Sister M. Magdalena Tierney, IHM

Sister M. Magdalena Tierney, IHM, of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary died on Wednesday, September 12, 1962, at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Carbondale, PA.

She was born on July 9, 1878, in Scranton, PA, and given the name Susan Carmel. She was the daughter of the late Michael and Catherine Agnes Murray Tierney. She entered the IHM Congregation on March 25, 1902, received the religious habit on July 31, 1902, and made profession of her vows on August 2, 1904.

Sister Magdalena served as a teacher at the following schools: Marywood Seminary in Scranton, PA, from 1915 to 1917; St. Mary of the Mount School in Pittsburgh, PA, from 1922 to 1928; St. Patrick School in Scranton, PA, from 1932 to 1934; St. Alphonsus School in New York, NY, from 1934 to 1936; Most Holy Rosary School in Syracuse, NY, from 1936 to 1945; Nativity of Our Lord School in Scranton, PA, from 1945 to 1949; and St. Ann School in Scranton, PA, from 1949 to 1955. She served as a teacher of penmanship at Marywood Seminary and Novitiate in Scranton, PA, from 1904 to 1915.

Sister served as principal at St. Patrick High School in Scranton, PA, from 1932 to 1934.

Sister Magdalena also served as general secretary to Mother M. Cyril Conway, IHM, Superior General, at Mount Saint Mary’s in Scranton, PA, from 1904 to 1915; registrar at Marywood College in Scranton, PA, from 1915 to 1922; directress of Marywood Seminary in Scranton, PA, from 1928 to 1929; business office director at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Carbondale, PA, from 1929 to 1932; and on the clerical support staff at Marywood Seminary in Scranton, PA, from 1955 to 1957.

From 1957 until the time of her death, Sister Magdalena was a prayer minister at the Marian Convent.

She was preceded in death by six brothers, Monsignor Thaddeus, John, Reverend Dudley, Patrick, Michael and Thomas; and three sisters, Stella Tierney, Mary Lefkowitz, and Ruth Kearney. She was also preceded in death by a cousin from the Immaculata IHMs, Sister Mary Carmel Howley, IHM.

She is survived by nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.

The funeral will be Saturday, September 15, at 9:30 a.m. at the Marian Convent in Scranton. Interment will follow at St. Catherine’s Cemetery in Moscow, PA. Friends may call after 2:00 pm on Friday at the Marian Convent.

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Archival Remembrance:

The tall gracious cultured lady that was our Sister Magdalena will long be remembered for the atmosphere of religious politeness that she spread around her. All who met her were influenced by her courteous manner and her unfailing respect for others. She came from a family distinguished for its service to the Church. In her early days at Mount Saint Mary’s, she taught penmanship to the Seminary students and in the novitiate. Under her capable instruction, hundreds of our Sisters acquired good habits and teacher training in fine penmanship. She served our Community in many capacities, as teacher, principal, directress of Marywood Seminary, registrar at Marywood College, treasurer at St. Joseph’s Hospital, and as secretary to two Superior Generals. Our Community archives and records provide many examples of the inspiring religious tone of her correspondence, her splendid mastery of English, and her exquisite penmanship. Always she was a meticulous worker; little short of perfection was required in all her service. Her religious life showed the same striving for perfection, and her observance of Rule and Customs was most exacting. She was a real lady and a true religious. May her example of the perfect religious challenge many to imitate her exact observance and her never-failing courtesy.