My heart bleeds! My heart bleeds at the loss of a great soul; a mother, friend, guide, counsellor, a Sister, a missionary par excellence! Sr. Mary O’Shea, was a woman of God in every way.
Her zeal for mission was so intense. She was a role model; ever loving, ever caring! She was a woman for the people.
I have fond memories of Sr. Mary O’Shea, as far back as 2008, when I began my missionary journey as a Pre-candidate of the Missionary Sisters of the Holy Rosary (MSHR) Congregation.
As a Vocation Promoter who was so passionate about leading young Cameroonian girls into the Congregation, Sr. Mary was my contact person in Ndu Community at that stage.
Sr. Mary O’Shea, MSHR, of Irish origin, served faithfully the people of Cameroon, whom she loved so dearly, from 1978 till 2018. She worked in various capacities including teaching at Our Lady of Lourdes, Mankon from 1978 to 1982, at Bayelle from 1984 to 1991 and Tiko Secondary School from 1991 to 1993.
She then went to Ndu where she was involved in Pastoral Work, Youth, Justice and Peace Ministries, as well as Vocation Promotion.
It was at this stage that I had a profound encounter with this great missionary. It was she who had walked into the dusty bus station at Ndu, in Kumbo Diocese, to pick me up when I just arrived Ndu for my first time ever, from my home in Akum to begin my missionary journey.
I remember her gently beckoning on a truck boy to carry my things, while I walked along with her to the Convent, which was quite close.
She, alongside Sr. Josephine Russel, and Sr. Mercy Muthoni, her community members then, accorded me a very warm welcome to the community.
She was clear enough about my next move before I got too relaxed, when she said: “Sylvie, tomorrow, I will be driving you down to Ntumbaw where you will be living and working”.
That was when it dawned on me that the Missionary journey has indeed begun, as I was thinking, Ndu was my final destination. She had already gone ahead to prepare an accommodation for me, in Ntumbaw, as well as made arrangements in the school where I was to teach, and from the moment she brought me there, I fell in love with the place and the people; a very natural environment, with happy, welcoming and peaceful people.
I integrated so well at Ntumbaw to the extent that when I got back home after a year, my people could hardly recognise me because I had put on so much weight, thanks largely to the grounds that had been cleared for me by this great woman, whom the Sisters sometimes fondly referred to as “the Fon of Ndu”.
My stay at Ntumbaw became even more enjoyable, each time Sr. Mary had to come down to administer Communion Service on Sundays when the Priest wasn’t available. Her gentle steps, together with her loving and reassuring smiles, kept me going, and she would hardly leave without offering me a token to support my maintenance; a practice which continued even till her death; hardly would she send me a letter without enclosing a token for me to get something for myself. Her generosity knew no bounds.
Phones were not so common then, and there was no network where I was; just a single spot in the whole area where people could go to receive and make calls. Letter-writing was then, the only reliable means of reaching out to the Sisters.
However, occasionally, I had the opportunity to visit the Community in Ndu for weekends, and it was always a great moment for me, as it gave me the opportunity to reconnect with Sr. Mary and the other Sisters and also share my experiences.
I fondly recall those story-telling moments by the fireside in the chilly Ndu weather, often accompanied by a cup of tea and a slice of bread or two. Sr. Mary, always full of stories, would have a lot to share with us. On my part, as a young teacher and prospective MSHR then, I often shared about my experiences with my learners at Ntumbaw.
I recall sharing my success story of how I managed to make friends with one of the learners in Primary 1, who was noted for bullying other children whilst lessons were going on.
By learning a little of Limbum, the mother tongue, which was the language used by the children in school and elsewhere, I was able to draw closer to him, and from then there was a significant change in his attitude.
Sr. Mary, with her great sense of humour, became very fond of this story and looked forward to meeting my little friend someday, which she actually did. Ever since then till her death, hardly would she write to me without making reference to the little boy, by name and wondering what would have become of him over the years.
She spent most of her missionary life in Cameroon, where she was very much involved with the people. Her zeal, passion and dedication created a positive impact on the lives of the people she served.
She integrated with the people of Ndu so much so that she was considered by many as “the heart and song of Ndu”.
One could hear a knock at the Convent door which was just by the road side, almost every hour of the day, and I would always hear her respond fondly in pidgin “na who?” as she walked to open the door, even before any other person could get there, and it often turned out she was the one being sought after. She would sit with them even for hours such that I used to wonder if she used to have any rest at all. She was a woman for the people. A friend of the youths, widows, orphans, sick, and a whole lot. Her availability was exceptional.
