Today I have the privilege of reflecting on who Sister Michael Vincent Daily was.

The first word that comes to mind for all of us, I am sure is that, Mike was a Woman of courage. Especially over these past five years! Her devotion to our Blessed Mother was a key source of strength and at times a source of miracles. How fitting that this celebration of Sister Michael Vincent’s entering new life is on the feast of Our Lady’s Birthday.

It took courage for Veronica Dailey to ascend the steps of St. Mary’s Convent forty-seven years ago, leaving her beloved parents, Marie and Vincent and her brother, Vincent, Jr. to answer a call to become a Sister of St. Dominic, a member of the Dominican Order. This call was inspired by the lives of the Newburgh Dominican sisters of St. Mary Parish, Gloucester, N.J.

Accepting the ministries to which she was missioned – St. Joseph, Toms Rivers; St. Rose, Haddon Heights; St. Paul, Jersey City – Sister Michael embraced her role as Catholic School educator with grace and courage. Early on, Michael believed that Catholic Education was the key to unlock not only the mysteries of life, but the key to bringing hope, love and joy to her own life and the lives of others. She sacrificed time, talent and treasure to establish learning facilities and learning environments to meet the need of the time.

Michael was adaptable. Early in her ministry she was summoned to leave the classroom and become administrator: St. Anthony School in Hawthorne, Our Lady, Star of the Sea in Long Branch and Our Lady of Good Counsel in Moorestown.). Sister continued to be motivated by her love for people, especially children.

I witnessed tributes in honor of Michael by the children and parents on several significant occasions in her life. At the celebration of her 40th anniversary during her principalship at Our Lady of Good Counsel, she was acknowledged as a woman of faithfulness and compassion.

Her faithfulness and compassion were evidenced in the care of her mother and father as well as her Aunt Mae in their years of aging and illness.. Her spirit of faith brought comfort and strength to her brother, Vincent and her sister-in-law, Gerri and nephew Vincent upon the untimely death of her nephew, Matthew.

Michael was a woman of Integrity. She said yes when she meant “yes” and “no” when she meant no. She raised questions when she sensed an injustice, a wrong, a failure in measuring up. She was often misunderstood when her approach was assertive and it was taken to be aggressive. She was easily hurt when this happened but never backed down when a right was in jeopardy.

A sense of humor was woven through all these qualities. Michael laughed at her self and labeled her self as “klutzy”. Walking with her nephew, Matthew, on the boardwalk in Wildwood she suddenly disappeared. When Matt stopped to look for her she had slipped on the only loose board in the whole area and went thru it up to her thigh.. Her response was “oops?”

Placing a bouquet of flowers on the altar at Star of the Sea Church, she missed her footing and down she went, wearing the flowers and “ drowning in the water.” Her response: “Well that did not go so well.” And who can forget the Happy Birthday Jesus cake she carried into the school cafeteria, tripped and went head first into the butter cream icing.

Once she finished sharing the illnesses of her family, God invited her to a period of acceptance of her own suffering. Her many trips to doctors’ offices, hospitals, rehab enters, diagnostic and therapy centers in Philadelphia, South Jersey and finally home, at Nazareth community and Siena Hall only deepened her faith. She became weary but never demoralized. She became tired but never hopeless.

Michael continued to challenge the system but was ever grateful for the compassion and care she received from the staff and from her sisters. “Mike” continued to be as active as her condition would permit, going to the Finance Office and assisting with reviewing of budgets and making telephone calls across the country for the Development OFFICE.

Sister Michael Vincent was congregationally minded. She could be seen navigating her “power chair” to assembly meetings and participating as much as possible in the events.

Many of us have our own fond memories of who Michael Vincent Daily was. Let us take just a minute to get in touch with that memory and be grateful for her touching our lives.

And let the people say AMEN.

Philomena Marie McCartney, OP

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