In the hands of God
The sudden loss of a wonderful colleague, Louise McDermott is still a mystery to us all.
She was a person who paid attention to all that she did and therefore was a joy to work with and became a good friend to many of those she came to know first through her work.
In recent years and before the Incorporation process, Louise loved her role in connecting the Colleges of DCU with the University. At Mater Dei Institute of Education she was always welcome, carrying out her formal duties at Academic Council and at Graduation, for example, with a light touch. But Louise was full of knowledge. She knew how the University worked. She knew the systems, when often we didn’t, the right direction to go in, a good person to speak with. If there was a debate about how to understand a situation, or interpret a regulation, Louise’s intervention would help bring forward a solution. During the years of preparation for Incorporation too, Louise’s was always a reassuring presence.
One of the defining things about Louise was that she was very interested in you as a person as well as in your role in the College - and therefore she made friends quickly. She spoke easily about her own interests, gave voice to everyday concerns, asked a question that might have been on her mind. Louise stayed back for chats, met colleagues for lunch, and above all wouldn’t miss a Mater Dei musical evening if at all possible. She had a deep-thinking, open-hearted, kindly, generous spirit and we miss her, sorely.
Many of the conversations Louise had with people in Mater Dei revolved around her own searching, the journey she was on. Testing the water with colleagues over the years, Louise eventually decided to take the MA in Ethics led in those days by Mater Dei in conjunction with the Institute of Ethics at Glasnevin. Having announced the opening and close of so many graduation ceremonies it was lovely to see Louise graduate at DCU herself.
Louise also became interested in theology, having become a Minister of the Word, a Reader, in her local parish, St. Philomena’s in Palmerstown, as well as a member of the Parish Pastoral Council. Around the time of the death of her mother, Louise spoke movingly of the support she experienced from those involved in Church at the Colleges, who, in that moment, had by their words and gestures, brought her, she said, to a place of healing, hope and peace.
On the Sunday before her own untimely death Louise, you will probably have heard, spoke at all the masses in her parish church, encouraging others to become Ministers of the Word. Reading Scripture aloud in the gathered community, bringing the voice of God to life for members of the congregation, was something very special to Louise.
A colleague remarked to me about how it was a revelation to her to be at the funeral Mass of a single woman, with family but no siblings, among such a crowd that it could hardly be held into the church. It was an extraordinarily uplifting coming together for Louise, despite the shock and sadness. One of her friends from the Faith for Life Team read a piece that we all thought might have been written for and about Louise:
There is something rare and special about a person who always makes you feel good - without even trying. There is something magical in a smile that talks… the ability to touch people without having to reach out – a simple understanding of hearts. There is nothing more refreshing as coming across such a person in your life – and nothing so appreciated as being able to call them your friend.
It is a daily loss to many of us gathered here today that our colleague and friend, Louise, has left us.
On this day, the Feast of All Hallows, all the Saints of God, named and unnamed, Christians and perhaps others can turn to Louise’s beloved Scripture for comfort.
The Book of Wisdom tells us:
‘The souls of the virtuous are in the hands of God’,
The Song of Songs offers reassurance:
‘His left hand is beneath my head, and with his right hand he embraces me.’