‘I hate to see the pain and suffering women go through with the heartbreak of addiction’

Sr Catherine Lillis, who was presented with one of the highest honour in the Catholic Church on Saturday in Navan's St Mary's Church is an extremely modest woman.

Despite dedicating decades of her life to turning around the lives of men and women with addiction issues, the Columban sister says she doesn't think she deserved it.

"There are so many others doing so much good work. They should be getting it, not me. I don't feel deserving of it," she says.

However many people, including the Holy See would disagree with her on that point, as the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice is not awarded lightly.

Sr Catherine (93) was presented with this prestigious award on Saturday evening by Bishop Tom Deenihan on behalf of Pope Francis, at a special mass in St Mary's Church in Navan. It was attended by her Columban community, the Tabor House community and the people of Navan, all very anxious to share this precious moment with her and acknowledge her immense work.

The Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice is conferred for distinguished service to the Catholic Church by lay people and clergy. The medal was established by Leo XIII and between 1902 and 1922 just 70 of the medals were awarded worldwide.

Sr Catherine has devoted years of her life to working as an addiction counsellor, she was the driving force behind setting up Tabor House in Navan, a secondary drug treatment residential facility for men and is now actively working toward establishing a similar centre for women on the Slane Road.

Sr Catherine Lillis was born on the 23rd of October in 1929 in Querrin, Kilkee, Co Clare. Her father was a teacher and her older sister joined the Columban community before she did.

She loved animals growing up. "There was always a dog in the house, and cats. I had a donkey as a child, my mother made a saddle for it and then we had a pony."

She still has a dog, Minnie, who lives with her at Tabor House to this day. "She knows everyone. She will bark at strangers when they come, but doesn't if it is one of the staff."

As a young woman, Catherine Lillis entered the Columban Convent in Ennis and spent some time in the Far East working on the missions.

She returned to Ireland and developed a keen interest in addiction, as she saw the devastation that alcohol was causing to families.

She travelled to the US where she trained as an addiction counsellor in the early 70′s in Chicago. Her training was based on the Minnesota model of addiction counselling.

On her return to Ireland, she worked in the Rutland Centre initially and subsequently in Dublin’s Inner City for many years with the then Health Board. During this period Sr Catherine also worked weekends at one to one and family counselling in Navan.

She loved working in the Inner City. "I spent nearly 12 years there, in Fatima Mansions, St Teresa's Gardens. They were lovely people."

Sr Catherine sat on the National Council of Alcoholism, bringing her vast experience to that.

While working with people in addiction, she saw the great need for secondary residential facilities for those in recovery.

She had gained experience at a halfway house in the USA and realised the desperate need that existed in the North East for additional treatment facilities and the vision of Tabor House was born.

"One cannot underestimate the determination and dedication of Sr Catherine in bringing this vision to reality," says Pat Mullaney who worked with her to achieve the facility.

At the very time that Sr Catherine set about the fulfilment of her vision, the policy in Ireland was shifting from residential care for those with addiction to community care. The many programmes being fostered at various locations around the country were methadone based for drug users, and one to one counselling and drop-in centres. Sr Catherine believed that for many this was not a satisfactory option and their chances of recovery were slim.

Sr Catherine and her small group of supporters began to knock on the doors of authority, searching for the way to create Tabor House. When she was not in meetings or helping the countless numbers that became her clients, she was encouraging her close friends in a flurry of fundraising initiatives, that would help form the financial footing for Tabor House.

"Pat Mullaney was the backbone of fund-raising. I couldn't have done it without him," she says.

In 2003 a breakthrough occurred with the North Eastern Health Board and the Department of the Environment committing to support the work if Tabor House was established. They acquired a premises, it had to be refurbished and the first clients arrived into Tabor House in 2004.

The official opening of the house took place in May 2005 and was performed by President Mary McAleese. The residents of the day together with Sr Catherine welcomed the president. Mass was celebrated by Reverend Gerry McCormack, Administrator of St Mary’s Parish Navan. Afterwards, President McAleese delivered a powerful speech which was warmly welcomed by the large attendance. Sr Catherine responded to the president with some quiet words of gratitude.

She referred in her speech to the awesomeness of a thought in her mind becoming a reality and thanked all those present for their work in bringing this vision to fruition.

Tabor House has saved many lives and transformed many more over the intervening years and at 93, Sr Catherine is still working to help those in addiction.

Her main focus today is setting up a similar facility for women on the Slane Road.

She says it has the potential to save many lives each year. "I know five women who passed away in the past year, because of addiction issues. If they had a recovering facility it would have given them a better chance," she said.

"I hate to see the pain and suffering women go through with the heartbreak of addiction."

Plans for the secondary treatment centre which will be called Misneach are well advanced.

A site for the facility, which will be run in a similar manner to the Tabor House, has been provided by Tara Mines, Meath County Council has agreed to build the centre, and the HSE have committed to fund the running costs - and they are now waiting for the final government approval.

The new centre, will offer a 12 week programme to addicts who have been through the initial detox programme.

“If somebody just comes out of detox with no support, they very often relapse very quickly. We give them the tools to live a normal life after addiction," Sr Catherine explains. “When a woman is drinking or taking drugs, she either ends up homeless with her children or without them. It does untold damage to children who often end up in care."

“The facility will have a family room because we want to make sure that children can visit at least once a week."

While Sr Catherine is based in Navan, she is a member of the Columban community of Maghermore, Co Wicklow and her fellow sisters attended Saturday's ceremony and the small gathering afterwards in the community centre.

"They are great to put up with me. If I get something into my head I have to get it done," she says.

And she does indeed, get it done, as the many men and women whose lives she has transformed will attest.

She achieved her dream of setting up Tabor House and no doubt, Misneach will follow shortly.