Sister Enda Eileen Byrne, MSC

Sr. Enda Eileen Byrne, MSC was born March 27, 1925 in Carona, New York.  She died at Our Lady of Wisdom Nursing Facility on Tuesday, October 27, 2020.  

Sr. Enda was preceded in death by her father, Lawrence J. Byrne, her mother Helen Ball Byrne and her brothers, Joseph, John, Peter, Michael, Lawrence, Xavier, Peter and her sisters Mary Ann, Emily, and Theresa.  She is survived by her brother, Enda Joseph  and her sisters, Helen (aka Cyprian) and Kathleen, and many nieces, nephews and their families.

The Gospel for Oct 27 is a call to live the Gospel fully –

Jesus said, “What is the Kingdom of God like?  To what can I compare it?
It is like a mustard seed that a man took and planted in the garden.  When it was fully grown, it became a large bush and the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches.” Luke 13:18-20

Sr. Enda lived all of life planting mustard seeds in the hearts and minds of those who traveled life’s journey.

Sr. Enda entered the Congregation of the Marianites of Holy Cross on September 12, 1939.  She pronounced her perpetual vows on August 11, 1946.  She received her degrees in education from Tulane University and Southern Mississippi University.  She was involved in elementary and secondary education at several schools in the New Orleans area including:  Holy Angels, St. Agnes and Holy Name of Mary.  She also taught at St. Francis in Houma, St. John’s in Plaquemine, Sacred Heart in Ville Platte and AIC  in Opelousas.  Always eager to serve wherever needed, in 1962 she began teaching in the education department of Our Lady of Holy Cross College.  Two years later, Sr. Enda set out to acquire a doctorate degree in education from

The University of Southern Mississippi. She successfully achieved this goal in 1967.  Sr. Enda returned to teach at Our Lady of Holy Cross College from 1967 until 1971.  After years of teaching in the classroom at various levels of educating many young people, Sr. Enda served as the President of Our Lady of Holy Cross College until the completion of the Spring Semester of 1978.  In her later years of ministry in education, she taught in Public Schools of Jefferson Parish in the field of Special Education.  From 1995 to 2001, Sr. Enda taught English as a Second Language and volunteered as a counselor in a hospice program.  She was an active Minister of Communion to those in nursing homes.

People were her first love.  She saw the best in each person and was interested in giving all people the rights they deserved.  Late in life, she began to paint and dabble in water color.  Books took second place to people.  She was an avid reader and shared her library with many.

Faithful and grateful during her life, we give thanks for Sr. Enda’s presence in our lives.  As she enters eternal life, the values of her fidelity to prayer, devotion to others, and dedication to a life of Christian charity are lessons she passes on to us.   We rejoice with her as she enters eternal life and ask that she continue to pray for each of us.

To celebrate her life, a visitation will be held on Monday, November 2, 2020 from 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM in the J. Garic Schoen Chapel of JACOB SCHOEN & SON FUNERAL HOME, 3827 Canal Street, New Orleans, LA 70119.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00 AM.  Burial will take place at the Marianite Mausoleum in New Orleans, LA.  In lieu of flowers, the Marianites of Holy Cross request that memorial donations be made to the Marianites of Holy Cross at 21388 Smith Road, Covington, Louisiana, 70435. “Due to the current restriction in Orleans Parish, guests are required to practice social distancing as well as wear face coverings at the funeral home. The family is grateful for your understanding and compassion.” Condolences may be expressed at www.schoenfh.com