Entered Life: December 16, 1933
Entered Religious Life: September 8, 1951
Entered Eternal Life: December 29, 2023
“Not my will, but Yours be done.”
Celebration of Life Service was Friday, January, 5, 2024 at Mercy Circle
Click Here to watch highlights from service and remembrances.
Sister Esther O’Mara, beloved sister of the IBVM for 72 years.
Cherished daughter of the late Leslie J. & Esther C. nee Barker. Dear sister of Mary Doris (the late Howard) Morin, Rev. William T. O’Mara, the late John O’Mara, Richard O’Mara & Michael (the late Barbara) O’Mara. Fond aunt of Mary Morin, Dan Morin, Peter Morin, Paul, Jane & Tom Morin, Beth (Darin) Jones, Patrick O’Mara & Kathleen O’Mara.
Memorials may also be mailed to IBVM Development Office, Box 508, Wheaton, IL 60187.
Funeral Reflection by Mary Carton, IBVM
January 5, 2024
“I’m just a girl who can’t say no” – That’s from Oklahoma. “I’m just a girl who can say no” – That’s from Esther O’Mara. If she didn’t want to go to an event, she didn’t. If she didn’t want to eat vegetables, she didn’t. If you asked her to do something artsy with you, she would decline with certainty. But when it came to God, wherever she found God, she could never say no. She would never say no. As a result, Esther had a full, generous and focused life.
Esther’s ministries began in the primary classrooms of St. Adrian and St. Bride Schools. She had a recurring nightmare that she had reached the final day of school, and her students hadn’t finished lessons from their math book, Jolly Numbers. She was a great teacher who was always ready for her next adventure and soon found herself teaching in Phoenix, AZ at St. Gregory School. She later continued educating in primary grades at St. John of the Cross. During that time, she was also made Superior of the house, switched from habit to suit and changed titles from Mother Damien to Sr. Esther.
Esther had the readings from Isaiah and Psalm 86 highlighted in her traveling Bible. They describe the covenant between her and God, based on love and gratitude. She knew she was precious in God’s eyes. She received God’s great love in so many ways and she loved back with all her heart and through all her service.
In 1973, Esther met Sister Evelyn Jegen, a Cenacle Sister in California, who led Esther’s first directed retreat. Esther’s life changed after retreat. She was inspired and recharged. Her favorite Gospel was Easter morning with Mary Magdalene and Jesus. Just as Mary Magdalene ran to tell the others, Esther ran to tell us about her retreat at home. She had experienced the Lord! She was radiant with an inner joy. She had met Jesus in the garden with all of the surprise of the first Easter. She was certain in a grace-filled moment that it wasn’t just a story or a history, it was her story. She recognized Jesus, alive and with her. She didn’t cling to him, but came home to tell us the good news, the great news. This Gospel has always reflected both her longing and her readiness to see God face-to-face.
Although Sr. Irene Gavin once told me that Esther was very shy, I really didn’t know that version of her. I knew a woman who enjoyed change and adventures. She loved teaching in primary grades, but, wanting to live in the west, she took a 4th grade class. After a few weeks she sent me a note saying the grade was “rather boring.” She asked the class to turn to page 78, and they, unlike her first graders, did. They didn’t need her help! She took over and renewed the Religious Ed program at OLA the next year. A few years later, she took a job in Religious Education for the Diocese. There, she met her dear friend, Sr. Mercedes Braga. Esther taught Merce to enjoy a day off and Merce taught her how to dance and to laugh at herself as needed. Together they assisted many parish leaders and parents with Sacramental preparation of the children. They developed family programs wherever they went. Community was built wherever they went. They brought, and found, the face of God everywhere.
When Esther sought her next adventure, it brought her to Wellspring Women’s Center and she met God in whole new ways. The women were near homeless, hungry, immigrants and minorities all in search of food, love and dignity. Esther built new programs and brought in new volunteers. And once again, when she saw her work was finished there, she moved on.
When California houses closed, Esther moved back to the South Side to be near her brother, Bill, and other family and friends. Her illnesses gradually slowed her down. After living in California for 30 years, many didn’t really know her in Illinois. Many didn’t know the professional woman, the daring woman, the woman who declared, “I am NOT bossy. I just have better ideas!” But, since her return, many have known the card playing, clever, problem-solving woman. We have known the gentle, humorous, practical woman who lived in hope.
Esther described hospice and dying as her next great adventure. She was curious, and somewhat eager. The covenant was clear to her. Her covenant has come to its joyful fullness.
If she were here she would want to assure us of three things. First, we are all precious in God’s eyes. Second, we will find God when we seek God. Third, there’s no reason to say no to God’s adventures.
