Kuala Lumpur is mourning the death of Sr. Enda Ryan, Fran-ciscan Missionary of Mary (FMM) who passed away on April 7 at the age of 95. She is originally from Ireland and since 1966 she had become a citizen of Malaysia, a country in which she has provided tireless service for women’s education for decades, she is leaving a great void among people, of every ethnicity and religion, who they got to know each other.
Sr. Enda leaves the Assunta primary and secondary schools she founded, as well as the Ave Maria Welfare clinic, which later be-came a hospital. But above all she remains the example of her faith, as well as her commitment and care for unity among students, regardless of their beliefs or ethnic origins.
There are numerous testi-monies released by those who knew her passionate ministry: proof of what was sown in 31 years of mission by the educator, religious and director, born Eileen Philomena Ryan, on 30 December 1928 in Galbally, in the county of Limerick in Ireland.
She joined the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary (an institute founded by Helene de Chappotin) in 1947 and arrived in the then Malaya in 1954, following the request of Sir Michael Hogan – the then President of the Court of Justice of Malaysia – to establish schools for girls whose education had been interrupted during the communist insurgency in the country. Sr. Enda Ryan had just received her Bachelor of Arts and Higher Diploma in Education.
“The maternal love that shone through her always touched everyone. Her grit, her enthusiasm and her zeal for life inspired us to live our lives to the fullest,” writes on the alumni portal of Assumption School Vimalathevi Perumal, a former student.
“All of us, her students, owe this unique, great icon immeasurable gratitude for having trained us to be good and responsible citizens of this nation,” she added. Another student, Regina Morris, told that Sr. Enda was nicknamed “the singing nun” because she never hid her love for singing.
“Make me an instrument. The singing sister” is the title of her 2013 biography edited by Nesamalar Chitravelu. The missionary composed the school hymn; whose lyrics embody her values. Despite her Irish origins, she sang Malay folk songs, such as “Rasa Sayang,” with the same gusto as “When Irish Eyes Are Smiling.” “She was tireless in her mission to spread truth and charity, which is the school motto imprinted in our hearts (Ad Veritatem Per Caritatem, ed.) – added Morris -. She was a teacher, a principal and a mother to all of us.”