My Last Conversation with Mother Lucille

Mother Lucille's One -Year Anniversary of Passing is October 27, 2025.

We thank God for the gift of her life and witness. "Amidst her many expressions of gratitude during her illness, Mother Lucille said to her sisters with great faith, “The best is yet to come.” May our loving Father now welcome her into His eternal embrace." (From Obituary)

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My last conversation with Mother Lucille was on the phone just one week before she passed. I was in the library at St. Anthony Convent, our mission in Ireland. I knew I would only have a minute or two to speak privately with her, and yet any moment to once again hear her characteristically sweet and warm voice felt like a precious blessing as she was rapidly declining.

When I spoke to Mother, it became clear that her suffering had not dampened her bright spirit. On the contrary, she was her warm, cheerful and even humorous self. I thanked her for loving me and for teaching me how to love. That was most on my heart to tell her. For me, Mother Lucille’s name is synonymous with the word ‘love’. Mother Lucille had always been love for me, and her example made me want to love more. She thanked me and then I began to ask her to kiss the first faces that came to mind when I thought of her entrance into heaven; Jesus, Mary, St. Joseph. Without skipping a beat she responded, “and your father!” I was surprised and a bit embarrassed that my own father—who had passed just two years prior—had not even come to my mind when I thought of the first faces in heaven. Mother’s certainty of my father’s presence in heaven and her remembrance of him touched me. She could be dying of cancer but her thoughts were still focused on the people around her and what was important to them. Her care and interest in our families was an evident example of this. People mattered to Mother Lucille and she didn’t forget them. Illness and suffering did not change that. She told me that she had a picture of my dad hanging right beside her bed.

The day after Mother Lucille passed away, I received an envelope from her that she’d addressed to me in August, just two months before she died. Inside the envelope was a photo of my parents with some of the sisters. The photo was taken some years prior when the sisters had stayed at my parents’ home for the March for Life. My father is standing in the center of the photo with sisters on either side of him and a great big smile on his face. On the envelope Mother wrote,

“I came across this delightful picture of your whole wonderful family—esp. of your dear Father —'Gordon’— May he pray for us all from above!”

Receiving this photo and reading Mother’s words less than twenty-four hours since she had passed was a signal grace. I felt that Mother was telling me that she was indeed in heaven and my father was with her too. May Mother Lucille’s dear soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

Sr. Philomena, CFR

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"Eternal rest grant unto her, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon her. May she rest in peace. May her soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen."

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For more on Mother Lucille, please see our History Pages.