March 11, 2018

Sister Margaret McCleary receives 2018 Hibernian Christian Charity Award

REGIONAL
Story and photos by David Martin

Sister of Providence Margaret McCleary received the 2018 Hibernian Christian Charity Award, at the annual Communion breakfast, held at the Wherehouse? in Holyoke, Sunday March 11.

HOLYOKE- More than 140 people gathered at the Wherehouse? in Holyoke, Sunday, March 11, for the annual Communion breakfast, which is part of the festivities leading up to the Holyoke St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Members of the Ancient Order of Hibernians James A. Curran Division One of Hampden/Hampshire Counties, which organizes the breakfast each year, gathered for an 8 a.m. Mass at St. Patrick’s Chapel of St. Jerome Parish on Hampden Street, before heading to the breakfast.  

Sister of Providence Margaret McCleary received  the 2018 Hibernian Christian Charity Award. Sister McCleary, the founder of Providence Ministries for the Needy, said she was fortunate enough to be called by God to become a Sister of Providence.

“My heart is filled with gratitude that for nearly 40 years many people in this community have joined the Sisters of Providence in our efforts to help those who are poor. To me it is very rewarding to see the extraordinary amount of support we get throughout the city and beyond,” said Sister McCleary.

Sister McCleary said the values of the Hibernians are friendship, unity and Christian charity. She said the Sisters of Providence also embrace and embody those values which they live out on a daily basis through their ministries of healthcare and assisting the less fortunate.

Attorney John J. Driscoll, the chairman of the breakfast, said the Ancient Order of Hibernians try to honor some unsung hero who might not have received the recognition they deserve for all they do in the community.  He said Sister McCleary was chosen because she is responsible for most of the works of Providence Ministries locally, such as, Kate’s Kitchen in Holyoke and Loretta House, transitional housing for homeless men.

“These are organizations that really reach out to the neediest of people in our communities. They do such good work and it was all her brainchild. She has really done a tremendous service to this community,” said Driscoll. 

Driscoll said members of the Ancient Order of Hibernians volunteer once a month at Kate’s Kitchen on Hamilton Street. Volunteer Anthony Colon is a graduate of the FoodWorks@Kate’s Kitchen, a 12-week progressive job training and placement program which provides job skills for continued employment through culinary arts. After graduating, Colon was able to find work in restaurants, cooking and doing other tasks. 

“I love cooking and I also like helping people. There are people who really need help and when we cook, we do it with love.  It is amazing because I learned so much and it also taught me how to be a better person and how to better understand more people,“ said Colon.

The featured speaker for the breakfast was retired Judge W. Michael Ryan who spoke on “Ireland’s Non-Violent Revolution-The General Election of 1918.” He also shared a few treasures from his extensive collection of historical and literary items.

For a video version of this story, tune into an upcoming edition of “Real to Reel” the Diocese of Springfield’s weekly television newsmagazine that airs Saturday evenings  at 7 on WWLP-22 NEWS.