McLoughlin took on this challenge in an attempt to raise funds for the Notre Dame St Peter’s School in Kroonstad, where she is part of the school governing body.

“When I turned 70, I went paragliding, and that same year, I celebrated 50 years as a religious sister at Notre Dame. I wanted to mark the year so I went gliding, and when I turned 80 I wondered what do I do now. “

She says that she is often on the road past the Parys airfield and she thought to herself that she will take on skydiving. She went inside, and they saw her and asked whether she could lift her legs and various things - it was proven that she was very fit, but then Covid-19 came and that stopped all the plans.

“Three years later I thought I have to do it, or I will never do it at all, but this time, instead of doing it for my pleasure and sense of achievement, I thought I am going to do it for a purpose. I decided to do it to raise funds for our school, Notre Dame St Peters School in Kroonstad, to plant a vegetable garden because more and more of our children are coming to school hungry in the morning as well as a sustainable fund that helps with bursaries for poor children who cannot pay the fees,” she said.

She said she is not an adrenaline junky and had not thought out the details of skydiving. She saw it and thought it is something that she could do differently; the difference from the gliding is that she would do it for a definite purpose that would benefit others.

“I was fairly calm when I went in, I think the only moment I shook a little was when I was in the plane 11 000 feet in the air, and I thought there is nowhere out now, I have to go through with it and it was wonderful.”

When she came down what touched her the most was the fact that she had made a safe landing and the number of people who had come to support her, it was very moving and she said that she was humbled by the whole experience. The people had been extremely generous with the donations and very enthusiastic and supportive.

Afterward, she felt delighted, delighted that it was over and that she had achieved what she had set out to do.

The Rotary Club of Kroonstad has been a great help to Sister Marie. They had helped her with overseas funders and are going to create the garden at the school.

OFM News