Sister M. Pius Hickey, IHM
Sister M. Pius Hickey, IHM, of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary died on Thursday, March 6, 1930 at Mount Saint Mary's (IHM Motherhouse) in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
She was born on May 13, 1852 in New York City, New York, and given the name Margaret. She was the daughter of the late Edward and Mary Brennan Hickey. She entered the IHM Congregation on September 8, 1871, received the religious habit on February 2, 1872, and made profession of her vows on August 14, 1874.
Sister Pius served as mistress of novices for the IHM Congregation in the Scranton diocese, from 1878 to 1889 and 1907 to 1926. She served for as the superior of St. Rose Convent in Carbondale, PA, from 1889 to 1903. In 1919, Sister Pius was elected as sister-assistant to Mother M. Casimir Murray.
She is survived by a sister, Sister M. Ursula, IHM.
The funeral will be on Monday, March 9 at 9:30 a.m. at the Marywood Chapel, Marywood College in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Interment will follow at St. Catherine’s Cemetery in Moscow, Pennsylvania. Friends may call at Mount Saint Mary's on Sunday afternoon or evening.
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.
"Mother M. Pius Dies After 60 Years' Service
Mother M. Pius, one of the most revered of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, died on Thursday evening, March 6, at Marywood after a life service of nearly sixty years in the convent. The deceased Sister had spent 30 years of her active life in the training of the novices of the community, many of those years in Carbondale where the novitiate was located till it was transferred to Mt. St. Mary's at its opening in 1903. Mother Pius before entering the convent was Margaret Hickey, Pittston. Her only survivor is Sister M. Ursula of the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary who, with other members of the community, was present at the death of Mother Pius.
Mother Pius assumed her duties as a Sister of the Immaculate Heart at St. Rose Convent, Carbondale, in 1878. In 1889, besides being mistress of novices she was appointed superior of the convent. Upon her appointment to Mt. St. Mary's later, she again assumed the duties of mistress of novices. In 1919 she became assistant to Mother Superior at Marywood. For the past several years she has held various positions of responsibility suited to the degree of her health and during all the years of her life she has maintained an active interest in the direction of the spiritual life of the Sisters, who feel her passing as one of the saddest losses in the history of the community.
The funeral was held Monday in the chapel of Marywood. Msgr. P.C. Winters, Pittston, was celebrant of the Mass at 9:30 o'clock. Rev. J.J. McCabe, Wilkes-Barre, was deacon; Msgr. J.V. Hussie was subdeacon; Rev. Dr. Thomas J. McHugh, chaplain at Marywood, was mater of ceremonies.
A splendid tribute to the beloved Sister was paid by Rev. Dr. Henry T. Klonswski of Marywood, who preached the sermon, and by the Rt. Rev. Thomas C. O'Reilly, Bishop of the Diocese, who gave the absolution over the body and delivered a eulogy on the life of Mother Pius. Chaplains to the Bishop were Msgr. M.E. Lynott, Kingston, and Msgr. M.F. O'Rourke, Carbondale. The Sisters' choir sang the responses of the Mass.
Seated in the sanctuary were: Rev. M.E. Loftus, Dunmore; Rev. S.H. O'Boyle, Jessup; Rev. M.F. Manley, Archbald; Rev. Francis P. McHugh, Glen Lyon; Rev. S.H. Casey, Rev. H.P. Burke, Avoca; Rev. J.J. McGuckin, Towanda; Rev. J.J. O'Donnell, Montrose; Rev. H.J. Ruddy, Forest City; Rev. H.J. Toohey, C.Ss.R., Brooklyn, NY; Rev. Leo Craig; Rev. William A. Healey, Wyoming; Rev. P.J. Gaffikin; Rev. W.A. Gorman, Sugar Notch; Rev. R.R. Burke, C.S.B., Detroit; Rev. Eugene P. Caulfield, Hoban Heights; Rev. D.W. McCarty, Wilkes-Barre; Rev. William Cawley, Pittston; Rev. S.P. Gayewski, Scranton; Rev. J.J. Gaffney, Msgr. P.J. Boland, Rev. Dr. J.J. Gavenda, Msgr. J. J. Curran, Wilkes-Barre; Rev. John J. Vaughan, Rev. Father Leo, C.P., Rev. Hugh Kelly, Wilkes- Barre; Rev. John P. Gallagher, S.J., Phildelphia; Rev. Aloysius Boylan, Ashley; Rev. F.E. Dewers, Rev. James Gilpatrick, Pleasant Mount.
Pallbearers were: A.E. Haggerty, P.J. Boland, Dr. Richard Haggerty, P.J. McDonnell, J.J. McDonnell, Edward and J.J. Howley and John Buckley. Burial was in St. Catherine's Cemetery, Moscow."
obituary published in The Scranton Times newspaper on Tuesday, March 10, 1930
