Sister M. Norberta Streilly, IHM
Sister M. Norberta Streilly, IHM, of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary died on August 21, 1960 at Marywood in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
Daughter of the late Francis Joseph and Mary Gertrude Cunningham Streilly, she was born on April 10, 1900 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and given the name Helen Catherine. She entered the IHM Congregation on September 8, 1919, received the religious habit on December 28, 1919, and made profession of her vows on December 29, 1921.
Sister Norberta served as a teacher at the following schools: St. Paul in Scranton, from 1921 to 1923; St. Rose in Carbondale, in 1923; St. Joseph in Danville, in 1942; St. Dominic in Oyster Bay, NY, from 1924 to 1925; Marywood Seminary in Scranton, from 1925 to 1927; and Sacred Heart in La Plata, MD, from 1927 to 1929.
Sister also served as librarian and the Director of Librarianship at Marywood College in Scranton, from 1929 to 1960.
Interment will follow the Mass of Christian Burial at St. Catherine’s Cemetery in Moscow, PA.
Memorial contributions may be made to support the retired IHM Sisters c/o the IHM Sisters Retirement Fund, IHM Center, 2300 Adams Avenue, Scranton, PA 18509.
Below is an archival reflection about our Sister M. Norberta :
When we think of our dear Sister M. Norberta, we doubtless recall the scholarly librarian and her nationally recognized librarianship. Marywood College library was Sister's apostolate, and all who came in contact with her bear testimony to her superior ability, her thorough scholarship, and her magnificent devotion exemplified in her service to the library. Ill health was her companion for years, but it did not alter her attitude to work. In the last weeks of her waning strength her concern for the library was prayerfully set aside. God alone occupied her mind as she readied her soul to meet Him. Hers was no casual preparation. Her resignation to His holy will made a deep impression. She now set herself to the more important task of training herself to meet God's final call. Marywood College has lost a nationally honored librarian; but all at Marywood have been enriched spiritually by the example of this valiant Sister who so holily resigned herself to God's will.
Below is an additional obituary written about our Sister M. Norberta Streilly:
Illness Fatal to Librarian at Marywood
Sister M. Norberta, Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary who had served the past 30 years as librarian and Director of Librarianship at Marywood College, died last night at Marywood after a brief illness.
Born in Pittsburgh, Sister M. Norberta was a daughter of the late Francis and Mary Cunningham Streilly. She entered the novitiate at Marywood in September 1919, was invested in the religious habit in December of that year and was admitted to profession in December, 1921. Sister M. Norberta taught in the schools of her community at St. Paul's, this city; St. Joseph's, Danville; St. Dominic's, Oyster Bay, L.I., N.Y.; Marywood Seminary, and Sacred Heart School, La Plata, Maryland. She became librarian and director of librarianship at Marywood in 1930. Sister Norberta served as a local office and a member of numerous committees of the American Library Association, the Pennsylvania Library Association, and the Catholic Library Association.
