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Kilian O'Kelly

Deceased Sisters

Kilian O'Kelly - United Kingdom
29/10/1943 - 23/09/2017

Born in Dublin on 29th October 1943, and christened Caitriona Philomena, Sister Kilian was the second youngest of a family of five children born to her parents, Kathleen and Sean O’Kelly. Having completed her primary school education at Iona Road, Dublin, she received her secondary education at the Marist Convent in Carrick-on-Shannon, Co. Leitrim where, along with her sister, she was a boarder.

In the belief that God was calling her to Marist religious life, Sister Kilian entered Saint Brigid’s Novitiate, Carrick-on-Shannon in September 1961. Following her first profession on 24th July 1963, she transferred with her novitiate companions, to Sundrive Road, Dublin for her Scholasticate year.
In July 1964, Sister Kilian moved to England, then part of the Anglo-Irish Province and after an initial few months in Fulham was transferred to Paignton in Devon. From there, in due time, she attended the La Sainte Union College of Education and on gaining her Teachers’ Certificate in Education Sister Kilian returned to Paignton where she taught in the Senior School until it closed in 1982.  During her sabbatical year which followed, she studied Theology and Spirituality at the Regina Mundi Institute in Rome.  
On returning to England, Sister Kilian was missioned to the Sunninghill Community where she taught as a class teacher in the Marist preparatory School until she became Headteacher in 1989.  Her dedication to the work of education, her support of the staff, her keen interest in the welfare of the students and their families was greatly appreciated and she was held in high esteem by those she served.  
On the completion of her mandate as head teacher in 1999 she spent two years in Dublin where in addition to following some programmes of study, she supported her mother who was at that time, in failing health.
Sister Kilian joined the Upper Holloway community in North London in 2001.  Once more she engaged her talents in the work of education and took up employment as a peripatetic teacher in a Church of England state primary school in the East End of London where once more her insertion into the school community and her commitment to the young people in her care was outstanding.  This was to be her last full involvement in outside ministry.  
Diagnosed with cancer in September 2012, up to the time of her death Sister Kilian was never really free of the disease which took its toll on her energy and general health.  Despite this, she learned to live with her condition and was accepting, composed and stoic in dealing with it. She never complained. 
She continued in her role of Safeguarding Officer for the Unit until the last year of her life when she felt it was time to relinquish this responsibility,
Her interest in world and local news, sport, poetry and reading never waned and she was the community’s main source of information on the numbers and routes of the London Buses which she knew like the back of her hand!
After numerous short spells in hospital and once it became evident that Sister Kilian needed more specialised care than could be given her in the community, she moved to Saint John’s Hospice on 13th September 2017.  There she benefitted greatly from the gentle and efficient care of the devoted palliative care staff.  In the ten days that followed, although visibly weakening, her mind remained alert and she was happy to receive short visits from the sisters and family members.  During these final days, as part of her preparation for death, she planned her funeral liturgy – choosing her favourite readings, poetry and music.   On the evening of 23rd September she breathed her last.  Sister Kilian’s long struggle was over.  
The Requiem Mass of Thanksgiving for the life of Sister Kilian, in the Church of Saint Gabriel of the Sorrows, Archway, was a true celebration of her life and was attended by family members, parishioners and sisters from various communities.  Father Martin, a Comboni Missionary from Sunningdale and Father Gerald, an Augustinian Recollect from Devon, both long-time friends of Sister Kilian and the Marist Sisters, concelebrated with the parish priest, Father Ugo Ikwuka CSSp. 
We entrusted our sister, to the loving mercy of our God as she was laid to rest in Our Lady’s Cemetery, Kensal Green, London on 12th October 2017. 
May her great soul rest now in God’s eternal peace.

Deceased Sisters

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