Sister Mary Augustine McMenamin, IHM

Sister Mary Augustine McMenamin, IHM, of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary died on Sunday, January 3, 1926, at St. Patrick’s Convent in Scranton, PA.

She was born on February 16, 1860, in Buncrana, County Donegal, Ireland, and given the name Mary. She was the daughter of the late Hugh and Ellen Hegarty McMenamin. She entered the IHM Congregation on October 24, 1887, received the religious habit on March 6, 1888, and made profession of her vows on April 8, 1890.

Sister Mary Augustine served in child care for resident children at St. Patrick’s Orphanage in Scranton, PA. She also served as a teacher at St. Patrick School in Scranton, PA.

She was preceded in death by two brothers, Michael and John, and a sister, Anne O’Sullivan.

She is survived by four sisters, Ellen Cecilia Watson, Sister M. Aquinas McMenamin, IHM, Sister St. Ann of Jesus McMenamin, SSHJM, and Sister St. Charles McMenamin, OMI. She is also survived by several nieces and nephews, including a niece in community Sister M. Anita O’Sullivan, IHM, and a nephew, Reverend Vincent Hugh Watson, C.SS.R.

The funeral will be Tuesday, January 5, at 9:30 a.m. at St. Patrick’s Church in Scranton, followed by interment at the Marywood College Cemetery, on the grounds of Marywood College in Scranton, PA.

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The Congregation of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary benefited from the efforts to bring young women from Ireland to Scranton, Pennsylvania.

Over the years a total of sixty-five young women became professed IHM religious. Their services were received as far west at Coeur d’Alene, Idaho at the IHM Academy and at St. Edward School, Twin Falls, Idaho. The southern missions witnessed their dedication in Washington, Raleigh, and Rocky Mount, North Carolina. It was remarked that black children in some southern schools were speaking with an Irish brogue! The Sisters from Ireland also served in many locations in Pennsylvania, such as Dushore, Lock Haven, Exeter, Altoona, Pittsburgh, St. Michael’s School in Hoban Heights, Cresson, Pittston, Scranton, and Williamsport. New York and Rhode Island missions also received their services.

Excerpted from The Story of the Native Irish Sisters Who Entered the Congregation of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Scranton Pennsylvania by Sister M. Michel Keenan, IHM, 2006, p.18

“With a solemn high mass of requiem in St. Patrick’s Church this morning at 9:30 o’clock the funeral of Sister Mary Augustine, of St. Patrick’s Orphanage, took place. Sister Mary Augustine had been associated with St. Patrick’s Orphanage and school for thirty years, giving unselfishly of her time and energy to the education of the youth of the parish and asylum. She was a member of a very devout family who gave six of its members to the church.”

excerpted from the funeral notice in The Scranton Times · Scranton, Pennsylvania · Tue, Jan 05, 1926 · Page 2