Sister Mary Edna Brophy, Maryknoll Sister for 60 Years Dies
Maryknoll, NY: Sister Mary Edna Brophy, missioner to Hong Kong died on January 13, 2017 at the Maryknoll Sisters Center, in Maryknoll, NY. She was 90 years old and a Maryknoll Sister for 60 years.
She was born in Blackie, Alberta, Canada on January 23, 1926 to Veronica and George Brophy. She received the name Mary Edna at baptism. She had two brothers, Joseph and Edward and three sisters, Ursaula, Mary Ada, and Agnes. Her parents and siblings have predeceased her. Mary Edna attended Wingham High School, in Wingham, Ontario, Canada from 1940 to 1945. Her fifth year of high school was equivalent to first year university in the United States. After graduation from high school she went into nurses training at St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, Canada and obtained her R.N. in 1948. She continued her nursing career at St. Michael’s Hospital until March 1955, and worked for three months at Mercy Hospital, Orlando, FL before entering the Maryknoll Sisters Novitiate in Maryknoll, NY from Our Lady of Lourdes Parish (now St. Timothy’s) Toronto, on September 2, 1955. At her reception of the habit she received the religious name Sister M. Frances John. After Vatican Council II, she returned to using her baptismal name, Mary Edna.
She made her First Profession of Vows on June 24, 1958 at the Maryknoll Sisters Center. That same year she was assigned to Hong Kong where, after studying the Chinese language for one year, she served as a Lab Assistant in Physics and Chemistry at the Maryknoll Convent School in Hong Kong. On June 24, 1964 she pronounced her Final Vows. From 1965-1976, Sr. Mary Edna was the Administrator of Caritas Center Clinic in the Ngua Tau Kok area of Hong Kong while also giving In-Service Training to Nurses Aides, teaching Health, and running Well-Baby/Nutrition/ Dental Clinics.
From 1977-1979, she worked at the Maryknoll Sisters Health Services in Maryknoll, NY, after which she attended Clinical Pastoral Training in Toronto. Upon her return to Hong Kong she took a refresher course in the Chinese language and from 1980-1989 served in various roles at Maryknoll Hospital, Caritas Social Centre, Community Nursing Services, Staff Nurse and Pastoral Service. From 1989-1992, she again worked at the Maryknoll Sisters Health Services in Maryknoll, NY.
She returned to Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong where she set up Pastoral Ministry Services in two large government hospitals: Kwong Wah and Kowloon Hospitals where she worked until 2004. She returned to Maryknoll, NY to give service as a Pastoral Team member at the Maryknoll Sisters Center. From 2005-2012 she volunteered as a Social Services Assistant, until she retired. Sister Mary Edna she died on January 13, 2017 at the Maryknoll Sisters Center. Typical of her life long desire to serve others, she donated her body to science.
A Vespers service will be held for Sister Mary on January 25 at 4:15 p.m. in the Main Chapel at the Maryknoll Sisters Center. A funeral Mass will follow on March 10 at 11:00 a.m. also in the Main Chapel at the Maryknoll Sisters Center.