“Are you Fr Bernard McDermott from the Columban Fathers?”

Columban Fr Bernard McDermott shares with us a story from Scotland of a chance encounter with one of our long-term Columban supporters.

Columban Fr Bernard McDermottSome years ago I, together two other Columbans were working on mission appeals on the outer Hebridean Island of Barra, off the west coast of Scotland. Because of our presence, the three priests assigned to Barra had taken the chance for a holiday from their remote parishes and we had stayed on for an additional two weeks to supply at Masses for them.

I was supplying in the parish of Castlebay and one evening I received a 'sick call'.

An elderly lady from the small island of Vattersey had been taken ill and the doctor had decided she needed treatment in Glasgow. This involved the air ambulance which had been requested from Stornaway.

When I arrived at the nursing home where she had been taken ill, the elderly lady, Annie McQueen (92 years old) was moved to the ambulance which was to take her to the small airplane which had landed on the strand (beach) which acted as the runway.

I followed the ambulance to the beach and walked alongside Annie as she was taken from the ambulance. She was accompanied by a nurse holding a drip. Above the sound of the engines of the plane I asked whether I could speak to Annie and anoint her!

I leaned over Annie and said “Annie, it's the priest and I have come to strengthen you with holy oil for your journey to Glasgow” She opened one eye and replied, “You’re not Fr McKay!”

“No Annie, Fr McKay is on holiday. I'm Fr McDermott and I am supplying for him while he is away”.

She opened both eyes, sat up on the bed-stretcher and said, “Are you Fr Bernard McDermott from the Columban Fathers?” “I am” I replied. “Well”, she said, “I had a letter from you just yesterday!”

The nurse holding the drip nearly fell over in amazement and I was equally surprised!

I was Columban Director in Britain at the time and one of my tasks was to write the appeal letter to our supporters of whom Annie McQueen was obviously one.

“Well, isn't it great to put a face to the name after all this time” she said. We had a short chat and I nearly forgot to anoint her before she was placed aboard the plane.

I telephoned the hospital in Glasgow where she went a couple of times and she seemed to be making a good recovery.

The people of her parish laughed when I recalled the experience to them at Mass the following Sunday.

“Typical Annie!” they said.

Another encounter with a Columban supporter that has been part of my memories!

What a privilege it has been!

Columban Fr Bernard McDermott was Regional Director in Britain for 12 years. He is the House Manager for the Columban main house in Birmingham.


 

 Listen to TFE Audio LISTEN TO: Are you Fr Bernard McDermott from the Columban Fathers?
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Read more from The Far East, August 2016