Sister M. Matthew Loftus, IHM
Sister M. Matthew Loftus, IHM, of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary died on Sunday, November 21, 1926.
She was born on January 14, 1878 in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and was given the name Agnes. She was the daughter of the Honorable Matthew W. and Margaret Gibbons Loftus (Matthew was the Mayor of Scranton). She entered the IHM Congregation on July 15, 1895, received the religious habit on April 9, 1896, and made profession of her vows on July 23, 1898.
Sister Matthew enjoyed her years of teaching in our IHM mission schools, including at St. Joseph School in Renovo, PA; and St. Alphonsus School in New York City. She also served as the directress of the Marywood Seminary in Scranton, PA.
Along with Sister M. Alphonsus, she studied music privately with the Benedictines in the West.
Interment is at the Marywood College Cemetery, on the grounds of Marywood College in Scranton, 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.
"In August, 1906, shortly after the issuance of the Motu Proprio by Pope Pius X, Mother Cyril inaugurated an Institute for the study of Church Music. It was opened under the auspices of the Right Reverend Bishop and under the direction of Reverend J. M. Petter, Director of Music at Saint Bernard's Seminary, Rochester, NY. Father Petter had made a special study of plain chant in different schools in Europe, notably at Ratisbonne, Rome, and Solesmes. He also visited many celebrated Benedictine abbeys on the continent and in England. Sister M. Alphonsus continued the splendid work initiated by Father Petter and in a few years had organized exceptional choirs among the Alphonsus and Sister M. Matthew studied privately with the Benedictines in the West, and left the work of congregational singing so well established that all the chapel services are now sung in Gregorian chant."
Excerpted from The Sisters of the I.H.M.: The Story of The Founding of The Congregation of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and Their Work In The Scranton Diocese by Sister M. Immaculata Gillespie, IHM, P.J. Kenedy & Sons, NY, 1921, p. 310
"Saint Joseph's School, Renovo, was opened in September, 1902. When the new Diocese of Altoona was formed in 1901, Renovo, which formerly belonged to the Harrisburg Diocese, was included in the Altoona Diocese, and the Sisters of Mercy were recalled to the mother house in Harrisburg. The pastor, Reverend J. J. Ludden, then applied for the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The mission was accepted and the mission band composed of Sister M. Irene as superior. Sister M. Raphael, Sister M. Gerard, Sister M. Matthew, Sister M. Romaine and Sister M. Nepomucene re-opened the school. They found it in a flourishing condition and the pupils well trained. Under those circumstances the task of continuing along the lines laid down by their predecessors was a comparatively easy one."
Excerpted from The Sisters of the I.H.M.: The Story of The Founding of The Congregation of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and Their Work In The Scranton Diocese by Sister M. Immaculata Gillespie, IHM, P.J. Kenedy & Sons, NY, 1921, p. 320
"Sister M. Germaine, sister-assistant, was on August 7, 1913, elected to succeed Mother M. Cyril as Mother Superior of the Congregation. Mother Germaine organized her council as follows: Sister M. Ildephonsus, sister-assistant; Sister M. Borgia, sister-bursar; and Sister M, Camillus, mistress of novices. In addition to her duties as sister-assistant. Sister M. Ildephonsus was appointed directress of the seminary to succeed Sister M. Matthew, who had been transferred to the convent of St. Alphonsus in New York City."
"Various other works lay at hand for completion. As has been said before, all arrangements for the opening of Saint Alphonsus' School in New York City had been made during the last year of Mother Cyril's administration. Mother M. Germaine, who was sister- assistant at the time, had heartily concurred in these plans and at once proceeded to carry them out. Mother M. Crescentia was made superior and the following Sisters were appointed to form with her the first community at Saint Alphonsus': Sister M. Bernard, Sister M. Paul, Sister M. Alacoque, Sister M. Matthew, Sister M. Emmanuel, Sister M. Hope, Sister M. Alonzo, and Sister Marie Annette. The two examiners, Sister M. Mercedes and Sister M. James, went with the new community and remained in New York until Christmas."
Excerpted from The Sisters of the I.H.M.: The Story of The Founding of The Congregation of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and Their Work In The Scranton Diocese by Sister M. Immaculata Gillespie, IHM, P.J. Kenedy & Sons, NY, 1921, p. 382, 384
