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By Sr. Marie Clarkson, O.L.M.
May/June 2008

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Our Lady’s Missionaries welcomed Sr. Pauline Doherty home to her Toronto community in May of 2006. After 41 years of living in Fortaleza, Brazil, the word “home” is hazy, but clarity begins to emerge with each story Pauline shares with me. As she tells of her treatment for cancer, she does not focus on the difficulties. Rather, she speaks of the good care from the doctors and staff at St. Michael’s Hospital as well as the marvellous old fashioned hands-on nursing care from her Sister companions. She also points out the fun, support and even mix-ups that come with community living. She even likes to attend our OLM community meetings to be a part of the latest happenings.

Pauline speaks of this time of diminishing health as a time of blessings, a time of being reacquainted with family while maintaining contact with far off friends through modern technology. She speaks of the richness of her life, the richness of growing up in a family of 13 children. Imagine playmates always close at hand. She describes her first new dress, her very own, bought for her to wear to her sister’s wedding. It was yellow with a basket of flowers embroidered upon it.

She describes the richness of her life in Brazil. Those who visit Pauline have the pleasure of seeing her makeshift gallery of photos pasted helter-skelter over her closet walls. Each image tells a story of its own, which you can hear as long as energy lasts, yours as well as hers. Those who visit Pauline meet people who struggle, who laugh, who live, not only in Brazil, but in Pauline’s heart. She draws strength from this sharing of life and from the message sent by Lila, a friend in Brazil, “We are all praying for you.” Once again Pauline is home.

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