The Psalm was sung by Sr. Hilda Kilraine. Readings, Prayers of the Faithful and the bearing of gifts to the altar were done by members of her extended family and of the Mercy community. St. Mary's Church choir was conducted by Mr. Gabriel Kelly. The following is the text of Fr. Carney's homily:

"Last Wednesday morning at Mass in the convent chapel Sr. Mechtilde received the ashes on her forehead in the shape of a cross. In coming forward to receive the ashes she was acknowledging that we are just passing through this life on our journey to the new life won for us by Christ through his suffering and death on the cross.

'The ashes remind as that what is important in life is our response to God and his love in our life. That is something we all need to remind ourselves of time and time again as we go through life. "Each one of us through our baptism is called upon to follow Christ Baptism is an invitation from Christ to follow him, to walk in his way, to proclaim his message by what we do and say. Baptism is not just an event in our past. It is something we live out in our daily lives irrespective of whatever our vocation or way of life may be.

"Baptism calls us to faith and a lived faith brings with it hope and love. The message of faith is a message of hope and as we place our faith and hope in Jesus Christ we are not placing it in a Christ of our past but rather in a Christ who lives in the here and now with us and the Christ who will come again. "It is this Christ that Sr. Mechtilde had such faith and hope in. She saw him us the one who had come into our world bringing the great message of love - a love that culminated in his death on the cross and she experienced that love in her daily prayer with the community and in her own personal prayer and in her daily sharing in the Eucharist. "Mechtilde had a deep and enriched faith in Jesus Christ and that gave her great hope in life, and from her faith and hope in Christ came her great love. A love she lived so generously in over sixty years in religious life. "Entering religious life in the mid 1930's she responded to God's love in a very special way. Giving herself to God and his people she lived a long and distinguished life as a Sister of Mercy. Her living out of her calling found its expression in Westport, Ballyhaunis, Newport, Mulranny and Achill. As a teacher there were few better. Firm and fair. In Newport she was the first Principal of the secondary school. She was completely dedicated to her work, never sparing herself and always willing to help others. She never sought attention and was always there for others and was a very good listener to others and their troubles. "For the last fourteen years she has lived here in Westport Convent But she was actively retired. She was seldom idle. She was generous in sharing her talents with others. She loved crochet and the missions benefited enormously from her handiwork. She loved doing the little things, like looking after the post, collecting the paper, and isn't it the little things that count? "She had a great love and affection for her own family with whom she was in daily contact and to whom she was affectionately known as "Auntie Nun". Her life was a life of service — service based on the central message of the gospel — love of God and love of one another. "Today we give thanks for her life of service, for her faith and for her goodness. Sr. Mechtilde knew that the message of Ash Wednesday is very true - we are but passing through this life. She has passed through and she brines to God a life of faith well lived.

"As we offer her to God, we pray that her faith and hope in Him are now fulfilled as she comes to take up the place prepared for her. We pray too that the Lord of hope will comfort you who were so close to her as family and community, as you carry the loneliness and emptiness caused by her death."

She was laid to rest afterwards in the Convent Cemetery.

May she rest in peace.

Mayo News 1893-2004, Wednesday, March 22, 2000; Page: 56