and was in awe of the African culture and the wild animals, zebras, giraffes and monkeys as you drove down the dirt road back in the late 70’s. Most of all, he was touched by how warmly he was welcomed by the diverse tribes, especially by the Masai. One day while visiting a priest friend of mine from Detroit, who ministered in a Masai parish, we were invited to stay overnight by a Masai family. My dad slept in a mud hut with men and I slept in another mud hut with the women. My dad and I felt so honored to be invited by them. When young women began to join MMM’s again, I was called back to the U.S. as novice directress and was elected to our provincial council.

In the early 80’s, we had a Congregational Formation Meeting in Kenya. I flew to Tanzania and joined our Tanzanian sisters, driving to Kenya for the meeting. Unfortunately, the Sister driving fell asleep at the wheel. I was sitting next to her and flew over her and out her window to the roadside. I was hospitalized in Kenya and X-rays showed a hairline fracture of my neck. The doctors kept me lying flat on my back with a neck brace for a few weeks, then had me flown by stretcher to N.Y, where I was hospitalized for another few weeks. I finally returned to Boston, and my mother, sister, and niece came to visit me by train, to make sure I was fully recovered.

After being novice directress for one term, I was asked to do a second term. I agreed and asked to study psychology at the end of the two terms. The General Council in Ireland agreed to this, but when I finished the second term, the congregation had decided to focus on the medical model of healing, rather than to include spiritual direction and psychology. After discerning with my spiritual directress for some months, it was clear that I had no desire to leave religious life, but did feel a deep call to help those with mental health issues, especially those with major problems who could not afford therapy. This call had begun when I lived in Taiwan and many people with mental health issues would come to me for help.

To make a long story short, I decided to leave MMM’s, work full time as a nurse at McLean Psychiatric Hospital in Massachusetts, to support myself. Eventually I applied for a Ph.D. program at California School of Professional Psychology, now known as Alliant International University. I was advised by The Vicar of Religious in San Francisco to ask the Franciscan Sisters in Redwood City to live with them. They welcomed me and within a few months, while Sister Linda Gonzales was giving me a perm, she asked if I had thought of joining their congregation. A few days later, another Sister asked me the same question, which prompted me to ask God: Is this really You calling me here? In dialogue with the provincial and community, I began taking the necessary steps to enter and be professed as a Franciscan by taking classes at Franciscan School of Theology, learning more about the Congregation, and meeting more Sisters in other areas. At the same time, I was studying psychology at CSPP and working full time as a nurse at a nearby psychiatric hospital. Eventually, I was professed as a Franciscan and later graduated with a Ph.D. in Psychology.

In 1992, my Dad was diagnosed with cancer again with a prognosis of two years. He came to visit me in California and soon after, I moved back to my hometown, Allen Park, MI to be closer to him. I had joined the MMM’s when I was 18, missed my family for many, many years and now was back with my Dad during his time of preparing for death. I was blessed to be with my family as he took his last breath and I still miss his love, affirmation, and encouragement by writing me a letter every Sunday afternoon, no matter which country I was living in. I had already begun a private practice and it quickly developed into a full-time, thriving, practice. I was also active in various social justice groups and a board member of Pax Christi, Michigan and Freedom House (for Refugees and Survivors of Torture). We went to many demonstrations against war and other issues in Detroit, Washington DC and other states. No matter how busy, I made quality time for my mother and when she died in 2005 I experienced the greatest time of grief in my life.

After my mother’s death, I was called back to California, where I continued practicing psychology at Counseling Center, Catherine Center for formerly incarcerated women, Hope House for formerly incarcerated women, Francis Center for undocumented families, San Mateo County Jail, and served as a board member on National Alliance of Mentally Ill (NAMI), St. Vincent de Paul Restorative Justice Advisory Board and San Mateo County Mental Health and Substance Abuse Commission. During these years, I also returned to Tanzania 12 times to facilitate seminars on Franciscan Spirituality, Psychology and Leadership for our Sisters and the Franciscan Friar Postulants. Tanzania will always have a special place in my heart because I served there both as an MMM and a Franciscan. I hold heart-felt memories of both of my communities, trying to live the Gospel and incarnating the Visitation of Mary and Elizabeth, both pregnant with life, encouraging each other, has always inspired me. I also worked for some years with the Sisters of Mercy doing assessments and consultations until I was elected to our provincial council for four years.

I thank God for the blessing of living many years with Sheral Marshall, especially throughout the Covid pandemic, while moving from the Bay Area to Arroyo Grande, and retiring from our full-time ministries. Of course, as Franciscan Sisters, we never really retire because we continue to advocate and pray for others until our last breath and then in heaven. All I know is that I have too many stories to tell, too many special relationships to reminisce about, and too little space to even skim the surface.