Obituaries
Atonement Father Carter dies at 91; was longtime leader in Brooklyn
The Black priest had initially been turned away from seminaries because of his race. He professed first vows as a Franciscan in 1950 but was not ordained until 1975.
Diligent pro-lifer, Sandy Slater, dies
President of the Bucks County Pro-Life Coalition at the time of her death on Dec. 12, Ms. Slater's funeral Mass will be Monday, Dec. 20 at Isidore Church, Quakertown.
Sister Mary Elizabeth Gebhart, S.S.J., dies at 91
Formerly known as Sister Laurena, the Sister of St. Joseph entered the congregation in 1947 and would serve in the archdioceses of Philadelphia and Washington, and her native Diocese of Harrisburg.
Sister Eleanor McNichol, S.S.J., dies at 79
After growing up in Philadelphia's Mount Airy section and graduating from Cardinal Dougherty High School, she entered the Sisters of St. Joseph in 1960, taking the name Sister Eleanor Thomas. She served in six dioceses.
Sister Ann Muriel Ronan, S.S.J., dies at 96
After growing up in New York City she entered the Sisters of St. Joseph in 1944. She ministered in six dioceses; in the Philadelphia area, at Mount St. Joseph Academy, Flourtown and Little Flower High School, Philadelphia.
Sister Madeline Florence Sarli, S.S.J., dies at 76
A sister of St. Joseph, Chestnut Hill since 1964, she ministered in the archdioceses of Newark and Philadelphia and the dioceses of Metuchen and Trenton.
I.H.M. Sister Marita Devlin dies at 91
The Sister, Servant of the Immaculate Heart of Mary served for 73 years in the congregation, with 54 years teaching in schools mostly in the Philadelphia Archdiocese.
Father Richard McAndrews dies, was pastor of Epiphany, Plymouth Meeting
One of 10 children raised in Good Shepherd Parish in West Philadelphia, he was ordained in 1967. He served at several parishes, taught at Cardinal Dougherty High School and was pastor until 2009, ministering actively until 2016.
Sister Elizabeth Frances Scully, O.S.F., dies at 97
A sister of St. Francis of Philadelphia for 76 years, formerly known as Sister Anthony Brendan, she was born in Vermont, raised in Ireland, and served as a religious sister in Philadelphia, several West Coast dioceses, and in Africa.
Sister Maureen McDermott, Catholic school leader, dies at 65
The I.H.M. sister had resigned her position as superintendent of secondary schools and chief academic officer for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia on Nov. 5. Her death less than two weeks later shocked colleagues in the archdiocese.