A Tribute to Patricia Anne (Tish) Holding – R.I.P.

SOUTH AFRICA, Marlene Peter. On Sunday 11 September 2011, Patricia (Tish) Holding’s life ended here on earth, and began in Heaven, her true home, with our Heavenly Father. Her unexpected death followed complications during surgery she underwent on Thursday 8th September (Our Lady’s birthday), in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Who was she? If we were to ask any one of the many people who knew her, shared her life, worked with her, whose lives she touched, who were helped by her, and most importantly, loved and were loved by her, they would all have something to say about who Tish was to them. Her going has shocked and saddened us greatly.

In his tribute to her at her funeral mass on Friday 16th September, her husband Peter said she was, “the most important person in my life and central member of our family. I am so proud of her and all she achieved while we were together.”

A teacher, a friend, a wife, a mother…

Those of us, who came to know her, join the family in pride and gratitude for having encountered her on her life journey. For the moment I will draw on Peter’s words as one who knew her best. Before she married she was a teacher and although her official teaching career was cut short when they were married it however remained important throughout her life –“She saw education, whether religious or secular, as the gateway to success in whatever path you chose in life. It provided opportunities that would not otherwise be available….. Friendship and friends were very important to Tish and many of them endured for many, many years.” She knew the necessity of keeping friendship alive by keeping in touch, remembering birthdays and other important dates, adding some of the building bricks of friendship – concern, acceptance, listening, sharing, patience and love to make a strong foundation.

Family was most important to Tish, first of course, was her own family, Peter her beloved husband, and children, Larry, Andrew, Michael and Cathryn to whom she devoted all the qualities of motherhood that were instinctively a part of her.” She was attentive to her extended family as well.

Peter continues, “Although the children took up much of her time, she found time – or rather made time – to join prayer and other groups at her parish church, Maryvale. “This developed into a deeper spirituality when she was introduced to the Schoenstatt Movement. This then took a pivotal position for the rest of her life, most of which was spent in active leadership roles in the Mothers’ branch. She had a tremendous love for the Schoenstatt Movement, our Mother Thrice Admirable, and its founder Fr. Joseph Kentenich.

Apostle

In 1994, desiring a deeper commitment, Tish, together with 13 other mothers heeded the call of our Blessed Lady to join the Schoenstatt Union of Mothers. From the moment Tish took on this deeper commitment, she dedicated her life to service….

…..She had received a great gift from her own mother, – common sense. In all the situations she found herself in after that, whether as Catechetical Coordinator of the Northern Area of the Catholic Diocese of Johannesburg, or assisting in the organisation of the diocesan Synod in 2008, she used this gift of common sense to the full. She spoke out whenever she thought something could be done better or when she considered a decision to be wrong and needed to be changed.

Other causes that have benefitted from Tish’s concern and dedication in recent years are the Culture of Life Apostolate and Mercy House. The former is dedicated to the protection of human life – from womb to tomb. Tish enthusiastically associated herself with this apostolate, assisting with the organisation of street marches and prayer campaigns for the protection of the un-born child, getting the message out to an ever increasing number of persons in the Johannesburg area.”

Peter and Tish also devoted their attention and skills to Mercy House, a home set up to accommodate refugees from places like Rwanda. Her commitment extended to many hours spent teaching the younger residents English and helping with school work and assisting and advising the older ones.

Mothers‘ Union

Tish became part of our Schoenstatt Mothers Union community in 1994. It was the first course in Africa. We now have five. There are fourteen mothers in our course, (three have previously passed away), our course ideal being, “Heart of Infinite Love.” In the seventeen years since we began, we made our first, second and final consecrations, and all took steps, big and small towards our ideal, none more so than Tish. She was our well-chosen course mother and each of us has been the recipient of her care and concern, help, encouragement, understanding, trust, generosity and LOVE – truly motherly qualities, someone on her way to becoming a reflection of Our Mother Thrice Admirable. We witnessed her deep FAITH, her LOVE OF GOD, DEVOTION TO THE EUCHARIST, her SPIRITUALLY MOTIVATED MISSION CONSCIOUSNESS. This was reflected in all she did in little and big ways for so many people with whom she interacted.

