SISTER MARY ANDRINA RYAN RSM

23 September 1928 – 12 August 2020

The Sisters of Mercy recently farewelled another dearly loved member of their community, namely Sister Mary Andrina Ryan. Patricia Jane Ryan was born in Rockhampton on 23 September 1928, the eldest child and only daughter to parents, Philip and Jane (Walsh), and sister to three younger brothers, Philip, John and Peter. After primary schooling at St Mary’s School, North Rockhampton, Patty attended the Range College, completing Junior in 1942 and then assisting in the Infant’s School at the Range before taking a position with Dr J Lynch at his surgery. 

On 27 November 1946, Patty entered the Rockhampton Sisters of Mercy together with two young Irish women who were cousins, namely Sisters M Patrice and Gabriel Kennedy. Received as Sr M Andrina on 20 July 1947, she was professed on 22 January 1950 together with Srs Valerie Schleger, Patrice Kennedy, Anthony Mary Casey, Paulinus Scotney and Michael McRae (all deceased), Gabriel Kennedy and Angela Doheny.  Sr M Andrina chose the motto: Thy kingdom come! 

Initially as a primary school teacher, Andrina taught at Koongal (1950-1953), and Walkerston (1954-1955) where she was also responsible for the care of young boarders. While teaching at the Range College from 1956-1968, Andrina also cared for boarders and this forged a long association with the college and a life-long friendship with so many former Range students. 

Other ministry placements include Our Lady of Mercy College, Mackay (1969), Vocations Director (1970-1974), Administrator at St Joseph’s Home, Neerkol (1975-1978) and then a return to the Range College (1980-1988) where Andrina was the last Sister of Mercy Principal (1985-1988). A change of ministry direction took place in 1989, when Andrina moved to pastoral care, combined with mission coordinator at the Rockhampton Mater Hospital, a role that included travelling to both the Yeppoon & Gladstone Mater Hospitals  until her ‘retirement’ on 26 October 2007. For the next eight years, alert to visiting the sick, Andrina spent one day a week providing pastoral care to patients at the Rockhampton Hospital where her presence was greatly appreciated. 

The Range Village was home to Andrina from 2010-2017, until she moved to McAuley Place (2018) and then to Bethany Home in December 2018 where she died peacefully on 12 August 2020. May the strong and energetic spirit of Andrina rest in peace.

WORDS OF REMEMBRANCE

Today we have gathered to remember and honour our sister, Andrina, and to support each other in our grief. Since her death last Wednesday morning, so many people, young and old, from all walks of life, and from across the country have penned sincere and loving tributes to Andrina. There has been a consistent theme in all of these messages as people attempt to describe the Andrina they knew and loved: energetic, vibrant, enthusiastic, caring, compassionate, generous, professional, much-loved, respected, influential, encouraging, inquisitive and always giving 110%. It’s true, Andrina was an embodiment of all of these qualities; but for us, her Sisters, she was the person in our midst who took to heart the commitment, made on her behalf, on the day of her baptism at St Mary’s Church, North Rockhampton. Her commitment to God was unwavering, her commitment to the Sisters of Mercy was undeniable, her concern for and interest in each one of us was tangible. The words from our Constitutions, ‘The tender mercy of God has given us one another’, were often underlined in Andrina’s reflections but more importantly, they were etched deeply in her heart.

Each one of us is shaped by many factors: family, nature, nurture, experience and circumstance. What shaped, influenced or helped Andrina to become the person she was? Born in 1928, just before the Great Depression,  Andrina often spoke of simple family life at 227 Lakes Creek Road, the home she shared with her mum and dad, Philip and Jane, and her three younger brothers, Philip, John and Peter. The Kalka area of North Rockhampton was home to other Ryan families so a close and lasting bond developed among grand-parents, aunts, uncles and cousins.  Philip and Jane Ryan knew hard times but their firm and unwavering love for each other and their children set the pattern where church attendance, good manners, neat appearance, hard-work, honesty, loyalty, hospitality and gratitude were instilled and observed. Andrina could tick all these boxes. She once wrote “I have lasting admiration for my dad, the strong blacksmith with the big, grateful heart. My parents taught the boys and me to ‘always be thankful’, and I have made gratitude my own.”

