Obituaries
Deacon Stephen Hopkins of St. Benedict, St. Athanasius dies at 89
Among the first class of Black men ordained as permanent deacons in the Philadelphia Archdiocese in 1982, Deacon Hopkins had fought in the Korean conflict in the Army.
Human rights advocate Sister Dianna Ortiz dies after brief illness
The Ursuline sister was teaching indigenous children in Guatemala in 1989 when she was abducted and tortured during the country's brutal civil war. She died Feb. 19, one week after the discovery of inoperable cancer.
Sister Carol Marie Repholz dies; was longtime St. Hubert’s teacher
The I.H.M. sister served at the Northeast Philadelphia Catholic high school for girls for 28 years, and taught at other high schools in the Philadelphia area and beyond.
Sister M. Ryszarda Kopec, chef for 2 Philadelphia cardinals, dies at 93
The Little Servant Sister of the Immaculate Conception was dietician in Poland when she came to New Jersey in 1984, then became the chef at the residence of Cardinals John Krol and Anthony Bevilacqua.
Sister Phyllis Ann DiRenzo, I.H.M., dies at 70 from COVID-19
The former Sister Rose David was in the 51st year as a Sister Servant of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. She taught at several schools, was a pastoral minister and hospital chaplain.
Sister Mary Jane Daily dies at 84, was Sister of St. Joseph for 66 years
The former Sister Michael Lawrence ministered in the Dioceses of Allentown and Camden, and the Archdioceses of Newark, Philadelphia and Washington.
Sister Hildegard Grogan dies, was health care leader
The native of St. Raymond Parish in Philadelphia became a Franciscan sister, earned three nursing degrees and served as a nurse, professor and hospital vice president.
Sister Sally Dougherty, S.S.J., dies at 95
The Bethlehem, Pa. native entered the Sisters of St. Joseph in 1944 as Sister Mary Richard. She went on to serve in four dioceses in the Northeast U.S.
Father John Harkins, retired pastor, dies at 81
The Philadelphia native served as parochial vicar at several parishes and taught at Bishop McDevitt High School, and was the pastor of St. Michael Parish in the city.
Sister Lauretta, teacher at Nazareth Academy for 42 years, dies at 98
The Sister of the Holy Family of Nazareth entered the order in 1952, was among the first class of Holy Family College (now University) and spent most of her ministry at the girls' high school in Philadelphia.