One of the stalwarts of the Holy Faith Group in the United States was Sr Mary Cronan Collins who died in Los Angeles 13 April 2016.
A proud Cork woman all her life, Cronan was born in Fermoy, County Cork, on 7 November 1924 but always celebrated her birthday on 6 November, the feast of all the Irish saints!
Well known for her tremendously hard work and generous to a fault, she was school principal and superior for many years. All the young sisters knew that any sentence beginning with ‘Alannah’ boded trouble! A woman of deep faith and wise counsel, she was the confidante of many. Although she liked driving, she had no sense of direction and an aversion to left and right turns, such that any trip could easily become a marathon.
For the last five years, Cronan was a resident in Nazareth House, Manning Rd, Los Angeles in the loving care of the Sisters of Nazareth and the staff of Nazareth House. There too her love of people shone and she engaged with interest and compassion with all the residents and staff.
It was her wish that her Requiem Mass would take place in St John of God, Norwalk, the parish in which she had spent many years. Sr Cronan is buried in Resurrection cemetery, Rosemead, California.
