Sister Kathleen McNulty, IHM

Sister Kathleen McNulty, IHM, (formerly known as Sister M. Spiritus) of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, died on Friday, September 25, 2026, at Our Lady of Peace Residence in Scranton, PA.

Born October 30, 1929, in Scranton, PA, and given the name Ann Catherine, Sister Kathleen was the daughter of the late Anthony and Catherine Gallagher McNulty. She entered the IHM Congregation on September 8, 1947, made temporary profession of her vows on May 8, 1950, and final profession of her vows on August 2, 1953. Sister Kathleen received a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts degree in English, both from Marywood College.

Sister Kathleen served as a teacher in the following schools: St. Agnes Elementary School in Washington, NC, from 1950 to 1955; IHM Academy in Coeur d’Alene, ID, from 1955 to 1963; Immaculata High School in New York, NY, from 1963 to 1965; Cathedral High School in Scranton, PA, from 1965 to 1968; South Scranton Catholic High School in Scranton, PA, from 1968 to 1969; Pocono Central Catholic High School in Cresco, PA, from 1969 to 1971; Maria Regina High School in Uniondale, NY, from 1971 to 1977; Bishop O’Hara High School in Dunmore, PA, from 1983 to 1984; and Holy Cross High School in Delran, NJ, from 1984 to 1986.

At Marywood College in Scranton, PA, Sister Kathleen was the director of public relations and editor, from 1977 to 1983, and the director of professional programs of continuing education, from 1995 to 1996.

Sister also served as director of the strategic planning program for the Diocese of Scranton, from 1986 to 1994.

For the IHM Congregation, Sister Kathleen was co-chair of the IHM Sesquicentennial Planning Committee, from 1994 to 1995; congregation archivist, from 1998 to 2007; congregation editor, from 2007 to 2013; editorial consultant, from 2013 to 2014; and a member of the support staff at the IHM Center, from 2014 to 2018.

From 2018 until the time of her death, Sister Kathleen was a prayer minister at Our Lady of Peace Residence in Scranton.

Sister Kathleen was known for her keen intellect, her remarkable gift for writing, and her wonderful sense of wit and humor.

She was preceded in death by a brother, Joseph, a sister, Mary McNulty Tarbell, and a nephew, Terrence McNulty. Sister Kathleen is survived by nephew Joseph McNulty and wife, Patricia of Ambler, PA; nephew Michael McNulty and wife, Denise of South Orange, NJ; niece-in-law Barbara McNulty (Terrence) of Atlanta, GA; grandnieces and grandnephews; and her beloved friend, Sister Joan McCusker, IHM. She is also survived by the members of the IHM Congregation.  

 The funeral will be Friday, October 2, at 11:00 a.m. with Mass of Christian Burial at Our Lady of Peace Residence, 1510 University Avenue in Dunmore, PA. Friends may call at Our Lady of Peace Residence on Friday, October 2, between 9:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. A prayer service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Interment will follow Mass on Friday at St. Catherine’s Cemetery in Moscow, PA.