Sister M. Matilda Delhanty, IHM

Sister M. Matilda Delhanty, IHM, of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary died on Tuesday, April 20, 1920, at St. Cecilia’s Convent in Scranton, PA.

She was born on April 8, 1849 in Kirkwood, NY, and given the name Catharine Theresa. She was the daughter of the late Charles and Johanna Sullivan Delhanty. She entered the IHM Congregation on May 1, 1875, received the religious habit on April 25, 1876, and made profession of her vows on May 8, 1878.

Sister Matilda served as a teacher at St. Cecilia Academy in Scranton, PA, from 1878 to 1899. She served in childcare for resident children at St. Patrick’s Orphanage in Scranton, PA, from 1899 to 1902.

In 1902, Sister was assigned to Mount Saint Mary’s Motherhouse, where she remained until her death. During her life she was noted particularily for her charity and her kindness made hosts of friends to to whom the news of her death will bring much regret.

She is survived by a sister, Mary Giblin of Quaker Lake in Susquehanna County, PA.

The funeral will be Friday, April 23 in the chapel at Marywood College in Scranton, PA with Bishop Hoban presiding. Interment will follow at the Marywood College Cemetery, in Scranton, PA.

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“The first silver crowning held at Mount Saint Mary’s commemorated the anniversary of Sister M. Matilda, who in the whole course of her life was never known to have infringed the law of charity. On the eighth of May, 1903, Sister Matilda commemorated the twenty-fifth year of her profession. Reverend Father Loftus celebrated the jubilee Mass in the chapel at seven o’clock. Two maids of honor, little seminary girls, preceded Mother Superior and Sister Matilda to the altar where Sister received her crown. On the following Sunday all the jubilarians of the community were entertained at the mother house, the programme (sic) of entertainment being prepared by the students of the academy.”

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. 293

Below is an excerpt from the news article published regarding the eloquent sermon given by Bishop Hoban at Sister Matilda’s funeral:

In his sermon the Right Rev. Bishop Hoban dwelt on the spirit of helpfulness and kindness that had ever animated Sister M. Matilda, and said that if the country possessed more women of her kind there would be less misery and unhappiness at the present time. He said that she exemplified to the very letter the spirit which St. Paul sought to inculcate in the Galatian when he exhorted them to bear one another’s burdens.

Sister M. Matilda enterrd the congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary forty-five years ago. She was born at Kirkwood, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania. On April 25, 1876, she received the habit, and was professed on May 8, 1878. The greater part of her religious service was spent in the service of the orphans of the diocese for whom she cared with a mother’s love and devotion. She was greatly beloved by her community for the unselfishness. Every forgetful of self, her kind heart radiated a sympathy that never failed to cheer. She was never known to transgress in the slightest degree with law of charity, and her name will ever be held in benediction by her sisters in religioun, to whom she was an inspiration and a living example of sisterly zeal and devotion.

The Scranton Times · Scranton, Pennsylvania · Sat, Apr 24, 1920 · Page 5