Obituaries

St. Charles seminarian with devotion to Divine Mercy dies at 39

Jose A. Serrano, II, 39, a first-year theology student at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, died March 24 following an extended battle with cancer.

Sister Mary Elaine Joyce, I.H.M.

Sister Mary Elaine Joyce, I.H.M., formerly Sister Bernard Mary, I.H.M., died suddenly March 9 in Camilla Hall, Immaculata, in the 68th year of her religious life. She was 86 years old. Born in Kulpmont, Pa., Sister Mary Elaine entered the congregation of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in 1944 from St. Joseph Parish, Locust […]

Sister Margaret Benfield, I.H.M., native of Scranton, served in archdiocesan schools

Sister Margaret Benfield, I.H.M., formerly known as Sister Margaret William, died March 13 at the VNA Inpatient Hospice Unit at Geisinger-Community Medical Center in Scranton. She was 73 years old.

Sister Mary Rosario DiBello, O.P., dies at age 89

Dominican Sister Mary Rosario DiBello, formerly Rose DiBello, died March 11 at the Motherhouse of the Dominican Sisters of Peace in Columbus, Ohio. She was 89 years old. Born in Philadelphia, she entered the Dominican Sisters in July 1948 and made her first profession of vows Feb. 13, 1951. Sister Rosario taught in Media, Delaware […]

Immaculate Heart Sister Catherine Moehrle dies at 95; taught 1st grade for 50 years

Sister Catherine Elizabeth Moehrle, formerly Sister Mary Anthony, I.H.M., died March 3 in Camilla Hall, Immaculata, in the 67th year of her religious life. She was 95 years old. Born in Philadelphia, Sister Catherine entered the Congregation of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in 1945 from St. Raymond Parish, Philadelphia, and […]

Father Maher, ordained late in life and known for kindness, is laid to rest

Father Edmund J. Maher, 84, whose vocation to the priesthood came to fruition later in life, died Feb. 26. Father Maher was born in New York City, the son of the late Bernard J. and Evelyn M. (Feeney) Maher. He attended Niagara University, La Salle College and Temple University, and taught social science and history […]

Father Gallagher, a PhD scholar, teacher and pastor, dies at 81

Father John P. Gallagher, 81, pastor emeritus of St. John Baptist Vianney Parish in Gladwyne, died Feb. 24. Born in Philadelphia the son of the late James J. and Ann (McLaughlin) Gallagher he attended St. William School and Northeast Catholic High before entering St. Charles Borromeo Seminary.

Christian Brother Patrick Ellis, former La Salle and Catholic U president, dies

Brother Patrick Ellis, F.S.C., 84,  a former president of both La Salle University and the Catholic University of America, died Feb. 21 in a Christian Brothers nursing home in Lincroft, N.J. Born in Baltimore as Harry James Ellis Jr., he joined the De La Salle Christian Brothers after graduation from Calvert Hall College High School, and received the name in religion Brother Felician Patrick.

Dr. Billings dies at 95; she helped develop widely used method of NFP

MELBOURNE, Australia (CNS) — Dr. Evelyn Billings, who with her husband, John, pioneered research that led them to develop a form of natural family planning supported by the Catholic Church, died Feb. 16 after a short illness. She was 95. The Australian pediatrician joined her physician-husband’s team in 1965 as he was researching a more […]

Sister Honora Mary Ivers, I.H.M., dies at 92, had long service in grade schools of Archdiocese

Sister Honora Mary, formerly Mary Kathryn Ivers, died in Camilla Hall, Immaculata, in the 74th year of her religious life. She was 92 years old. Born in Philadelphia, Sister Honora Mary entered the Congregation of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in 1939 from St. Charles Borromeo Parish in Bensalem and professed […]