Jocelyn Franklin, who died on 3 October aged 93, has been described as a legend in the Catholic Diocese of Auckland and indeed throughout the country, having worked tirelessly for the Church for nearly 70 years.
She converted to Catholicism at the age of 20 and was chosen by Bishop (later Cardinal) Reginal Delargey in the post-Vatican II years to help establish the Young Christian Students (later Christian Youth Movement).
With the encouragement of Bishop Delargey and inspired by the writings and activities of Cardinal Joseph Cardijn’s principles for the lay apostolate – “See, Judge, Act” – Jocelyn became heavily involved in the establishment and training of the emerging lay apostolate movement.
She co-founded and was instrumental in the work of the Catholic Overseas Volunteers Service (COVS) as well as Justice and Peace activities.
Encouraged by Bishops Delargey and Mackey, she established the Lay Training Centre over a period of several years in two houses, where young people flatted together and studied at night and weekends after work, focusing particularly on social justice work.
In 1916 Jocelyn published a collection of poems and reflections on her long life of faith and her journey through her later years of failing health, called “Faith and Reflection”. In a foreword to this book the late Bishop John Mackey wrote “Jocelyn has been an icon for those who rejoice in the layperson’s work … Now in these poems she reveals the depths and richness of her faith.“
In recent years Jocelyn has been a resident at the Little Sisters of the Poor St Joseph’s Home, in Herne Bay in Auckland.
“We owe a great debt of thanks and gratitude to Jocelyn for her dedication, vision and missionary zeal. Well done thou good and faithful servant,” said the bishop of Auckland Patrick Dunn in a Facebook post.
Her Requiem Mass will be celebrated at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Auckland on Saturday 12 October.
Rosary and Vigil Prayers at St. Joseph’s Home Chapel, Little Sisters of the Poor, 9 Tweed Street, Herne Bay on Friday evening at 7.30 pm.
Source
- Supplied: Lyndsay Freer
- nzcatholic.org.nz
- Image: Supplied
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