Retired sacristan Maura Whelton pictured with her extended family in the Church of Our Lady, Star of the Sea, Barryroe. Photo: Paul Finn A Benemerenti Medal was awarded to the recently retired sacristan of the Church of Our Lady, Star of the Sea, in Barryroe, Co. Cork. Maura Whelton was awarded by the Pope, but the presentation was made by the Bishop of Cork and Ross, Fintan Gavin.
Ms Whelton worked in the church for some 30 years, and besides her role as Sacristan, she was also involved with local organisations, such as Community Alert, the Legion of Mary and St Vincent de Paul. Speaking about her role as sacristan, Mr Whelton said, “I did it for God, it’s as simple as that really.” Reflecting on her decision to retire from the role, she said, “I loved it and I will miss it.”
Being a sacristan is much more than opening and closing the church. Over the three decades she worked in that community, Ms Whelton was the person new priests went to for help when settling in.
Now that Ms Whelton has retired, her work is being done by many people on a rota. A sign that her dedication and commitment to the Barryroe parish community were unparalleled.