Posted October 16, 2025

We pray in thanksgiving for the life of Sister Margaret Ounan, RSM, age 87, who died Saturday, October 4, 2025, at McAuley Convent in Merion Station, Pennsylvania. Sister Margaret was a Sister of Mercy for 69 years.

Margaret, also known as Peggy, daughter of Aloysius William and Mary Anna Ounan, and little sister of Mary Anne, was welcomed into the family on August 16, 1938. Born and raised in Philadelphia, Margaret and her sister enjoyed a happy childhood, attending St. Athanasius Elementary School, where their faith was developed and nourished. Margaret continued her educational journey at the Academy of the Sisters of Mercy in Gwynedd Valley, PA, graduating in 1956. It was in her high school years that Margaret met the Sisters of Mercy, and the seeds of her religious vocation were sown. Margaret entered Mater Misericordiae Convent in Merion on August 22, 1956, and thus began her sixty-nine-year commitment to God as a Sister of Mercy. On June 30, 1957, Margaret was officially received into the community of Mercy and given the religious name, Sister Aloysius Mary. “That I may love Him and make Him loved” was the motto chosen by Margaret and the desire of her heart throughout her life.

Loving Jesus and making Him loved by others characterized her dedication as she served as a teacher for thirty-five years. Her early years were spent in elementary schools in Pennsylvania and Virginia, where she taught children from second to eighth grade. Earning a Master’s Degree in Mathematics from Penn State opened the door for the next thirty-five years as a Math educator, Treasurer, Business Manager, and Financial Officer in secondary schools. Recalling all of her years in ministry, Margaret claimed her service as a volunteer in the gift shop at Mercy Hospital of Philadelphia as her “favorite”. At the gift shop, Margaret’s kindness, generosity, sense of humor, and desire to make her customers happy brought the spirit of mercy into the lives of all of her visitors. Always thoughtful and caring of family, friends, colleagues, and sisters in community, Margaret’s behind-the-scenes goodness was her gift to all. Her patience, humility, and humor in her final years continue to be an inspiration. Thank you, Margaret, for loving Jesus and making Him loved by the witness of your life. Go now in peace, faithful friend of God!

Funeral Arrangements:

Tuesday, October 14, 2025
Prayer of Remembrance via Zoom – 4:00 pm