RIP, Sister Benedict Cooke MSC
“Give me only your Love, and your Grace, that’s enough for me! Your love and your grace, are enough for me!”
Sr. M Benedict: Mary Theresa Cooke
Born: 14.08.1930 Carlton, Vic. Australia
First Profession: 03.02.1952 Mary’s Mount, Balwyn
Entered Eternal Life: 25.01.2024 Balwyn, Vic. Australia
Sr. Benedict was born in Carlton and lived in her family home of East Brunswick. She came from a loving Catholic family who worked hard, a value which Sr. Benedict emanated throughout her religious life.
At an early age Sr. Benedict suffered the loss of her mother, and as the eldest child took on the responsibility of caring for her siblings, two younger sisters and a brother aged only 4 years at the time. This tragic experience had a huge impact on her life, her love and commitment to her family, and faithfulness and trust in God. These qualities were deeply embedded within her when in 1950 she entered our Congregation as a postulant.
Mena House
In 1957 Sr. Benedict completed a course at Emily McPherson College of Domestic Science and then for the next twenty years of her religious life served in our hospital kitchens namely, Mena House Hospital in Melbourne, Sacred Heart Hospital in Moreland, Holy Cross Hospital in Geelong and at Mary’s Mount our Motherhouse in Balwyn. To this very demanding ministry Sr. Benedict gave her full strength and commitment. She dedicated herself to nourishing physically the patients, staff and sisters, an immense task.
After serving faithfully and tirelessly in this ministry Sr. Benedict was called to a new ministry of Pastoral Care. This ministry gave her the greatest sense of fulfillment and joy. She was a Pastoral Care Worker at Sacred Heart Hospital and at our Aged Care Facility St. Joseph’s Tower in Kew. In this new ministry she became the carer, listener, and spiritual nourisher of many people’s hearts and souls.
Kealba
In 1992 Sr. Benedict was transferred to St. Paul’s Parish in Kealba to assist in the Parish. During her time there she visited elderly and housebound parishioners, prayerfully distributing the Sacrament of Eucharist to them. Sr. Benedict was loved and respected by all those whom she visited. She truly lived our charism as a nourisher both physically and spiritually of God’s Love through her kindness, concern and care which she showed to all whom she encountered.
When she retired to St. Catherine’s Aged Care Facility in 2010 her faithfulness to prayer, her interest in others, and her hospitable presence continued. As her health deteriorated, sister was transferred upstairs to the Nursing care facility. Sadly, in recent years she became immobile and was unable to walk or move freely, totally dependent on the care of the nurses and staff.
During her long years of illness, Sr. Benedict gave witness to all of us in how to live with suffering and pain, with faithful and patient endurance. Even in her final days when she was extremely unwell, Sr. Benedict would still struggle to quietly say to any of us who visited, “Have you had a cup of tea, biscuit, something to eat?” To the very end her concern was for the nourishment, care, and wellbeing of others. Whether active or bedbound, Sr. Benedict lived our spirituality through her loving presence.
St Catherine's Balwyn
We the MSC Sisters give immense gratitude to God for the privilege of having Sr. Benedict as one of our much-loved members. We thank her family, whom she dearly loved, for sharing her with our MSC Congregation. As we surrender our Sr. Benedict back into the arms of God, we pray that
Sr. Benedict may now rest in peace after her long life’s journey and be drawn and enfolded in God’s eternal embrace of Love.
Requiem Mass for Sr. Benedict will be celebrated at Our Lady of Good Counsel Church, Deepdene on Tuesday 6th February, 2024 at 11.00 am then we will accompany her to her final resting place at the Eltham Cemetery.
On behalf of the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of the Australian Province,
Sr. Theresia Veenker msc
31st January 2024
