Sister Margaret Frances Gallagher, IHM
Sister Margaret Frances Gallagher, IHM, (formerly known as Sister Patricia Mary) of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary died on Thursday, March 9, 2017, at Our Lady of Peace Residence in Scranton, PA.
She was born on December 3, 1935, in Scranton, PA. She was the daughter of the late Patrick and Claire Langan Gallagher. She entered the IHM Congregation on September 8, 1953, made temporary profession of her vows on August 4, 1956, and final profession of her vows on August 4, 1959.
Sister Margaret Frances served as a teacher at the following schools: St. Peter of Alcantara Elementary School in Port Washington, NY, from 1956 to 1964; St. Monica Elementary School in Raleigh, NC, from 1964 to 1967; Sacred Heart Cathedral Elementary School in Raleigh, NC, from 1967 to 1969; Our Lady of Good Counsel Elementary School in Inwood, NY, from 1969 to 1970; Monsignor McHugh Elementary School in Cresco, PA, from 1970 to 1971; Our Lady of Perpetual Help Elementary School in Rocky Mount, NC, from 1974 to 1976; and St. Patrick Elementary School in Oneida, NY, from 1976 to 1977.
Sister also served as parish music director at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in Rocky Mount, NC, from 1971 to 1974; parish minister at Mother of Mercy Parish in Washington, NC, from 1977 to 1984; parish associate at St. Francis deSales Parish in Lumberton, NC, from 1984 to 1990; pastoral administrator at St. Joan of Arc Parish in Plymouth, NC, from 1990 to 1999; Co-Vicar for Religious for the Diocese of Raleigh in North Carolian, from 1997 to 1999; and pastoral administrator at St. Joseph the Worker Parish in Warrenton, NC, from 1999 to 2010.
From 2010 until the time of her death, Sister Margaret Frances was a prayer minister at Our Lady of Peace Residence in Scranton.
She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in education and a Master of Science degree in counseling from Marywood College.
She was preceded in death by two sisters, Ann O’Connell, and Marie Cummings.
She is survived by nieces and nephews, and by the members of the IHM Congregation.
The funeral will be Friday, March 17, at 11:00 a.m. with Mass of Christian Burial at Our Lady of Peace Residence, 2300 Adams Avenue in Scranton. Friends may call at Our Lady of Peace Residence on Thursday, March 16, between 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. A prayer service will be held at 4:00 p.m. Interment will follow Mass on Friday 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.
Funeral: https://video.ibm.com/recorded/101082726
Vespers: https://video.ibm.com/recorded/101057860
Reprinted from "In Memoriam" section of Journey, Spring 2017 issue
Reflection given by Sister Ellen Maroney, IHM Congregation President
Sister Margaret Frances Gallagher, Funeral 3/17/17
In honor of Margaret and since today, appropriately, is St. Patrick’s Day, I’ll share this Irish blessing: May the luck of the Irish lead to happiest heights, and the highway you travel be lined with only green lights.
For sure, Margaret has indeed reached the happiest heights of heaven and is smiling on us today with much joy. Yesterday at her wake service we heard some great stories about Margaret, her family, her love for North Carolina and IHM, and mostly about how important family and relationships were to her. There was laughter, some tears, and lots of beautiful memories that draw you, her family, and us into deep appreciation for the gift this woman was to each of us and to our world. Knowing Margaret, she would be embarrassed to hear all the wonderful things that were said about her—in fact, I bet she turned off the livestream in heaven during that part—but I believe she would be delighted at how the lessons and values she taught us by the way she lived her life each day continue to inspire and guide us. That is what she would be most proud of, I’m sure.
Throughout her sixty-one years of religious life, Margaret witnessed unconditional love and fidelity to God and to serving others. Because she was a quiet, somewhat private person and didn’t talk too much about herself, some people may never have suspected the richness and adventure that was her life, but those who saw her in action, as we heard yesterday, knew she was special. She began her IHM ministry as a teacher in schools in New York, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina. Her goodness, kindness and joy radiated her close relationship with her God and her students learned firsthand God’s love for them.
These same qualities marked Margaret’s forty-two years of service to the people in her beloved North Carolina. There is an Irish proverb that says: “Your feet will bring you to where your heart is.” In a letter written in 1979, Margaret stated that while she loved teaching, she sensed within herself a “growing desire to serve the economically poor…In some way, my life and growth in Christ is interwoven with theirs,” and later in that same letter, she wrote, “I believe that the church today desperately needs women in the field of pastoral work.” She pursued her dream in North Carolina where she served as a parish music director and then pastoral associate before devoting twenty years as a pastoral administrator in two different parishes. During this time, she also served as Co-Vicar for Religious in the Diocese of Raleigh. She was one of the pioneers for women religious in the role of pastoral administrator, which is essentially that of a pastor, and because of her example of hands on leadership and collaboration with the people, she paved the way for others to follow. Her dedication, gentleness, courage, creativity, and love for all, especially the poor, was demonstrated daily and is remembered to this day. When Margaret left North Carolina and came to OLP as a prayer minister, a piece of her heart remained there with the people she served so well.
We rejoice in the gift of Margaret’s life with us. Her presence among us encouraged and comforted us. Her compassion for others softened our hearts. Her searching for life’s meaning drew us ever closer to the God in whom she had absolute trust. Her love of music and song brought joy wherever she was. Her life gave us memories and lessons too beautiful to forget and a love forever embedded in our hearts.
We remember very specially today Margaret’s parents, Claire and Patrick, and her sisters, Ann and Marie, with whom she is certainly celebrating Marie’s birthday and a glorious St. Patrick’s Day in heaven. We pray for all those who are already missing Margaret and her irreplaceable presence, especially Pat, Mary Lou, Bill, and Peggy, and all her family members, the friends and co-workers who were her companions in ministry, her band members, her IHM sisters, and all the sisters and staff who live and minister here at OLP.
We pray to Margaret now and give abundant thanks for the joy and love she brought into our lives and the hope she was for our world. Let us carry on the lessons and values she taught and lived so that the work she devoted her life to does not end. We return her to the God she loved and served so well. May the memory of her life shine like a light in the darkness; may we think of her and know God is with us; may we join our hearts with hers and trust in the power of the resurrection.
I now ask Pat to place the scriptures on Margaret’s casket, for she heard the Word of God; indeed, she staked her life upon it, and received life to the full... the Word now beckons her home.
