Sr Catherine Thérèse Mc Comie OP

Sr Maria Goretti Gay OP died at the convent inMalick, Barataria on Saturday, February 18, after a brief illness. The Mass in celebration and thanksgiving for her life was held on Thursday, February 22 at the Holy Name Convent Chapel. Sr Catherine Thérèse Mc Comie OP, her “twin” in Religious life wrote what follows.

Sr Maria Goretti Gay (of the Dominican Sisters) was born on January 11, 1942 and was given the name Shirley Mary by her parents James and Edna Gay. She had an elder brother Michael (deceased) and a younger Peter (faithful lay minister and lector at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception).

Shirley attended Providence Girls’ Catholic School. Here she made a conspicuous entry by arriving at school on the first day wearing a dress with the design of the wrapper of the then popular sweet “Dandy Candy”. This became her nickname and to date her friends refer to her as “Dandy”.

She was very popular in school and was involved in Guides where she brought fun to many a campsite. Also, she was cast in the lead role of the operetta Pearl the Fisher-maid as the amorous Lorenzo. In another play Bernadette and Lourdes she was the notorious policeman – complete with uniform and big boots – who scared the wits out of everyone.

Amidst all this activity, she still heard the quiet call of God inviting her into Religious life. On leaving school she worked briefly and on February 2, 1961 she entered the Novitiate of the Dominican Sisters at Holy Name Convent. Nine months later on November 1, 1961 she was clothed in the Dominican habit and given the name Sr Maria Goretti.

Sr Goretti (right) and Sr Catherine Thérèse, her “twin” in religious life, share the happy occasion of their Silver jubilee celebration with Archbishop Anthony Pantin

The Novitiate period lasted for two years and she took temporary vows on November 1, 1963.

Her first assignment was to St Dominic’s Children’s Home but this lasted only two months as she left in January 1964 for the Motherhouse in Etrépagny, France to continue her Religious formation. This included crossing over to England to do her nursing studies.

On her return to Trinidad she took up duties again at St Dominic’s Children’s Home as Matron. She branched off into midwifery after her Final Profession in April 1969. She was the first nun in this field in Trinidad. “Sr Maria”, as she was called, spent 30 years at the Maternity Unit of the Port of Spain General Hospital.

There was another first during these years. She took up karate, persevering until she became a black belt - a feat of which she was justly proud.

She served the Congregation well holding the positions of Junior Mistress, Regional Councillor, General Councillor and as Prioress of Holy Name Convent and St Dominic’s, Barataria.

Just before her retirement she was again seconded to St Dominic’s Home as Matron in 1999 – where she continued on a voluntary basis after her compulsory retirement on January 11, 2002

Sr Maria Goretti was very healthy and enjoyed life to the fullest, assisting all those of her sisters who needed extra care for serious illnesses, even journeying to France on many occasions to assist the then Prioress General.

She was feisty and enjoyed a good discussion – argument even! She could out-talk anyone; as she recently said, about three weeks before her death: “When you see I stop talking – call the doctor”.  She made friends easily and had lots of faithful companions.

It was a total shock to all of us – including herself – when she was diagnosed in November 2006 with a very rare type of cancer – malignant multiple mullerian tumours. 

In spite of receiving the best treatment and care from her surgeon, nurse and doctors, friends and sisters, she succumbed to the malignancy after a desperate fight. Indeed she stopped talking a few days before her death. It was the sure signal that the end was near.

She died at 8.00 a.m. on February 18 (Carnival Sunday) surrounded by her friends and caregivers. She was privileged to have Mass said at her bedside a short while after her death. She leaves to mourn all who knew and loved her.

May she rest in peace.