Identical twins Mary and Ann Sullivan mark dual milestones as they celebrate their 95th birthday and 75 years with the Sisters of St. Martha.
By Mary MacKay of the Charlottetown Guardian

Old habits are hard to break.

But for identical twins Mary and Ann Sullivan, wearing matching outfits is more of a lifestyle choice than a desire to connect on a clothing level.

That's because the 90-year-olds are sisters in both senses of the word. And the duplicate clothes they wear is the official dress of the Charlottetown-based Sisters of St. Martha.

After 70 years in the congregation, the two sisters are still going strong, strolling the halls of the Motherhouse, Mount St. Mary's, where they have lived for the last two of their nine decades of life.

It's a life that began in Roseneath when the twins were born into the family of Thomas and Catherine Sullivan, adding to a tally of children that eventually totalled 14.

The order in which they arrived in the world still remains a mystery to the sister pair.

"Way back in those days they didn't go into things such as that, and we never thought of asking to tell you the truth," Sister Mary says, contemplating the question of who was born first.

"They were just happy that we had our hands and feet," Sister Ann adds with a smile.

"I don't know how they ever kept us straight, all babies look alike. If they didn't, it's too late now," Mary continues, prompting peals of tandem laughter.

Their dual decision to go the way of the sisterhood is based on strong family leanings in that direction. Their grandmother, Rose Sullivan, with whom they spent a lot of time when they were children, was a very religious person. Three of her sons and one grandson devoted their lives to the priesthood.

"So it has always been that kind of a family," Sister Mary says, and then tells of the call to the Sisters of St. Martha's order that came when she and her sister were barely 19.

"I could imagine that anybody who enters religion or anybody who enters anything you get a call. Married people are the same, they get the call. The Holy Ghost comes into their heads. You're not putting that down are you?" she asks this interviewer and then chuckles at her own cheekiness.

"It's a call, and you must do your best to follow it."

Follow it they did in 1931, right to the doorsteps of the original Mount St. Mary's house which was demolished in 1979.

The order of the Sisters of St. Martha, which is now in its 85th year, was still in its infancy but was growing exponentially with each passing year. Founded in 1916 by the Bishop of Charlottetown, Henry O'Leary, with just two sisters, Teresa Murray and Rose McQuaid of Lot 16, numbers had grown by the time the Sullivan sisters arrived.

Growing up in a large family had actually helped prepare the two for the communal lifestyle of the sisterhood.

"There were 14 of us (children at home), so I think that makes it easier when you get into a religious community with people. You're more content with a crowd. When we entered, there would be probably 20 at the table, of course, we'd have maybe that many at home," Mary reflects on the initial adjustment period that was also eased with the help of a fellow sister from Montague, Sister Mary Lannen, who mothered them along.

The work of the Sisters of St. Martha at the time was varied as were the placements that included St. Dunstan's College, the Bishop's Palace, Mount St. Mary's, the school in Kinkora, a facility for elderly women called St. Francis Hostel which eventually transferred to the Sacred Heart Home, St. Vincent's Orphanage and the Charlottetown Hospital. Over the years, the sisters have served at many.

"My first job was at St. Vincent's Orphanage, I spent nearly all my years there. It was the hardest place to leave that I ever left," Sister Mary remembers of the era that is still close to her heart.

"I looked after the boys and that was hard, hard work. Still in all, we loved it. And I still call them `the children,' and they're 45 and 50 now."

Sister Ann was assigned to the Bishop's residence where she performed a variety of duties.

"I was looking after the Basilica, the vestments, getting ready for mass; and the bishops chapel, too. It was nice getting ready for mass, I loved it. Getting ready for mass, who wouldn't?" she grins.

The Charlottetown Hospital was next on her duty roster. She remained there for 13 years.

Sister Mary was posted to a Jesuit college in Ontario for four years in 1944-48. She also served at the Sacred Heart Home until she retired at the age of 73.

As their age increased, the assigned duties decreased, but that didn't stop them from being entrenched in community life.

"We were right head over heels into it, we're still in it," says Sister Mary.

"After I came out here (to Mount St. Mary's) from the Sacred Heart Home, we went on Meals on Wheels and did I ever like that. Then I got my eyes done and one wasn't good enough for driving. I couldn't drive, so I had to give that up."

So she took up instruction in the art of painting, both at the Mount and at UPEI, where she also embraced courses including Canadian and Island history.

"I liked it," Mary says of her UPEI education years.

"Just walking over and getting into the crowd over there, too. Now they have courses just for seniors, but when I was going you were just in the class (with all ages)."

After living apart for the better part of their sisterhood years, the Sullivan twins are together once again, strolling the halls at Mount St. Mary's with no shortage of things to do, including mass every day but Saturday.

... "There's plenty to do right in the house here, you don't have to go too far. Even in the infirmary, there are so many things you can do there," Sister Mary says of a sector at Mount St. Mary's where members in need of care are looked after.

"This is where the action takes place," she adds.

"We have exercises. Every Friday I have a (video) tape that comes out on the TV and we do that. We have sing songs. Oh, there are a whole lot of things."

Both sisters have made several cross-country trips to California to visit two Sullivan siblings who live there. While there, they took in Disneyland and Universal Studios to see how movies are made.

Apart from a hearing loss, their health is remarkably sound. It runs in the family. Of the 14 original Sullivan siblings, nine remain.

In fact, their seven surviving brothers and sisters made a special point of attending a special luncheon at All Saints Parish in Cardigan held this June in honour of their 70th year in the sisterhood. Two celebrations were also held to mark their 90th birthday on Sept. 19.

"It's really unique," says Sister Lauretta White of the Sullivan sisters' dual milestones.

"We have quite a number (of sisters) from the same family, but they're the only twins."

Seven decades have passed since they stepped across the Sisters of St. Martha threshold, but neither regrets their decision to answer the call.

"You have it and then you wonder, 'Well now, there's a lot of fun going on out there,' but there was considerable fun going on in the community," Sister Mary says.

"You couldn't live if you didn't have a little bit of fun in your life. It's not all on your knees praying. And it's giving. You don't give up, you just give over - you give over everything that you have and your whole self, you give it over to God."

"Yes," Sister Ann agrees. "We enjoy it. It's a beautiful life."
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