South Longford's Sr Rosaleen Harold celebrates her Diamond Jubilee

Kathleen Harold was the second of ten daughters born to the late Tommy & Kathleen Harold (née Murphy), Rathcline, Lanesboro. Kathleen was a pupil in Lanesboro National School and received her First Communion in St Mary’s Church, Lanesboro.

From a very young age, she went on regular holidays to her Granny Murphy and Uncle Willie in Cornollen, Newtownforbes. She loved farm life and caring for the animals. After much persuasion, her parents agreed that she could go live in Cornollen full time. She attended Brianstown National School and then was a boarder in Convent of Mercy, Newtownforbes.

While she was attending secondary school, Mother Florence, from the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word in Dunmore, Co Galway came to the school to speak to the students. Kathleen was very interested in their work at home and on the missions. Sometime later, Kathleen expressed an interest in joining the order.

Her mother and grandmother had always encouraged Kathleen to say daily prayers and the rosary. At 15 years old and with the support of her parents, Granny Murphy and Uncle Willie Kathleen took the first steps. In 1961 Kathleen sailed with other companions to New York and then travelled on to San Antonio in Texas.

After finishing her Novitiate in 1964, she made her first profession taking the name Sister Rosaleen. She continued her studies in nursing and received a Bachelor of Science Degree in 1968. Sister Rosaleen’s final profession took place in August 1969.

In 1975, Sr Rosaleen graduated from Pittsburgh University with a Masters in Nursing. She then went to Chimbote in Perú to work with the Incas for a few months. The country was experiencing extreme poverty and under military government

After that Sr Rosaleen went back to the United States to take part in Pastoral Workshops at the Mexican/American cultural Centre. She then went to a language centre in Mexico to study Spanish in order to be able to communicate with the local people.

In 1980, Sr Rosaleen returned to Perú where she spent 38 years. She was involved in opening a Novitiate, later designated as an International Novitiate and received novices from Mexico.

She was the founder of the Formation Program in Perú which encouraged local women to join the Incarnate Word Sisters.

Hirayda Blacido was the first Peruvian sister to make her first profession on February 24, 1989. They had five novices in 1998.

Sr Rosaleen was also in charge of a group of lay people who worked as preachers. They went where priests could not go.

Sr Rosaleen was a member of the General Leadership Team from 2008-2014, being responsible for making plans to bring unity and distribute resources depending on the needs of the people.

She also helped them defend their human rights, especially that of women and the most vulnerable.

On one of her trips home, her family organised a fundraising event in Lanesboro, raising $3,900. and this money went towards a canal irrigation project which was partially funded by the American Catholic Relief Agency.

The canal “La Victoria’' floodgates were opened on June 24, 1988. Some years later a further fundraising event was held in McGowan’s in Newtownforbes and $8,000 was also raised for other projects.

In 1989, The Sisters celebrated the 25th Anniversary of the first missionaries to Perú.

After returning from Ireland in January 2017, Sr Rosaleen was appointed to Casa Vides Homeless Shelter in El Paso Texas.

The centre works with migrants, refugees and economically vulnerable peoples of the border region. It provides care, hospitality, safe environment and education to them. Sr Rosaleen’s role was to care for the children.

Sr Rosaleen retired to San Antonio in March 2020.

This year Sr Rosaleen celebrated her Diamond Jubilee with mass and a meal, at her sister Geraldine Horohoe home in Ballyleague, Lanesboro.

Sr Rosaleen’s sisters and their families joined in the celebrations, with some of them travelling from Portugal and Canada.