Barryroe sacristan honoured with papal award

Maura Whelton pictured with her extended family in the Church of Our Lady, Star of the Sea, Barryroe Photo: Paul Finn.

The recently retired sacristan of the Church of Our Lady, Star of the Sea, in Barryroe, has received a papal award.

Maura Whelton was awarded the Benemerenti Medal by Pope Leo for her exceptional services to the Catholic Church and the local community. The presentation was made by Bishop Fintan Gavin, Bishop of Cork and Ross at the conclusion of Sunday Mass in Barryroe last week.

Maura’s work in the Barryroe church spanned some three decades and was in tandem with her association with local organisations including Community Alert, the Legion of Mary and St. Vincent de Paul.

Such dedication nowadays is a fading role as society continues to change. Maura's own assessment of the role as sacristan in her local church was “I did it for God, it's as simple as that really.”

When asked how she attained the role the response was: “I just glided in.” Perhaps, if Maura and her family were not living adjacent to the church, things could have been different. But for Maura and her late husband Willie, who married in 1970 and bought the local shop in Tirnanéan nine years later, it seemed the natural thing to do.

For many, the role is seen as just opening and closing the church, but of course it’s much more. Firstly, it’s a commitment and of that there’s no doubt. Finding her replacement has already proved difficult and a rota now involves several people that have to juggle days and times for even opening and closing the church.

On her decision to “call it a day” as sacristan, Maura said, “I loved it and I will miss it.”
In the earlier years and up until recently, Maura was the “go to” person when a new priest arrived in the parish. Now, the Barryroe parish is part of the Clonakilty Family of Parishes which along with Barryroe includes the parishes of Ardfield, Clonakilty, Kilmeen, Rosscarbery and Timoleague.

Still very much a community person at heart, her roles within the aforementioned organisations will keep Maura busy while her children and grandchildren will continue to get her love and attention.

(Story by Martin Walsh, courtesy of The Southern Star.)

Retired sacristan Maura Whelton with Bishop Fintan Gavin and Fr. Fergus Ryan OP CC