Sister Stanislaus Kennedy

Sister Stanislaus Kennedy was born Treasa Kennedy in 1939 near Lispole on the Dingle Peninsula in County Kerry, Ireland. As one of five children she grew up among fisherman and farmers during a time when there was high unemployment in Ireland and many Irish citizens were driven to emigrate in search of a better life. Her parents owned a small farm which was an environment where as a member of a close knit Catholic community, with access to the outdoors and contact with farm animals, helped shape her religious beliefs which in turn led to her desire at a relatively young age to help the poor. To achieve this she joined the Religious Sisters of Charity, an order founded by Mary Aitkenhead (1787-1858) which was committed to serving the poor and disadvantaged. On her profession as a nun in 1960 she was given the name of Sister Stanislaus which would often be shortened to Sister Stan. Dedicating her life to not only helping the poor she would bring a new approach to this end by joining with the poor, the homeless, and the abused to understand their problems on a different level. Initially based in Kilkenny, Ireland she would in time move to Dublin where she is best known for having founded, in 1985, the charity Focus Ireland which in time would become the largest voluntary organisation in Ireland. In 2001, she also set up [http://www.immigrantcouncil.ie/ The Immigrant Council of Ireland (ICI) as a response to the social needs of new immigrants living in Ireland. In 1997 she was appointed to the Council of State and served until 2004. Sister Stan is the author of six books published by Transworld Ireland. Of these, her book 'The Road Home' details her childhood and her work over the years as a member of the Religious Sisters of Charity. This book contains a foreword written by Mary McAleese, former President of Ireland.

Sister Stan released her newest book 'Mindful Meditations for Every Day' in 2016. The book is filled with meditations and reflections based on her own life and her role as a mentor in mindfulness.

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