The Irish missionary Sister was so interested in the youths so much so that, together with a good friend called Pius, she had set up a Youth Football Club. On two occasions, she carried football gear from Kerry, her home town, in Ireland, to Cameroon for the Football Team, and Cups for the winners.
Sr. Mary had a deep concern for the physically challenged. She helped those who required surgery, or wheelchairs and helped build their self-respect and even adviced them on means and ways they could earn their living.
She was very instrumental in solving the water crisis in Ndu, by identifying the cause and leading a campaign to replace the eucalyptus trees that sucked up all the water from the earth, with local trees.
I often enjoyed seeing Sr. Mary drive in their small, blue, single-door Suzuki. Sometimes, when I came over for weekends, she would invite me to join her for home visitations and going to some outstations, which I did gladly. I remember the children by the road side who used to shout “White man, White man” as she drove past, and she will fondly repeat after them.
I relished those moments of travelling with Sr. Mary and Sr. Josephine Russel, her great companion, and community member, all the way from Ndu to Bamenda. Either of these passionate Irish missionaries did the driving, while the other took care of the needs of the other on the journey. It was either one pilling a banana and bringing it right to the mouth of the one driving or unwrapping a sweet for the other to take for energy, while on the stirring. I so much admired both of these iconic figures. I am sure, Sr. Jo, as we fondly called her, will greatly miss her!
The stop-overs at Kumbo Community, for a cup of tea, where a fellow Irish MSHR, Sr. Anna Woods of Blessed Memory, resided, made the journeys even more interesting. It was always fun travelling with those two.
Other Irish MSHR who equally worked tirelessly for the people of Cameroon at this time were: Sr. Sheila Mc’Elroy, Sr. Josephine Russel, Sr. Colette Mc’Cann, who was my Pre-candidacy Mistress, Sr. Kathleen O’Brien, and Srs. Anne Freitzpatrick and Anna Woods of Blessed Memory.
Sr. Mary upon completion of her mission in Cameroon was reassigned to Central Region in Brookville Community, Ireland where she served diligently as Community Leader for these past years.
Sr. Mary was a great counsellor and guide. When offered the opportunity by the Congregation as a professed Sister, to choose what I would like to study at the University, it was Sr. Mary O’Shea, who encouraged me to read English, saying that it will be useful to me then, and into the future.
I have no regrets I listened. She was excited when she learnt that now, a missionary in Ghana, I have ventured into the field of Communication. In one of her emails to me late 2024, she gladly remarked: “You seem to be making good use of your degree in English. I read your items in ‘Happenings’ (the Congregational Monthly Newsletter), and reading this gave me much joy and hope.”
Sr. Mary was a great communicator. She has never stopped reaching out to me, through letters, just as she did other Cameroonian Sisters, even if I failed to do likewise. She wrote to me, given the slightest opportunity.
Hearing of her demise, I was heartbroken. I have repeated gone through her last letter to me dated March 28, 2025, through Sr. Angela Akeje, with so much tears. (Letter below):
Who will always remind me of my good old days at Ntumbaw/Ndu? Who will always remind me of my little Persy?
At her death, her community in Brookville had this to say about her: “Mary was a quiet, caring, generous and sociable member with a lovely sense of humour and was a good story-teller. In her role on the local leadership team, she was always available, generous with her time and talents.
Sr. Mary was indeed committed to promoting Care of the Earth and we were often reminded of our responsibility in this area. She continued to be actively involved in the local Church in a very supportive way.
She will be greatly missed by us in this community and we thank her for her lovely presence here over the past number of years”.
Dear Sr. Mary, as the perfect Vocation Promoter that you were, you always prayed for, and never failed to ask me in your letters how I was faring with the Vocation fostering work in Ghana. I trust that even in death, you will continue to pray that God may bless my little efforts with Ghanaian Vocations that will hold the fort when the missionaries are no longer in the scene, just like you nurtured many vocations during your time in Cameroon, (including me) who are presently continuing with Christ’s mission, in different parts of the world, as you have returned to your Maker.
I miss you so much.
You taught me what being a missionary truly entails, by being a perfect one yourself; a very gentle and simple soul! Your legacy lives on.
Your handwritten letters will remain as a relic to remember you. I strongly believe that you are now resting with your Maker. Sleep well, Sr. Mary! I love you and will forever miss you. Please, pray for me! Till we meet to part no more.
By Sr. Sylvie Lum Cho, MSHR (Sister Communicator, Ghana)
