Tag Archives: Sr Ethel Normoyle

The life’s work and lasting legacy of the late Sr Ethel Normoyle has been recalled in the past week following the passing of the Queen of England, Elizabeth II. That’s because of the glowing tribute that the late monarch paid to the pioneering Lissycasey woman in highlighting her transformative work in South Africa where she spent most of her 50-year ministry. It was Queen Elizabeth’s encouraging words that gave Sr Normoyle’s sterling work on behalf of the people of Missionvale in Port Elizabeth worldwide exposure when she spoke at length about the Clarewoman’s labour of love to improve the lives of her parishioners over many years. It occurred on Christmas Day in 1995, when in her annual address was watched by up to nine million people in Britain and by many millions more around the world she made special mention of Sr Normoyle’s work in changing the lives of those living in Missionvale forever. “It was during my visit to …

SISTER Ethel Normoyle has been remembered as someone who “fully represented Irish values of solidarity, love and compassion” after she passed away this week. The Lissycasey-born nun spent decades working in South Africa’s Port Elizabeth, renamed Gqeberha, where she founded the Missionvale Care Centre in the late ‘80s. The missionary nun’s work in South Africa saw her receive global attention, including receiving visits from Mother Teresa and Queen Elizabeth. In the wake of her passing, the care centre have vowed to carry on and honour Sr Normoyle’s wishes “of continued compassionate care for the poor and the vulnerable”. Sr Normoyle will be laid to rest this Thursday in her native Lissycasey at a family only service and burial, though the funeral can be viewed online by those who wish to pay their respects. A member of the Little Company of Mary, Sr Normoyle established the Missionvale Care Centre in the Eastern Cape in 1988. Against all odds, she set up …

CLARE missionary nun Sr Ethel Normoyle has vowed to continue her work, helping thousands of poor and unprivileged people in a South African township, until a plan is put in place for sustainable development. Sr Ethel (70) said she has no plans to retire or to return home, after spending 27 years developing and maintaining the Missionvale Centre in Port Elizabeth. The Lissycasey-born nun said she could not betray the trust of hundreds of people who have donated time and money to build the centre, until a strategic plan has been put in place, considering the centre gets no financial help from the South African government and is relying on the goodness of others. She noted this process is in the capable hands of Missionvale Ireland chairman, Ollie O’Loughlin; secretary, Kieran McDermott and their board of trustees. A member of the Little Company of Mary order, she revealed she was subjected to an attempted kidnapping during the Apartheid years after …

A GROUP of students from St Anne’s Secondary School have raised almost €11,000 for their charity trip to South Africa later this month. Under the stewardship of teacher Brendan O’Brien, four fourth year students are making final preparations for their trip to the Missionvale Township. The group, which includes Mr O’Brien, Emma Collins, Ballina; Ben King, Ballina; Emer Mooney, Ogonnelloe and Michael O’Shea, Bridgetown, leave for Missionvale Township, Port Elizabeth, on Saturday, January 24. They will return on Wednesday, February 4. The total funds raised, to date, after a concert they held and other donations, is €10,866. The group has also begun an appeal for unused or unwanted Christmas wrapping paper and plastic shopping bags. Each year, on December 15, which is Fr Christmas Day, 8,000 children in the Missionvale Township receive Christmas parcels from Fr Christmas, and, as this is a huge undertaking, it has to be planned in advance. As the group will also be involved in this …