Sister M. Teresa Clare McAuliffe, IHM
Sister M. Teresa Clare McAuliffe, IHM, of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary died on Monday, November 10, 2008, at Our Lady of Peace Residence in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
She was born on September 27, 1907 in Cork, Ireland, and was given the name Mary. She was the daughter of the late Timothy and Mary Ellen Sweeney McAuliffe. She entered the IHM Congregation on September 15, 1927, made temporary profession of her vows on December 27, 1929, and final profession of her vows on August 1, 1933.
Sister Teresa Clare served as a teacher at the following schools: St. Bernardine Elementary School in Baltimore, MD from 1930 to 1933; St. Joseph Elementary School in Williamsport, PA, from 1933 to 1940; St. Thomas Elementary School in Providence, RI from 1940 to 1941; St. Alphonsus Elementary School in New York, NY from 1941 to 1943; Our Lady of Perpetual Help Elementary School in Rocky Mount, NC from 1946 to 1952; St. John Elementary School in Silver Spring, MD from 1958 to 1960; St. Mary Elementary School in Patton, PA, from 1960 to 1961; St. John the Evangelist Elementary School in Binghamton, NY from 1961 to 1962; St. Ann Elementary School in Devon, CT from 1962 to 1967; St. Raymond Elementary School in East Rockaway, NY from 1967 to 1973; St. Rosalia Elementary School in Pittsburgh, PA, from 1973 to 1974; and St. Raphael Elementary School in St. Petersburg, FL from 1974 to 1975.
Sister Teresa Clare served as the principal at St. Agnes Elementary School in Washington, NC from 1943 to 1946; and St. Matthew Elementary School in East Stroudsburg, PA, from 1952 to 1958.
She also served as a receptionist at Marywood College in Scranton, PA, from 1975 to 1990.
From 1990 until the time of her death, Sister Teresa Clare was a prayer minister at the Marian Convent and Our Lady of Peace Residence.
She received a Bachelor of Science degree in education from Marywood College.
She was preceded in death by three sisters, Catherine, Ellen Madden and Jane Ryan, and a brother, John.
She is survived by nieces and nephews.
The funeral will be Thursday, November 13, 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 Wednesday, November 12, between 3:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. A prayer service will be held at 4:30 p.m. Interment will follow Mass on Thursday 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.
Reprinted from "In Memoriam" section of Journey, Winter 2009 issue
To have known Sister Teresa Clare is to realize that you were in the presence of a true Irish colleen and a truly lovely IHM. Teresa Clare was born in County Cork, Ireland and orphaned by the age of thirteen. She came to Syracuse, NY and lived with her aunt and uncle, Patrick and Anna McGrath. Most Holy Rosary Parish became a special place where she met the IHM Sisters and realized God’s call.
Sister Teresa Clare, Tessa, to many, was a deeply spiritual person with special devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. As a child in Ireland, there were difficulties with the Black and Tans. The parish priest had to hide the Blessed Sacrament and Teresa Clare was made the guardian of the hiding place.
Teresa was a friend, a teacher, a spiritual director to many. As a young sister she served the people in Rocky Mount, NC. In her class, a young boy with no connections to the Catholic faith asked her to talk to him about God. Today, that boy, Ray Joyner, and his family are outstanding Catholics and praise God for the inspiration given to him by Sister Teresa Clare.
In sister’s latter years she served as a receptionist at Marywood College where she was loved by the girls as their “mother-away-from-home.”
Sister never lost her Irish brogue. She loved to teach, to bake, sew, and recite poetry. At so many gatherings she entertained with her beautiful recitation of “Dawn on the Hills of Ireland.” Teresa loved her Ireland, its people, its hills and vales; its beauty and mystery, its heroes and saints. She recited its poetry, sang its ballads and danced its jigs.
Teresa also loved her family and was so grateful for the friendship of her niece, Eileen. A precious moment for both Teresa and Eileen was Frank Walsh’s singing of “Danny Boy” as Teresa took her last breath.
Tessa is now at rest with her Eucharistic Lord and her Little Flower who showed her the Little Way she practiced so well. Dearest Irish colleen, we’ll always love and remember you. Eileen adds, “This comes with gratitude, Teresa, for your holy, precious and wonderful life. You graced us with your presence for 100 years. You certainly were an amazing grace.”
by Eileen Simko & Sister Mary Mark Lowery, IHM
