“It’s In Your Hands”, Priest Tells Students at Mercy Sisters Nun’s Funeral

by Daluxolo Moloantoa · June 23, 2023

“It’s upon you to carry the baton from where the Sisters of Mercy left off to advance the cause of educating future generations,” said Fr Chris Townsend to current and former students of Tsogo High School at the funeral of Sr Colmcille Roche RSM, held at a packed-to-capacity St Columba’s Church in Pretoria yesterday.

Her congregation, the Sisters of Mercy founded several Catholic schools in Gauteng, including McCauley House, St Matthews School and St Teresa School in Johannesburg, and Iona Convent School and Tsogo High School in Pretoria.

Present at the funeral were Archbishop Emeritus George Daniel of Pretoria, fellow Sisters of Mercy, past and current students and teachers of Tsogo High School School and the school’s current principal, among many others.

Sr Colmcille passed on peacefully at the Holy Cross Home for the Aged in Pretoria last Friday.

The Irish-born nun was a past principal of Tsogo High School. She had also been a principal of the primary school at McCauley House in Johannesburg, and a school administrator at Iona Convent, which is within the grounds of the St Columba’s Church.

Besides being an eminent Catholic school administrator, she was also a keen netball player and coach.

Her funeral was broadcast live on social media for family members in Ireland who couldn’t make the trip to SA. Among those who paid tribute to Sr Colmcille were Sr Majella Quinn RSM, also a former principal of Tsogo High School.

The school was founded by the Sisters of Mercy and the Stigmatine Fathers in 1975. It was and remains a top-performing school in Pretoria and nationally. Among its distinguished alumni are the likes of businessman Mr Patrice Motsepe, radio broadcaster Mr Tim Modise, Netball SA president Ms Cecilia Molokoane and countless other trailblazers in South African society.

Recently, school pupil Lerato Ruba attained a total of seven distinctions, securing her a full bursary at the University of Pretoria (UP).

Sr Colmcille’s passing was marked by an overwhelming outpouring of tributes on social media, unprecedented for a Catholic nun in recent times.