Eulogy for Rita Colleen Reid – A Celebration of Her Life on Friday 7th August, 2026
Today we have come together to celebrate the life of Rita Colleen Reid (nee McBain). Rita was born in Newcastle, on 29th July, 1954. Rita departed this life on 28th July, 2026, just one day before her seventy second birthday.
As a young girl, Rita attended St Joseph’s Boarding School for Girls, at Lochinvar near Newcastle. Rita was a boarder for many years and these were challenging years for her. As she grew older, she loved spending time with her older brother, Brian and his first wife Louise, and their children Alicia and Ross.
Later as an adult she lived for some years with her good friends Janis and Paul in Newcastle. In fact, they had all bought a house together just before Rita met Michael. She had many good friends whose company she enjoyed socially going with them to the theatre and enjoying water skiing at weekends.
In a way I first heard of Rita before I met her. Brother Edwin and I were intrigued when Michael shared his dream from the previous night during a shared nature walk. We were in Sydney to attend a week-long Omega Order Conference at Prouille Convent in Wahroonga beginning on 21st October 1990. It was led by the Order’s Prior, Anglican Canon Peter Spink, who was visiting from the United Kingdom.
At that time, Michael had been part of our small community at Elm Grove Sanctuary for several years, and he was a very special part of our life together, so we were most interested when he told us about his dream of the previous night. His dream had disclosed to him the thought that he would soon meet the woman that he would marry.
Now Michael was never one to really like early rising so when we were signing in later, I was a little surprised when he put his name down for the Tai Chi classes prior to breakfast that were being offered each morning at 7.00am. As conference participants gathered for afternoon tea in the large common room – into the room walked Rita. Two sets of eyes met! I imagine that Michael’s eyes grew even wider when later he discovered that Rita was the person who was offering the Tai Chi classes for each morning.
Over that week everyone saw that these two young people were clearly smitten. Amidst much observation and knowing looks from everyone present, this was not to be hidden. The Dominican nuns who ran the Conference Centre referred to them as the lovely ‘young ones’ and conveniently arranged to leave the front doors unlocked for them to slip in late so that they might find some privacy in their evening walks together. So, Yes! Michael did meet Rita in a convent!
Peter Spink called me aside one morning and said – “either you’re going to lose a member of your community or you’re going to gain a new one” and I admit, I did have to agree.
With several members of the U.K Omega entourage wishing to visit Elm Grove Sanctuary, Michael had offered to drive their tour bus down from Sydney. To his delight, Rita was able to accompany them, having hurriedly organised some leave from her work in the library at the University of Newcastle where she had worked for the past ten years.
On the 29th October Michael proposed to Rita on the bridge over the Goobarragandra River at Elm Grove Sanctuary. It was just 8 days since they had met! Apparently, he proposed three times. He said that he just wanted to hear her delighted ‘yes’, which accompanied the hug and kiss that went with each one.
They shared this news with us all the next day when we gathered with our guests for morning prayer in the St Francis Nature Chapel. A short while after, within the grove of elms, a beautiful butterfly alighted on Michael’s hand, and fortunately, Edwin had his camera handy. Later, Michael passed the butterfly to Rita where it remained on her hand as she walked back with the guests to the Retreat House. It had really felt like a true blessing on their newly made commitment to each other. They decided to name the butterfly, Francis.
When 5 months later they were married in the Nature Chapel, Rita looked a picture of true beauty as she walked down through the grove to marry her Prince. She had shown me the lovely embroidered butterfly which was outlined in seed pearls on her wedding gown, which she had designed and sewn herself, and she most certainly looked like a Princess.
As Michael and Rita made their vows, again to our amazement, another lovely butterfly came to fly and circle over their heads. It was incredible to witness this yet again symbolically depicting such a blessing on this sacred moment in their lives. All of us noticed this moment and remarked upon it later.
The commitment by Rita to Michael within their marriage brought with it some really big changes for Rita as she joined us at Elm Grove. It was a major contrast to her former life. This would have been a huge challenge, and yet Rita’s commitment held firm despite now needing to share her life in the care for the many people and groups who came to us.
People came for retreat, some were referred by health practitioners, others came seeking healing space and restoration from their everyday lives. This as well meant that Rita was also sharing her new life within a community and the shared physical work of caring for others. Rita faced the preparation of meals for larger groups of people and also a life in which we trusted that our needs would be met without a regular wage packet. I was fully aware of how daunting this must have been for her. It was such a new experience. Yet Rita offered this act of service with such love, deep trust and gentle grace.
