Sister M. Alphonsus McGoldrick, IHM
Sister M. Alphonsus McGoldrick, IHM, of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary died on Sunday, February 12, 1961, after a brief illness.
She was born on January 5, 1893 in New York, New York, and given the name Helen. She was the daugther of the late Thomas and Mary Concannon McGoldrick. She entered the IHM Congregation on September 8, 1914, received the religious habit on July 6, 1915, and made profession of her vows on August 2, 1917.
Sister Alphonsus served as a teacher at the following schools: Marywood Seminary in Scranton, PA, from 1917 to 1927; St. Joseph School in Renovo, PA, from 1927 to 1931; and St. Patrick School in Oneida, NY, from 1931 to 1934.
Sister Alphonsus served as principal and teacher at the following schools: St. Matthew Elementary School in East Stroudsburg, PA, from 1934 to 1940; Mt. Holly Regional Catholic School in Mt. Holly, NJ, from 1943 to 1946; and St. Mary School in Manhasset, NY, from 1947 to 1949.
Sister served as principal and teacher at St. Ignatius Catechetical Center in Kingston, PA, from 1940 to 1943, and as an instructor at St. Patrick's Catechetical Center in Milford, from 1946 to 1947.
She also served as general councilor for the IHM Congregation in Scranton, PA, from 1949 to 1961; directress of the Marywood Seminary in Scranton, PA, from 1949 to 1955; and superior of the Marian Convent in Scranton, PA, from 1955 to 1961.
She was preceded in death by three brothers, Thomas, John and Joseph.
She is survived by a sister-in-law, Mildred McGoldrick, and a nephew, Thomas.
Interment is at St. Catherine’s Cemetery in Moscow, Pennsylvania.
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.
Archival Remembrance:
The shock and the sorrow of the death of our beloved Sister M. Alphonsus will long be with us. Her return to the Marian Convent from the hospital was scheduled for the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes; and an eager, longing Community were preparing all things for her coming. On Friday, she was "not good"- Saturday, "worse"- Sunday, "critically ill." About nine o'clock Sunday night a great change came, and Sister was apparently unconscious until God called her at 11:35 p.m. Our Sisters and Monsignor Horan were with her during these last hours. Hers was a very peaceful, happy death.
Among our Sisters, Sister M. Alphonsus was very well-known. For nearly twelve years she was a General Councilor; six years she served as directress of Marywood Seminary. Her talent for pioneering and for organization was well demonstrated in the missions she so successfully opened: Stroudsburg, Kingston, and Mount Holly. Yet, it is as Superior of the Marian Convent that she showed her great power to organize and to maintain a holy, happy convent for that most precious portion of our Community, our revered ill and retired Sisters. Her faithfulness to the weak and the sick, her self-giving as death hovered, her kindnes to all, are already a legend. The loving tears of this sorrowing community attest the depth of their affection and gratitude. As we lovingly and prayerfully remember her who was so good to others, we may well say that "to live in the hearts of others is not to die." May God's reward to our beloved Sister M. Alphonsus be exceedingly great.
