Elizabeth McTague was born on December 9, 1918 to Francis McTague and Mary E. Kiernan McTague in Ballinamore, County Leitrim, Ireland. In 1995 she wrote this account of her family: “My Mother chose to come to America after a long, hard decision to earn money and make a home for us of better living. At that time I was 8 years old, my oldest sister was 15 and my youngest brother 2. I was the 5th oldest of eight children. My parents agreed that my Father would stay in Ireland until the last of us could come so that we always had one parent. 

However, even though our mother was overseas, her loving hand guided us by way of individual mail, packages, etc. I was baptized Elizabeth but registered in school and known to my family as Lillie. Growing up I attended the Catholic school in our parish, and finished in the convent school in our home town taught by the Sisters of Mercy. At a later date I took an evening course in shorthand and typing. When I was 18 years old I went to England for nurse’s training, and at the end of my first year my Visa came for me to come to America. This was indeed a delight for me and for my mother as Immigration was stiff at times. My brother Eugene got his Visa at the same time and we sailed for the U.S. for eight days on the Atlantic Ocean, arriving in America on Easter Tuesday, April 19, 1938. In January 1939 a dark shadow fell on our family. Our beloved sister, Anna Rose died from double pneumonia; my younger brother, sister and father were there. This was a heavy heartache for our dear mother who was so far away, and for all of us. Nonetheless, mother kept pushing to bring the rest of our family to America as the war was raging in Europe. My father, Claire and Louie sailed for the U.S. in February 1940, so happy to join us.”

While living with her family in New York, Lillie McTague worked at various hospitals, had months of private duty nursing, and also worked as Nurse-Secretary in the office of a Doctor specialist. She enjoyed life with her family and her social life with friends. But as she herself expressed in writing: “at the age of 25 I came to a fork in the road and suddenly became very aware of the presence of God in my life.” 

She had a good job and a boy friend who was already getting serious about their future life together. Even while enjoying her freedom and fun, the longing for a more spiritual life was becoming more real to her. She shared her story with a priest at the Franciscan Monastery where she occasionally stopped in for a visit, finding it easy to talk with him about it. Later she would say that “God’s best gift to me at that time was that priest who guided me for the next two years until 1 entered the convent. She gave up her boyfriend and started going to Mass every morning. After telling her parents that she was hoping to enter a convent, she then told the Doctor for whom she had been working. When he heard this news he told her that he thought she should have her head examined.

She visited a few convents in the city, wrote to the Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration for vocation materials, and came to Clyde for a brief visit, feeling drawn to this ministry of Prayer. She entered at Clyde November 21, 1946 after parting with a loved family amidst tears at the Pennsylvania station in New York City. She began her Novitiate on September 1, 1947, professed temporary vows September 11, 1948, and perpetual vows September 11, 1953.

Sr. M. Annunciata’s loving spirit and Irish humor endeared her to all. With the nurses’ training received in England, and study opportunities offered her in our community in the areas of physical therapy, psychiatric nursing, and massage, she lovingly cared for the sick in St. Mary’s infirmary at the Clyde monastery for about 27 years, and then worked part-time in the infirmary at our St. Louis monastery. The same love for life and for people that she enjoyed in New York, she brought to each of our monasteries where she lived. In St. Louis and Kansas City, MO, San Diego, CA and Tucson, AZ she served as portress where this friendly, warm-hearted, loving Sister with a happy Irish smile graciously welcomed our many guests at the reception room, serving Christ in them as St. Benedict reminds us to do. Now with great love Christ has welcomed her to the Heavenly banquet.

On Wednesday, November 2nd at 10:00 PM our dear Sr. M. Annunciata McTague quietly and peacefully left her earthly home in Our Lady of Rickenbach Health Center at Clyde to join the holy assembly of all the faithful departed being prayerfully remembered on that Feast. The Vigil service was celebrated Sunday evening, November 6th