Obituaries

From the first member of the congregation to pass away in 1870 to recent deaths, all the obituaries of deceased Sisters of Providence of St. Vincent de Paul are accessible and searchable. You can search by name, or use the birth date, death date and location filters.

These are not typical obituaries, in fact in the world of consecrated life we refer to them as necrologies. These biographical sketches are written by the General Secretary of the congregation shortly after the death of each individual sister. The necrologies are historical documents and may contain errors, including variations in spellings and incorrect dates. The necrologies are presented here as they were written.

If you would like more information about a deceased sister please contact the archivist.

Sister Mary of the Presentation Kearney

Sister Mary of the Presentation Kearney

There passed from our midst on March 24, 1918, the soul of one of our most devoted members in the person of Sister Mary of the Presentation.  At her departure, no regrets or lamentations are expressed, on the contrary, a feeling of joy and peace pervades the...

Sister Mary of the Nativity Keilty

Sister Mary of the Nativity Keilty

At an early hour, before the Morning Prayer, on Feb. 1st, 1918, a sad message, if such it may be called, comes through the ‘phone to us. It is from our Sisters in Trenton. They are in deep grief. Their cherished Superior has been taken from them unexpectedly during...

Sister Mary Philip Murray

Sister Mary Philip Murray

On that fine autumn morning of Sept. 28, 1915, as the convent bell rang out its clear notes bidding us arise, adore and praise our God, little did we dream that ere the dial marked the hour of noon, one of our number who was like us hastening to the place of prayer,...

Sister Mary of the Sacred Heart Gardiner

Sister Mary of the Sacred Heart Gardiner

On October 22nd, 1914, at 5.15 p.m. while her Sisters were reciting the Rosary in the chapel and assisting at Benediction for her spiritual consolation, our highly esteemed and much loved Mother Mary of the Sacred Heart, Fourth General Assistant, departed this life to...

Sister Mary Gonzaga Hourigan

Sister Mary Gonzaga Hourigan

Elizabeth Mary Hourigan, the subject of this sketch, was born in the vicinity of Smith’s fall on April 26th, 1877. Her father, Patrick Hourigan, was a prosperous farmer, but not any of his three sons showing an inclination for agricultural pursuits, he sold his farm...

Sister Mary Leonard Gargan

Sister Mary Leonard Gargan

It is with feelings of regret that we see the old "Land Marks", as we may call them, our aged Sisters, who have done so much to uprear the Community, depart one by one from our midst, leaving us to ponder and admire their noble deeds of self-sacrifice and enjoy the...

Sister Mary Cecilia Staley

Sister Mary Cecilia Staley

The Archives does not have a copy of a necrology for Sister Mary Cecilia. The following summary was compiled by Archives staff. Date of Entrance: October 6, 1895Date of Reception: April 25, 1896Date of First Vows: December 7, 1897Date of Final Vows: August 31, 1899...

Sister Mary Madeleine Gourdier

Sister Mary Madeleine Gourdier

The Archives does not have a copy of a necrology for Sister Mary Madeleine. The following summary was compiled by Archives staff. Date of Entrance: June 25, 1908Date of Reception: August 27, 1909Date of First Vows: August 28, 1910 Mary Gourdier was born on October 14,...

Sister Mary Gonzaga Oliver

Sister Mary Gonzaga Oliver

The Archives does not have a copy of a necrology for Sister Mary Gonzaga. The following summary was compiled by Archives staff. Date of Entrance: September 7, 1899Date of Reception: April 6, 1900Date of First Vows: August 24, 1901Date of Perpetual Vows: September 14,...

Sister Mary Scholastica MacDonnell

Sister Mary Scholastica MacDonnell

This brief sketch describes the acts and character of a magnanimous woman in the person of Reverend Mother M. Scholastica, whose necrology was not recorded until this late date. Mother Scholastica, known in the world as Bridget McDonnell, was born in Ireland, of Irish...

Sister Mary Rita Cournoyier

Sister Mary Rita Cournoyier

Fittingly compared to the rose ruthlessly clipped on life’s summer morn was the primal bloom of Sr. M. Rita’s life in God’s garden – the religious state. For scarcely had this amiable young novice pledged her sacred vows to her Heavenly Bridegroom to labor among...

Sister Mary Gonzaga Oliver

Sister Mary Raphael Slavin

“Blessed is the servant who treasures up in heaven the good things which his Lord hath shown him, and does not seek to manifest them to men in the hope of present reward.“ The feast of the Annunciation 1905, was rendered sadly memorable in the history of the Institute...

Sister Mary Leonard Gargan

Sister Bridget Hynes

The Archives does not have a necrology for Sister Bridget. The following summary was compiled by Archives staff. Mary Ellen Hynes was born on October 3, 1880 in Kingston Ontario to William Hynes and Johanna O’Neil. She was the second oldest of 5 children. She was...

Sister Mary Edward McKinley

Sister Mary Edward McKinley

It is a task of some little difficulty, and of no little delicacy, to treat properly of one who has lived and died in our own time, and it is quite possible that the author of this sketch has said either too much or too little, and in consequence has fallen into some...

Sister Mary Cecilia Staley

Sister Mary Rose of Lima Brickley

In the history of the Institute at this period we find chronicled the death of twenty-five cherished members, and on the evening of September 20, 1903, cold death again invaded the ranks of our religious family and took from us one whom the Providence Community may...

Sister Mary Veronica Dennee

Sister Mary Veronica Dennee

The object of this simple tribute is to perpetuate the memory of a precious young religious whose life-span though short, has merited by her edifying examples of piety and docility an enduring place in the recollection of her Community, and which was finally crowned...

Sister Mary Patrick Donovan

Sister Mary Patrick Donovan

The “Death Record” of our Institute, at the close of its fortieth year, inscribes on the bead-roll of sanctified souls twenty-three cherished members who have joined the ranks of the blessed, and sadly is the now era prefaced by a loving tribute in memory of a fervent...

Sister Mary Leo Fogarty

Sister Mary Leo Fogarty

In the pages of this unpretentious volume is narrated a “Memoriam” of a virtuous young religious whom the community lovingly cherished in life, as Sister Mary Leo, and whose death on the morning of Dec. 19, 1900 was deeply lamented by her Superiors and companions....

Sister Mary of the Assumption MacDonell

Sister Mary of the Assumption MacDonell

While the plaintive petition “Requiem aeternam” lingers on the lips and in the hearts of a sorrowing sisterhood for our deeply lamented Sister Mary of Mercy, the Community is called upon to mourn the premature loss of dear Sister Mary of the Assumption, whose...

Sister Mary of Mercy O’Connor

Sister Mary of Mercy O’Connor

Briefly, but reverently is recorded in the necrologies of the Institute, (March 30) the life, virtues and death of our much-loved and lamented Sister Mary of Mercy, known to the outer world as Johanna O'Connor. Born in Kingston, Feb. 29, 1848 of parents distinguished...