Age 77
A poet at heart, Sister Mary’s warmth and kindness left an indelible mark on everyone she met.
She entered the Sisters of Mercy in Watchung, New Jersey, at the age of 48. Prior to entering, she studied at multiple schools, including the New School for Social Research, the University of Pennsylvania, and Georgian Court College (now University). An advocate for justice throughout high school and college, she was involved with the Civil Rights Movement, Students for a Democratic Society, the Peace Movement, and Amnesty International.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, New York, and a master’s degree in culture and spirituality from the Sophia Center at Holy Names College in Oakland, California. After taking her vows, she worked for three years as a lab coordinator for the Biology Department of Georgian Court University in Lakewood, New Jersey. She also was an adjunct biology professor at the college for 19 years and the assistant director of the university’s arboretum for more than 25 years. Mary also ministered as the director of the Mercy Ecology Center in Madison, Connecticut, for three years.
Sister Mary developed a love of writing and the Earth. Composing many poems over the years, she wrote for local newspapers, fiction, and poetry. Her work was published in The Sandpaper, The Beachcomber, The Beach Haven Times, Without Halos, The National Catholic Reporter/Global Sisters Report, The MAST Journal, and other local publications and newspapers. She also enjoyed working with eco-spiritual groups such as the Mercy Earth Harmony Network, WaterSpirit, Religious on Water, and groups at the United Nations.