Sister Bridget Hynes

Mary Hynes
1880 - 1904

The Archives does not have a necrology for Sister Bridget. The following summary was compiled by Archives staff.

Mary Ellen Hynes was born on October 3, 1880 in Kingston Ontario to William Hynes and Johanna O’Neil. She was the second oldest of 5 children. She was placed in the Hotel Dieu orphanage in Kingston and discharged to her parents several times from 1882 to 1889. In August 1892, Mary was once again admitted to the Hotel Dieu Orphanage where she stayed for just under a year until she was placed with Miss O’Gorman of Ennismore on July 25, 1893.

Mary Hynes and Miss O’Gorman moved into the House of Providence on April 3, 1899. According to the Congregational Annals “Miss O’Gorman, one of our invalid boarders had adopted the orphan girl in her childhood from the Sisters of Hotel Dieu, City and had become so attached to her that the poor invalid asked to bring the girl to the Providence”. According to the House of Providence records “Mary Hynes, adopted girl of Miss O’Gorman….is admitted for the purpose of aiding in the care of this invalid”.

Mary entered the Sisters of Providence as a Tertiary on September 8, 1899 and took the religious name Sister Bridget. Even after she entered as a Tertiary she was allowed to continue nursing Miss O’Gorman. Tertiaries, also known as Servites of Mary, were auxiliaries who performed domestic labour. The Order of Servites of Mary was part of the congregation from 1895 to 1907 when the order was phased out and all tertiaries were invited to enter the novitiate.

After nearly five years of service, Sr. Bridget became ill in August 1904. On Sunday morning, November 27, 1904, Sister Bridget passed away. The Congregational Annals record the event:

Sunday morning witnesses another death bed scene, one of our most zealous and fervent Tertiaries, Sr. Bridget after three long months of weary suffering, edifies her religious companions by a Saint-like death at 11 a.m. This pious young girl Mary Hynes entered the order of Servites of Mary on September 8, 1899 and during five years in her humble calling served God and His afflicted poor with marked devotion and faithfulness.

The Annals records Mary Hynes’ death as “a severe trial to Miss O’Gorman” and sadly Miss Mary O’Gorman died just over a month later, on December 30, 1904.

Sr. Bridget was the only member of the congregation to die as a Tertiary. Her funeral service was celebrated by Fr. Kehoe, assisted by Rev. Fr. Duffus on November 29, 1904. Four Sisters and two tertiaries accompanied her casket to St. Mary’s Cathedral vault where it was stored throughout the winter. On April 24, 1905 Sister Bridget was buried at St. Mary’s Cemetery along with Mother Mary Edward and Sister Mary Raphael. Fr. Kehoe, Fr. Duffus and Fr. Kingsley performed the sacred rites of blessings and absolution.

 

This summary was compiled by the Archives on September 30, 2010 and updated on January 11, 2016. Thank you to the Providence Care Archives for providing information from the House of Providence records and the Religious Hospitallers of St. Joseph, St. Joseph Region Archives for providing information from the Hotel Dieu Orphanage records.