Sister Marian, our spiritual director, mentor, friend and honorary course sister says, “What I found striking was the way her life was formed by her course ideal “Heart of Infinite Love.” She loved her course ideal and lived out of it to the full. It was her guiding star in all she was and did. This ideal was an inspiring force that urged her to be an instrument of God’s love, in her family, her parish, the Church and in all the various situations she encountered in her daily life. For many people she made God’s Love tangible doing many deeds of love, helping the poor, the sick, the aged, phoning and visiting the lonely and house-bound, helping many financially. Two outstanding characteristics of Tish were her capacity to love and her immense generosity- always giving, sharing of her time and herself in many practical and spiritual ways. She loved Schoenstatt and placed herself at the service of Our MTA, often bringing people to the Shrine, her favourite place. She was often first to offer help when it was needed at Schoenstatt, strong in the belief that Schoenstatt must be at the service of the Church. Our father and founder would have been proud of her. She was a strong, free Person, speaking up for the truth and what she felt was right. She felt a great responsibility for Schoenstatt and stated her opinion when she felt things needed to be changed. She was very loyal to the Union way of life and did her best to keep up its obligations. Tish was a very worthy Union mother.”

What her course sisters tell …

All of us course sisters, are deeply saddened and our expressions must be included here: Sheila: She made a deep impression on me from the beginning, kind, loving, with a heart of gold. Tish had a wonderful sense of humour.

Maria Salgado noted that at the funeral the Vicar General said she was, “a bubble of joy,” and spoke of her wonderful sense of humour. True, we, her family, friends, and course sisters are all warmed, even now, when we recall the many moments of fun and laughter we shared.

Sheila: She lived her course ideal as perfectly as she humanly could, taking care of us all, keeping in touch, keeping us informed about what was happening in the lives of our fellow sisters and the need to support them in prayer. Mind you, her own problems, especially health-wise, she kept in the background.

Jenny: In Mothers Union she was a shining example of using Schoenstatt and our father and founder’s inheritance as a way of self- education. She read and passed on so much about Schoenstatt and its message to all and sundry and was always looking for answers. She passed that enthusiasm on to everyone and I treasure the many hours we spent together preparing talks or attending meetings or going on pilgrimage. I knew that if I phoned her for prayers for anyone she would say, “I’ll go and light my candle in my home shrine.” She was a shining example of showing love to all in a really motherly way – practical and open to all, but strongly principled, always ready to listen and offer a possible solution.

Pammy: We’ve been pals for an age. You were always there for me. Your faith, hope, love, joy and peace inspired me to be. Tish my friend, I love you and miss you.

Maria Johnstone: Tish was not only a wonderful course mother but became my best friend. She took a personal interest in each course sister and was always concerned each one’s growth as a person.

Carol: Tish was a loving, caring and generous person. She always gave so much of her time to others – it was as if you were the only person in the world.

Barbara: Tish loved greatly and served everyone selflessly.

Anna Marie speaks for us all, “We, ‘Heart of Infinite Love,’ are going to miss you, our Course Mother, so very, very much. Your humour, hospitality, love and patience are going to be such a loss to us. She could bring us to order when we talked too much, and calm us down when we got too excited, then have us in stitches when she told us a story – and she did that often. “Tish you were an amazing woman. Your enthusiasm for projects was endless. Our small Pictures of Grace that went to Mama Bridget’s group of children of the Pilgrim Mother Rosary Campaign – you knew who they went to and kept in touch. Tish, I don’t know what we are going to do without you. But I do know that we now have a fourth ‘saint’ in heaven to intercede for us. Almighty Father, we thank you for having blessed us with Tish’s presence for the last sixteen years, and we ask our Blessed Mother to intercede for her soul.

Maria Salgado said, “Peter’s tribute to his beloved wife, when he spoke about her commitment to Schoenstatt, made me appreciate more the supportive role he played all these years when Tish was our Course Mother.”

We will all miss her

It is fitting to end with what he said at the end of this tribute, “Now Tish is no longer at my side, at least physically, I look back on 41 plus years together with joy and gratitude. I give thanks to God for the wonderful wife He created for me and the time we were allocated to spend together. Our children have grown up to be adults in whom we are justly proud, a grandson, Kevin, who has a bright future ahead of him – what more could anyone have asked for? This was due largely to Tish’s faith and devotion – an exceptional wife, mother, mother-in-law and Gogo (grandmother.) She was a true friend to many – young and old alike. She touched so many lives in ways we will never know. We will all miss her, but we have to let her go as her work here is done and she has been called home.”

And from Tish’s daughter Cathryn:

Let the tapestry of your life be woven
with rosy threads of love,
deep reds of passion,
rich golds of knowledge,
calm greens of faith,
quiet blues of understanding and contentment,
and the bright, bright silver of humour.

____

The team of schoenstatt.org thanks Tish Holding for hundreds of wonderful photos sent, for articles, testimonies and contacts, for sharing her experiences with the beginning of the Schoenstatt Pilgrim Mother Campaign and so much more – and most of all, for being part of this adventure during over 10 years… Rest in peace, or better, keep going, Tish, on this our pilgrimage towards 2014!