A Clare woman who helped to improve living conditions for thousands of people in South Africa and played a pivotal role in translating the fight against HIV and AIDS into practical action has died.
Lissycasey born, Sr Ethel Normoyle died peacefully on Monday in the loving care of the Doctors and staff of Milford Care Centre, just one week on from her 77th birthday.
She was a member of the Little Company of Mary since 1963. Not long after arriving in South Africa in 1972, Ethel was subjected to an attempted kidnapping during the Apartheid years. This incident strengthened her thirst for justice and led to her opposing racial discrimination in the country.
In a previous interview, she recalled of the incident, “I did not expect the cruelty that I was faced with. I was threatened, spat on, arrested, stabbed and an attempted kidnap – the latter was what frightened me most as when I would close the door in the morning, I had a fear that I would not return”.
She added, “One of my greatest strengths was that my parents (John & Mary) were alive and I knew I was well protected by their prayers. It also was a cause of great tension in me knowing that if anything did happen to me, the pain and stress I would have caused them and I certainly did not want that to happen. I will never forget the day that our beloved Nelson Mandela took the presidential oath in parliament. I jumped from my chair as I watched it on television and said to myself ‘this is a point of reference that we will never go back to where we’ve come from’. It was worth fighting for”.
Missionvale Care Centre was founded by Sr Ethel in 1988, it is an interdenominational, non-profit organization committed to providing quality care and support to improve the lives of the people on Missionvale through love, compassion, consultation, participation and self-development. Its foundation came after Sr Normoyle set up a school and basic clinic under a tree, which has since resulted in a fully integrated community centre dedicated to the fight against poverty and HIV and AIDS. It also includes pre-primary and primary schools that provide education, hope and safe playgrounds for some 60 children, this centre is also home to about 500 orphans and vulnerable children.
She also established a nutrition centre for 650 heads of impoverished families, with the majority being those infected or affected by the HIV pandemic. Sister Ethel is ranked among those who have translated the fight against HIV and AIDS into practical action.
Spreading the reach of her compassion, Sister Ethel used the centre to establish a clothing warehouse to support the destitute and shack-fire victims. She was instrumental in inculcating the spirit of vuk’uzenzele among residents of Missionvale through self-help projects such as the community garden, and carpentry and adult basic education and training classes. She introduced a system at the centre that helps people who qualify for social grants from the State to access such benefits. To this effect, the centre provides transport for the needy to the relevant offices and helps with the completing of application forms.
For many years, Sr Ethel has continued to lobby support from other organisations to help meet the objectives of the centre. Each Christmas 5,000 children receive gifts that make them feel the warmth of love during the festive season.
With the help of more than 180 overseas volunteers, the Missionvale Care Centre has built a resource centre, which houses all the health initiatives, with plans underway to incorporate a day hospice.
In 1996, she followed in the footsteps of former President Nelson Mandela as a recipient of the Tipperary Peace Award in Ireland. In 2008, she was invited as an Eminent Person to the State of the Nation Address in Parliament. She was also honoured by former President of South Africa, Kgalema Motlanthe with the Order of the Grand Counsellor of the Baobab: Silver, one of the country’s top awards, for her excellent service to society”.
After receiving a lung cancer diagnosis earlier this year, Sr Ethel returned to Ireland to receive palliative care surrounded by her friends and family. In a heartfelt letter to the community of Missionvale just before she left, she said that the past 34 years had been the happiest years of her life. “I have loved being with you and I will never forget you! You have blessed me and I treasure you so very, very much. You will always be in my heart and prayers. I love you forever”.
Ennis broadcaster, Colm Flynn filmed a programme on Sr Ethel in 2012. He stated, “Over the space of 50 years she worked like an angel, helping the poorest of the poor in South Africa during the dark apartheid years. And despite being shunned by many, spat on and threatened by the police, she continued to live with the black community and built a remarkable school and healthcare center in the impoverished township of ‘Missionvale’. She was visited by the Queen of England and Mother Teresa who marveled at how she was caring for those most in need”.
Her funeral mass will take place at Our Lady of the Wayside Church, Lissycasey on Thursday afternoon. She is predeceased by her parents John & Vera and brothers Val & Kieran. She is sadly missed by her loving family, sisters Máire (Talty), Claire (Corley) and Geraldine (Cummins), brother Jerome, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews and extended family members.