These formative years, together with an education at St Mary’s School, North Rockhampton and then at the Range College, further set the pattern for the young Patricia Jane Ryan. Even though her family did not fully understand or support her desire at that time, she entered our Congregation in November 1946 with Sisters Patrice and Gabriel, joined shortly after by other young women, including her close school friend, Angela Doheny. Of their large profession group, Gabriel and Angela are still with us and we want you both to know that we are keenly aware of the sadness you have in your heart at this time.

As a Sister of Mercy, Andrina, was totally committed. However, in truth, there were times when she could be a little unsure or hesitant, self-effacing to the point of putting her own needs ‘on hold’, almost to the detriment of her own health and well-being. This was the pattern of her life:  teaching young children and caring for boarders at Koongal and Walkerston, coming to her beloved Range College, where she taught all day and cared for boarders. Andrina lived mostly in the old Coolock building, not the most spacious of living conditions, but this was where Andrina forged enduring trust, respect and lasting friendships with so many Range girls even though there would have been times when Andrina, with firm demeanour, showed her intolerance of any inappropriate behaviour. 

Andrina brought this same total commitment to her appointment as Vocations Director in the early 1970s, a ministry that necessitated her learning to drive a car. Perhaps a most challenging task for Andrina was as administrator to St Joseph’s Home in 1975, a time when the best options for children in institutional care were being reviewed and radical changes would occur. Through the pain and anxieties of this time, the faith-filled Andrina made many friends, not only with the former Neerkol residents but with the parishioners and with the Vietnamese families who made Neerkol their home after the children moved to family group homes. 

After a year of renewal, Andrina came back to the Range College in 1980, where once again with great enthusiasm, she resumed her involvement in secondary education, boarding supervision and the education of young indigenous students at Woorabinda. This was a time of educational changes and challenges at the College and it culminated with Andrina being the last Sister of Mercy in the role of Principal. Thus 1988 marked the end of a long tradition for the Sisters of Mercy and a gracious ‘handing over’ of the role to Barbara Pearson, a loyal past pupil and trusted colleague. However, this didn’t signal the end of Andrina’s involvement in the life of the Range College – I think it gave her the freedom for even greater involvement as we all know of her devotion to and love for Range College reunions. Whether the gathering was in Rockhampton or Brisbane, Andrina was synonymous with all things ‘Blue and Gold’ and she always came home from reunions with rejuvenated energy after seeing ‘the girls’ and renewing friendships. 

‘Retirement’ wasn’t a word with which Andrina was familiar and so it was in 1989 that her ministry took her to a new place of influence, that of pastoral carer at the Rockhampton Mater Hospital, with the role later encompassing Mission Coordinator, requiring her to visit Yeppoon and Gladstone Mater Hospitals regularly. Again, Andrina’s love of people, her compassionate heart and commitment to mission proved a suitable fit for this ministry. Even after official retirement in 2007, Andrina’s weekly visits to the sick at the Rockhampton Hospital and south side parishioners were warmly appreciated.  

It was a source of great joy to Andrina that The Cathedral College chose to name one of its new Houses in her honour as the last Sister of Mercy Principal of the Range College. ‘Ryan House’ came into being in 2009 and Andrina, as its ‘living’ Patron, offered great support to the House Dean, donning her hat, purple ribbon and badge, rarely missing a swimming carnival, house assembly, music evening, opening of school Mass, TCC day, awards presentation or graduation ceremony. This purposeful connection to TCC renewed and deepened Andrina’s appreciation for the giftedness of young people; it also gave her the opportunity to see the fruits of her labours and the legacy we have handed on to those who now work in our Catholic schools. Because of her deteriorating health in the final three years of her life, this close relationship with TCC ceased for Andrina. Her presence at school events was deeply missed but fondly remembered.  

Our founder, Catherine McAuley, wrote: ‘There are three things that the poor prize more highly than gold, tho’ they cost the donor nothing; among these are the kind word, the gentle, compassionate look and the patient hearing of their sorrows.’  Andrina, always ‘on mission’, took these words to heart. We pray that Andrina is now among the blessed for she was a sincere woman of faith and hope, a woman of welcome, a woman of prayer, a woman of mercy. May Andrina live for ever in communion with the God she served so faithfully. 

Joanne Molloy RSM