Lest We Forget
Sister Bernadine Comerford, CSJP (1916-2010)
Norah Comerford (Sister Bernardine) was born in Brockera, Roscrea, on January 16, 1916. She was the third of seven children born to William and Sarah Comerford and she is the last surviving member of the family. On September 5, 1933 she responded to God’s call to the Religious Life and left Ireland to come to Mapperley Road, Nottingham to enter with the Sisters of St Joseph of Peace. Her younger sister, Sister Alphonsus had already entered there ten months previously. She made her first Profession of Vows in August 1938 and the following year she graduated as a Teacher from Endsleigh Training College, Hull and so began a long and dedicated ministry in the education of young people.
Bernardine’s first teaching appointment was St Charles Residential School and Home for young people with special needs in Scotland. Throughout the war years she taught in St Joseph’s, Hanwell and despite the hardships entailed, Bernardine often spoke of her ministry there as a great and wonderful experience.
In 1953 Bernardine was called to America to train for the post of Novice Mistress and she spent two very happy years in St Michael’s Novitiate, Englewood Cliffs New Jersey. While there she made many friends amongst the Sisters and became familiar with the many varied ministries of the Sisters e.g. The Home and School for the Blind, in Jersey City, Holy Name Hospital and Nursing School at Teaneck, the Printing Press where the Sisters produced The Orphans’ Messenger which had a wide circulation in the USA. She retained a deep interest in the Sisters and their various ministries and delighted in reading the various Province newsletters and keeping up to date with all the happenings. Indeed it was a great source of sadness for Bernardine when ill health prevented her from attending the Chapter in Elberon, USA, in 2009. This was the first Chapter she missed in over fifty years.
In 1955 she returned to England to assume responsibility for young women joining the community in England and served as Novice Mistress for five years. For the next eighteen years Bernardine did outstanding work as the Head Teacher in Good Shepherd School, Arnold, Nottingham, St Patrick’s, Halifax, West Yorkshire and St Joseph’s, Leicester. During this time in education and for many years afterwards Bernardine served on the Province Council.
At the age of sixty-two she decided to retire from teaching and took a sabbatical. She went to Maynooth and undertook a year’s course in Theology. This proved a marvellous years experience for her as it gave her the opportunity to read and reflect. She returned renewed, refreshed and full of great enthusiasm to embark on a new path. Bernardine was re-elected onto the Provincial Council and assumed the role of Province Bursar. This was a big challenge to her but she said that her experience as Head of Schools gave her much valued experience in business and she accepted the task of Bursar with great faith and trust in the providence of God. This appointment was for five years but in fact it lasted for eighteen years. Bernardine did such outstanding work with the Province’s finances that each succeeding Provincial requested her to “carry on”. Eventually at the age of eighty-one Bernardine felt that it was time she retired “before she became a liability”. On October 10, 1997 the Sisters throughout the Province assembled in Rearsby to express sincere gratitude to Bernardine for the wonderful commitment she had given to a very challenging task. As the words of the Proverb says: “A capable woman who can find her? She is far beyond the price of pearls.”
Bernardine retired to St Joseph’s Convent, Leicester where she enjoyed twelve happy years. She was blessed with good health and retained a keen interest in both local and global issues.
She had a great sense of humour and she brought good fun and laughter as she recalled and related many good stories from her varied experiences.
She was totally dedicated and committed to the good of the Congregation throughout her Religious Life and she gave so generously to all the assignments she undertook. Bernardine stated that she would like to be remembered as a caring, honest, broadminded steward who had tried to do what seemed to her to be God’s Will.
Bernardine had a great love for her family and enjoyed her annual holiday with them in Ireland. We all know how fond she was of her nieces and nephews down to the new generations of grand nieces and grand nephews. They in their turn were most supportive and attentive to Bernardine and visited her frequently during her retirement and especially during her illness. She died peacefully on Wednesday June 9, 2010.
Bernardine’s life on earth is over and we pray that she is now enjoying the love and care of God who was always at the centre of her life and whom she served so faithfully and so well.
May she rest in peace.