Craggagh National School

BACK Sister Mary Inez, friend of a Saint.

Agnes Carney was born in Ballinvully, Kiltimagh. She was one of seven children born to Anthony Carney and Catherine Clisham.

Growing up in Ireland in the 1920's was not much like it is now. There were many families of Carneys in the area; all were cousins. They shared what they had and enjoyed each other's company, like one big happy family. Music, singing and dancing were the main forms of entertainment.

Religion played a big part in the life of young Agnes Carney who received her first formal education at Treenagleeragh National School. Every night the rosary was recited with all its "trimmings." The children gathered around, and the mother told the stories connected with the mysteries of the rosary.

In the spring of 1933, Agnes felt a great desire to be a nun. After a Children of Mary's retreat, she told the priest that she would like to become a sister. He told Sister Aloysius who arranged for an appointment with some sisters, in Dublin. Agnes made the long day's journey to Dublin with hope in her heart, having turned to God in prayer, and having made a novena of rosaries. Mother Mercedes met the young girl in a Dublin hotel. She was accepted and she was determined to serve God to the fullest. She had the blessing of both her parents.

Agnes, and her sister, Helena, left home on August 14th 1933. They met seventeen other girls in Dublin; continued on their journey to the United States, and arrived in New York. Some sisters who gave the new recruits a great welcome met them. From New York there was a two-hour bus ride to the Motherhouse at Bensalem, PA.

Agnes was received into the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament as a novice, and was given the name "Inez" which is Spanish for Agnes. After two years as a novice, Sister Inez was professed as a Sister of the Blessed Sacrament.

A week later, and together with three other sisters, Inez was travelling by train to the Deep South; her destination was Gulfport, Mississippi, where Sister was to become one of four sisters in the newly built convent. It was to be the first of many missions for the young nun among Afro-Americans in the states of Louisiana, Texas and Georgia. Sister Inez also worked with Native Americans in Oklahoma, Arizona and New Mexico.

Sister Inez was destined to meet and care for Mother Katherine during the last years of Katherine's life. Mother Katherine had established many ministries from 1891 until her death in 1955. During her lifetime she opened, staffed and supported sixty-five schools and missions for Afro-American and Native American children.

Mother Katherine was declared Blessed in 1988 after a miraculous cure was attributed to her. In January 2000, a second miraculous cure was attributed to her intercession. Blessed Katherine was canonised on October 1st 2000, by Pope John Paul at a ceremony in St. Peter's Square, in Rome. Sister Inez thanks God for preparing her for the work and for giving her the privilege of caring for a saint.

Sister Inez returned to Bensalem PA on September 3, 1993, having left her heart with the Navaho Indian people of Arizona. She felt it was time to withdraw from missionary work and seek a restful, peaceful time for prayer and meditation. She now spends her time at the shrine of Saint Katherine, and has made herself available to pray to St. Katherine with the many pilgrims who visit the shrine.

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