Sister Maureen Clare – an icon of education and spirituality
Published:Saturday | May 13, 2023 | 1:07 AMJudana Murphy/Gleaner Writer
FORMER PRINCIPAL of Immaculate Conception High School (ICHS) and devoted Franciscan Sister, Maureen Clare Hall, O.S.F., has been hailed as an “icon of education and spirituality”.
Sister Maureen, who served as principal from 1963 to 1991 and was the institution’s first Jamaican principal, died yesterday.
ICHS Alumnae Association President, Kim Mair, said Sister Maureen’s passing has brought about great sadness.
“She dedicated her life to education and touched countless lives during her time here. We are deeply grateful for her service and will always remember her kindness, wisdom, and unwavering commitment to our school and its students,” Mair said.
Former education minister, Ronald Thwaites, told The Gleaner that Sister Maureen was an icon of education and spirituality for all of her life.
“Sister Maureen Clare was an extraordinary Jamaican. She gave her life to the service of Jamaican women, evidenced a great generosity of spirit and contributed to the establishment and sustainability of institutions like Immaculate Conception High School, St Joseph’s Teachers’ College and all of the other many schools which the Fransican Order in Jamaica own or sponsor,” he said.
Thwaites shared that he never once heard Sister Maureen raise her voice and described her as a lady of quiet determination, who was committed to Jamaica.
“She had a self-sacrificing love for the least of them. She gave up the ownership of any kind of possession and gave up the pleasure and privilege of family life in order to do those things. I think that was highly commendable and we mourn her loss,” said Thwaites, a former member of parliament.
Brilliant scholar
An accomplished musician, she was once head of the Franciscan Sisters in Jamaica and the education stalwart was inducted in Immaculate’s Hall of Fame in 2013.
According to the school’s website, she entered Immaculate at an early age and proved to be a brilliant scholar.
At only 13 years old, she sat the Senior Cambridge Certificate and passed with flying colours and then took the A’ Levels at 15.
“After her outstanding high school career, Sister entered the convent as she had decided to become a nun many years before,” the website said.
At a long service award in 1988, Sister Maureen, who taught history and French before she became principal, was honoured for 25 years of service.
“She described her years at Immaculate as “years full of challenges and pleasant surprises”. The surprises, she said, “were the academic successes of her students”, the February 8 article read in part.
She was also honoured in 1984 by the St Andrew Business and Professional Women’s Club for her outstanding service to the field of education and at the time challenged Jamaicans to create a new moral order in the society.
Sister Maureen had said that the basis of the nation’s moral decline was selfishness and self-centredness.
She cited the “me first attitude” as the factor responsible for the loosening effect of the social cohesiveness and breakdown of the social, ethical and moral structures of the society.
Always made time for those in need
During her 28-year tenure as principal, she developed a reputation of being a disciplinarian who, despite her heavy schedule, always made time for those in need.
Under her leadership, Immaculate grew in numbers, expanding from four streams with some 800 students to six streams with over 1,400 students.
The ICHS alumna recalled that they affectionately gave her the name Mona because of her quiet smile resembling that of Mona Lisa.
Past student Lisa Da Costa told The Gleaner that her late mother attended Immaculate while Sister Maureen was principal and several of her relatives are alumnae.
“She had a tremendous impact on not just our lives within the family but throughout Jamaica. She is certainly an icon in my opinion,” said Da Costa, who is the president and CEO of The Lexington Group.
Government Senator Sherene Golding Campbell was among the scores of Immaculate alumnae who paid tribute to the former principal on social media.
“Sister Maureen Clare, who inspired me and so many others to strive for excellence, has gone home to her heavenly Father. Ad astra per aspera. Through difficulties to excellence. Sleep in peace Sister Maureen Clare Hall, O.S.F. Your work and legacy live on!” she posted.
“The end of an era. Sr. Maureen Clare Hall passed away at 3:30 this morning. She was an amazing educator that had high expectations for all and demanded excellence always. She had a profound impact on my life. Rest in peace,” Kathy McDonald wrote.
“If as a Mac girl you ever got picked up from school so late that you stayed by the admin building, then chances are you would have an encounter with Mona! Too loud? She would appear with a clap! But if you stayed too late then snacks or a visit to the Convent would be on offer,” another past student tweeted.
Sister Maureen did her undergraduate studies at St Bonaventure University in the United States and La Valle University in Quebec.
She returned to St Bonaventure where she read for her master’s in educational administration and later completed a master’s degree in catholic liturgy at Catholic University in Washington.