At Easter in 1991, our ecumenical order the Little Followers of Saint Francis was founded at Elm Grove Sanctuary. It was the first ecumenical Franciscan Order in Australia and unique in that it welcomed both married couples and single members. Rita and Michael were closely involved with us in the appointment of Catholic Archbishop Francis Carroll and Anglican Bishop George Browning of the Canberra and Goulburn Archdiocese and Diocese. These two special men officially blessed and supported our community’s work, as our Guardians, without having any ecclesiastic authority over us.
In time, when Rita and Michael discovered that their first child, Clare was due, they moved to Canberra to bring up their family in a more usual situation remaining connected as Companions of our Franciscan community. We remained closely connected with Rita and Michael who generously came to care for Elm Grove whenever we needed to take a break away. They both have always been part of our own family as well as the Elm Grove Sanctuary family. Their lives have always been expressed from a deeply spiritual foundation.
Together Rita and Michael faced the deeply sad time with the loss of their second child, Grace, and yet their love for each other held them closely together. Rita stayed home to raise Clare and Julian for several years when they both attended the Orana Steiner School. She became involved with the craft group at Orana for some years becoming the co-ordinator and as she had always been gifted in sewing, needlework, and embroidery she was involved with the group who made a quilt each year to raffle, along with various other items, to raise funds for the school at their Spring Fair. Rita also made two much admired and beautiful quilts for their bed at home as well as organising the making of the student’s costumes for use in their plays. She was a wonderful asset to the school.
After raising Clare and Julian, Rita began working as a Learning Support Assistant in ACT schools. Firstly at Black Mountain with students in years 7 – 12 where students had various disabilities both mental and physical. She loved working especially with those students with the highest of physical needs. She built a beautiful bond with them and her loving care was absolute. Rita and Clare both worked at Black Mountain school until Rita suffered a back injury while attempting to lift a heavy boy.
She was subsequently transferred to several other mainstream ACT schools, again in the role as a Learning Support Assistant. Firstly, at Kaleen Primary, then Alfred Deakin High, Lanyon High and Giralang Primary where she worked in the library, which she really loved, before retiring from the ACT Government school system in 2020.
Rita and Michael after their retirement spent many lovely periods away travelling with their caravan to spend time close to nature and joyfully capturing this through their art and photography. Rita had always believed that she had a calling to art and so she took some online courses and discovered that she could indeed be an artist. And in fact, she was a very good artist! A friend Jenny, who was the art teacher at Orana School, loved seeing the work that Rita did. She acknowledged the beauty of her work as did anyone who was privileged to see it. Rita’s awe and wonderment within the beauty of nature was so potent that the image of her holding a leaf while showing me her artwork, remains a gifted memory that I hold most dear.
I borrow now an excerpt from a poem written recently by Clare – “Her art remains – a thread of purpose – She collects eucalyptus leaves, marvels at their tones and textures – She notices the details others overlook, translates this beauty with brushes and paint…” Rita and Michael have raised their children in a certain and steadfast love and Rita’s innate creativity has clearly flowed through to them both. This will remain with them always.
In more recent times Rita and Michael began the Southside Food Table at Kambah and each Wednesday they worked to spread kindness to others. Offering fresh produce to anyone in need they offered so much more than food to those who came. It has created a sense of community, along with a cuppa, a biscuit and a caring ear for their troubles. Such generosity and warm care has blessed many people over the past few years.
As Rita’s health was failing, she gradually was unable to continue to accompany Michael to the food table but she was always there with him in spirit. People who had come to know and to love the gentleness of Rita, continued to ask after her in gratitude and recognition of all that she offered them in friendship.
I recognise Rita’s beauty, caring and strength in her daughter, Clare. Clare has so lovingly supported Rita on her deteriorating health journey. She now continues this special care in her support for Michael.
The wonderment and blessing of butterflies was clearly present in dear Rita’s passing. Only a few hours before Rita departed this world, I was in prayer holding her close in my heart as I knew that she was failing. Then, in my mind’s eye, I saw her surrounded by a mass of brightly coloured butterflies. They circled over and around her and I ‘knew’ that abundant blessings were being showered over our dearly loved Rita. Later that evening I decided to phone Michael to share this with him and it was just three hours later that I had the news from Clare that Rita had flown free from her suffering.
I know beyond any doubt that Rita now is in the presence of an Infinite and Immense Loving Presence. I am sure that over her lifetime Rita’s butterflies have beautifully and symbolically represented her soul. They will always remind us of how much we have loved her.
Sister Laurel Clare Lloyd-Jones LFSF
