Age 90
Sister Mary Bride was a Pittsburgh Sister of Mercy for 68 years and a life-long Pirates and Steelers fan! She entered the Sisters of Mercy from St. Pius Parish in McKeesport, Pennsylvania, in 1953 and made final vows in 1958.
Sister Mary Bride earned a BS in education from Mount Mercy College (now Carlow University) and taught in area Catholic schools, including St. Elizabeth of Hungary, Holy Trinity, St. Paul Cathedral School, Carlow Campus School and St. Winifred School, where she was the principal. She also served as diocesan school supervisor. After retiring from education, Sister Mary Bride became coordinator of maintenance for the Motherhouse and assumed responsibilities for Mercy Hall, the infirmary at the Motherhouse in Oakland, a position she held until 2010.
Laughter, generosity, empathy, love and concern for others were her special gifts, enabling her to live in joy and trust in whatever God asked of her.
Just a couple of weeks ago, Sister Mary Bride was cheering on the Steelers in a roomful of nuns at the Motherhouse. As noted in the January 6, 2012 edition of the Pittsburgh Catholic newspaper, “She could have been a pro baseball player if she hadn’t ‘caught’ a religious vocation.”
“When God calls you, he calls you no matter what; that’s it,” she said in that article. “I have had an interesting life. Thanks be to God.”