Memorials
Sister Mary Ann McCarthy
We come together as a faith community to celebrate with overflowing gratitude the beautiful life of Sister Mary Ann McCarthy, formerly Sister Joseph Therese, a Sister of St. Joseph for 73 years; a proud member of the Party of 1952 and chief organizer of celebratory gatherings. Gratitude to Father Tom Poth, M.M. for celebrating with us today. The Montfort Fathers held a very special place in Mary Ann’s life and heart. She wanted you, and you alone, Tom to celebrate today, so thank you!
Gratitude also to our music ministers and the pastoral care team here in Maria Regina.
2.We welcome with great affection Mary Ann’s family ~ the grand McCarthy and Tobin Clans ~ how she loved you all.Even in her final days, Mary Ann would perk up when a family member called or entered her room. She was always eager to hear the latest in your life journey. She beamed to hear about the next generation’s successes and milestones, especially the latest about Thomas’s first days at Fordham University.
Mary Ann’s deep sense of gratitude for the blessings of her life was always evident in her gracious manner, kindly ways, and welcoming smile. Her religious vocation was deeply treasured as was her beautiful, supportive friendship with Marianne Sennick, her dear companion for over four decades. Marianne, you were gift to each other, always calling forth the best in each of you. Be at peace.
Mary Ann and her brother, John, lovingly called Johnny were the proud children of John and Dorothy, immigrants from County Kerry, Ireland. Their faith-filled home in Bellerose, Queens was a beacon of welcome and hospitality to many, and especially to a dear cousin, Kathleen who became sister in the fullest sense of that relationship.
After graduating from The Mary Louis Academy, Mary Ann studied at St. John’s University with the goal of becoming an educator ~ but the call of God to religious life brought her to the Congregation the next year.
Filled with zeal and enthusiasm for our mission and lived charism, Mary Ann completed her BA at St. John’s, later adding an MA in Theology from Providence College and a degree in Administration from Manhattan College. Education remained her pathway in ministry, teaching elementary school for 12 years and then “graduating” to teach Religion at The Mary Louis Academy and Sacred Heart Academy for the next 17 years.
Mary Ann’s leadership and affable relational skills were tapped as she was called to an Administrative position at Our Lady of Perpetual Help HS in Brooklyn for 9 years. Praise for Mary Ann’s vision of academic excellence and her ardent belief in the transformative impact of Catholic education, along with her unrelenting compassionate support for faculty members and students, have filled social media this past week. She walked the walk with gentle but powerful integrity and faith.
In 1992 Mary Ann headed East to enter wholeheartedly into service with Hope House Ministries in Port Jefferson. For the next 13 years Mary Ann served as Special Education Administrator at the Montfort Academy and assisted at the homeless shelter. The peaceful serenity of the East End was Mary Ann’s chapel for 33 years where she met her God in the awesome beauty of creation and the openness of the good people she encountered daily. Volunteering in Queen of the Most Holy Rosary parish in Bridge-hampton, Mary Ann initiated the Cathechesis of the Good Shepherd religious education program that enriched the lives of children and their families.
She walked and worked with the dear neighbor evidencing a life that is simple, prayerful, courageous and compassionate.
We’re blessed that the voices of 3 significant people will give us a glimpse of Mary Ann’s life lived fully as a Sister of St. Joseph with compassion and dignity.
S. Tesa Fitzgerald
This is Mary Ann’s Reflection.I t was originally the outcome of her working with the Sacred Heart Academy Class of 1976 on their Graduation Mass.
It is entitled Today
My life is a gift of God, given, not in years,
But a day at a time.
Today is the day the Lord has made for me, and He planned it to be the most important day of my life.
Yesterday is gone, never to return. I must not worry about it but leave it in the hands of God. Tomorrow and all that it holds is God’s secret and its coming is not assured.
Only today is mine. Each day, arranged by God
with infinite wisdom and goodness is His gift,
His act of love for me.
In thanksgiving I will offer Him every day the gift of myself- my prayers, works, joys and sufferings.
As a Sister of St. Joseph and as a friend I have been privileged to live with Mary Ann as she meets all of us where we are and by her very being invites us into the heart of God.
