A well-known nun who championed social justice and served locally has died.
Sr Stanislaus Kennedy joined the Religious Sisters of Charity in 1958 and founded serveral organisations, including Focus Point, The Sanctuary, Immigrant Council of Ireland and Young Social Innovators while she also developed social services in Kilkenny.
Superior General Sr Patricia Lenihan said she was a powerful voice for compassion, equality and systemic change throughout her life”.
The Kerry native died earlier this morning after a short time spent at the St Francis Hospice in Blanchardstown.
Earlier this year Sr Stan joined our Edward Hayden on The Saturday Show – you can listen back to that here.
Statement from Taoiseach Micheál Martin
“I am deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Sr Stanislaus Kennedy – a passionate advocate for helping those in need.
In 1985, she founded Focus Point, now known as Focus Ireland, to support those experiencing homelessness.
I met her many times over the years and always admired her tireless advocacy and her ability to inform policy. She had great energy.
She was a true Christian who dedicated her life to helping those on the margins.
My thoughts and prayers are with Sr Stan’s family and friends at this time.”
Statement from the Religious Sisters of Charity
We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Sister Stanislaus Kennedy, known to many as Sr Stan. Sr Stan died this morning after a short time at the St Francis Hospice, Blanchardstown.
“Sr Stan was a powerful voice for compassion, equality, and systemic change throughout her life. She will be greatly missed by her family, friends, co-workers and the Congregation. While there is a deep sadness, we are confident that her legacy of a life dedicated to the service of others in need, will continue to inspire us and generations of activists and social innovators in Ireland,” says Sr Patricia Lenihan, Superior General.
“Sr Stan joined the Religious Sisters of Charity in 1958 and devoted her life to helping others. She was a leading advocate and activist for change, working tirelessly to support the homeless, immigrants, and those in disadvantaged communities throughout Ireland and beyond. Throughout her life, Sr Stan was a courageous force for social change. She challenged the status quo and consistently voiced her informed views to influence policy and promote justice.”
Born Treasa Kennedy on 19 June 1939 near Lispole, on the Dingle Peninsula in County Kerry, Sr Stan was one of five children growing up in a farming family. At the age of 18, inspired by the work of our foundress Mary Aikenhead, she decided to become a Sister and was professed in January 1960. From 1995 until 2007, Sr Stan was a member of the Religious Sisters of Charity’s General Leadership Team, a role that placed her at the heart of the Congregation’s global mission and governance.
To help achieve lasting social change, she founded several organisations to provide vital services where they were most needed. In 1985, she founded Focus Point, (now Focus Ireland), following her research into the needs of women experiencing homelessness in Dublin in the 1980s. Focus Ireland is now the country’s largest voluntary organisation helping people to find, create and maintain a home. In 1998, she established ‘The Sanctuary’, a centre for meditation and spiritual reflection, on Stanhope Street in Dublin. In 2001, she founded the Immigrant Council of Ireland (ICI), a national organisation promoting the rights of immigrants through information, advocacy, and legal aid. She also established the Young Social Innovators (YSI) in 2021, a national initiative to empower students to be more socially aware and engage on social issues to drive positive change.
She a was a driving force for societal change across a range of issues in Ireland for over 60 years. Her early mission focused on developing social services in Kilkenny, before she became the first Chair of the National Committee on Pilot Schemes to Combat Poverty in Ireland. In 1985, the European Commission appointed her as Transnational Coordinator for the European Rural Anti-Poverty Programme. She served on the Council of State from 1997 to 2004, appointed by President Mary McAleese.
During her life, Sr Stan was recognised for her outstanding contribution to Irish society including: UCD Alumni Award for Social Sciences (2014), Meteor Humanitarian of the Year Award (2004) as well as Honorary Doctorates from Trinity College Dublin, UCD, and the Open University. She was the successful author of numerous books in which she shared her vision and life purpose, including her autobiography The Road Home.
We give thanks for Sr Stan’s life, her vision, and her unwavering commitment to justice and compassion.
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a hanam
