Sr. M. Petria Whelan

Nationality: Irish
Congregational Register No: 242
D.O.B. 26.03.1928
First Profession: 07.09.1952
Died: 16.03.2000 Aged: 71 years

Born in Dublin and baptised Patricia, Sr. Petria had been working in the Bank before she came to MMM on October 3rd 1949.

She studied medicine in UCD, taking first place in her final examinations. Medicine was to be her life's work until she became unable to continue in 1992 because of failing health.

Her dedication to her patients covered not only time in Drogheda but also in Nigeria, Angola, Taiwan and Tanzania, where she worked in both Dareda and Kabanga.

She was a very intense person and would put her whole self into everything that she did. But her loving concern for everyone that she came in contact with balanced this.

A sister who had lived with her in Tanzania recalls: "It was no trouble to Petria to knit, listen to music and play Scrabble at the one time and still get the highest score! The knitting was usually a warm vest or blanket for one of the premature babies so dear to Petria's heart. She lived out every day our MMM call to care especially for the mother and child…"

After returning to Ireland, she worked in Beechgrove, in the Guest Department. She was always present with a welcome smile but after a while her illness terminated this ministry. She was to have twenty months of serious illness, at times in crisis and other times in remission. During these periods she hoped that her illness would end. It was not to be, and God finally called her to new life.

Sr. Petria died in Drogheda on 16th March 2000 and is buried there.