Marianne Sennick, CSJ
Brian McCarthy Reflection on Sister Maryann
We gather here today to honor and remember a woman whose life was a shining example of love, grace, and unwavering faith—our dear Sister Mary Ann.
Sister Mary Ann was my Godmother and cousin to me and my six siblings, but she was much more than that – and boy were we lucky to have her!
Sister Mary Ann lived her life in faithful service to others. Whether in the quiet corners of daily life or during our most important milestones, she was there—not just present but fully engaged. She showed my sisters and brothers and I that love and support happened not just in grand gestures, but in the simple, sacred act of showing up for people.
She had many remarkable gifts and one that stands out was how she made you feel when you were with her – it felt as though time paused. In her presence, you were the most important person in the world. She listened with her heart, she saw with compassion and without judgment, and she responded to the sometimes-rambunctious antics of seven children running around with an unwavering calmness and firmness that was always wrapped in kindness and humor.
My brother Jay remembers when Sister was visiting us in Rhode Island, then five-year-old Jay, a self-proclaimed sports fanatic, would come down for breakfast and begin reading to her from the sports page (likely for hours). She would smile and play along as if she was so very interested in what he was saying. Later at her 25th Jubilee, on her special day, she made a point of securing a private room for him to watch a big Notre Dame football game knowing it was important to him – she always encouraged him – and all of us – in our interests and passions.
She celebrated every victory, no matter how small, and stood beside us through every sorrow including the most memorable one, when her beloved cousin, our mother Kathleen died when I was just 10 years old. Sister loved our mom like a sister and was devasted by her loss. She transferred that love to us after Mom died and for many years after, was a great support and travel companion to our Dad – her Jimmy. She was there for all of us unconditionally and without judgment in all the moments that mattered.
Sister was also our memory keeper. She held our family history like a precious treasure—every detail, every story, every name. She remembered the birthdays and graduations and all the other important milestones as evidenced in the cards that arrived in the mail like clockwork –in fact a graduation card for my son Patrick arrived just two weeks ago. She accompanied many of us to Ireland where she introduced us to our family there. Anytime we traveled, she would create photo albums with captions and clippings from flyers and cards that marked the occasion. My sister Kitch says “she was Shutterfly before it existed!” She was the living thread that connected us to our family history.
And how her heart lit up recently when she saw the next generation of cousins spending time together. This brought her such joy. She knew the value of family and made it her mission to keep us connected. That legacy is now ours to carry forward—and we will.
My brother Sean and sister Mary remember Sister’s good nature and sense of humor (and that giggle!) as well as her occasional stubbornness. Recently at Sister Mary Ann’s 90th birthday party, Mary finally got Sister to admit that she was named after her despite 50 years of insisting she was named after the Blessed Mother and her mother – I’d like to think both are true – certainly in good company either way!
Sister Mary Ann had an unshakable faith—not just in God, but in each of us. She believed that there was no mountain too high, no dream too big, no obstacle that couldn’t be overcome with faith, hard work, and determination. And because she believed it so completely and instilled that same conviction in us, we believed it too.
In particular, she was a strong female role model for my sisters and I. Her encouragement was empowering. She planted seeds of courage, resilience, and hope in our hearts. She reminded us that we were strong capable women and that we were worthy. She kept our mother’s memory alive – and just as our mother would do – reminded us often that we could do anything we set our minds to.
As we grieve her loss, we also celebrate the extraordinary life she lived. A life rooted in faith, service, and unconditional love. A life that made each of us feel special, seen, and capable of more than we ever imagined.
Today and always, may we honor her – not only in memory, but in how we live our lives — with love, faith, kindness, and quiet selflessness. In choosing compassion, in showing up for others, in living with grace — we carry her spirit forward.
In the words that Sister Mary Ann shared with me when our father passed, may a loving God (and Sister Mary Ann), walk with you everyday to comfort. In time you will find joy in the many memories tucked away in your heart.
Rest in peace, our dear Sister Mary Ann. We will always be grateful for your love and support and the lasting impact you have left on all of us.
Margaret Wingate
Sister Mary Ann McCarthy, the former Sister Joseph Therese, died on August 31, 2025 in the 73rd year of her religious life.