Sister Maureen Gregory, RSM, formerly Sr. Mary Pia, a member of the Sisters of Mercy, Mid-Atlantic Community for 71 years, died on Tuesday, Jan. 18, at Maria Regina Residence in Brentwood, New York, at age 89.
Born in Brooklyn, she attended St. Mary Magdalen Elementary School, Springfield Gardens, and Bishop McDonnell MHS, Brooklyn.
Sister Maureen entered the Sisters of Mercy Novitiate in Syosset in February 1951 and professed her final vows in September 1956.
She received a BS in Elementary Education from St. John’s University, a BS in Math from Fordham University, and from Montclair State College, and an MS in Secondary Education and Administration and Supervision from St. John’s University.
Her ministry as a teacher began in St. Jerome (1953-55) and continued at St. Brigid (1955-56); St. Thomas Aquinas, Flatlands (1958-59); St. Mary, Roslyn (1959-63); Our Lady of Mercy Academy (1963-64, 1978-98); Mercy HS, Riverhead (1964-68); Mater Christi DHS (1968-72); and Holy Trinity DHS (1976-78). She served as Principal of St. Brigid’s School (1972-76) and as assistant to the treasurer of the community (1998-2005).
Sister Maureen is survived by her brother and sister-in-law, Eugene and Kathleen Gregory, and many loving nieces, nephews, grandnieces, and grandnephews.
A funeral Mass was celebrated at the Sisters of Mercy Convent, Whitestone, New York, followed by burial in St. Charles Cemetery, Farmingdale, New York.
Sister Ursula Sheridan, who was Faithful to the Dominican tradition, died Feb. 19, at age 79.
Sister Ursula was born Jan. 13, 1943, to a tight-knit family that included her parents, Margaret and Joseph Sheridan, Ursula’s brother John, now deceased, and later her brothers Raymond and Joseph.
Before becoming Principal of Christ the King School in Commack, New York, Ursula taught in St. Luke in Whitestone and Presentation in Jamaica. She moved on to teach high school history at Queen of the Rosary Academy in Amityville.
Always contributing, in spite of a debilitating automobile accident in 1988, Ursula went on to manage residences for developmentally disabled adults. She also served as a counselor in the Catholic Charities Family Teaching Program. Ursula also visited clients in their homes as a Coordinator for Family and Essential Enterprises Agency.
Ursula will long be remembered and will be missed by her brothers Ray and Joe, her nieces and nephews and their families, her community, her close friend Barbara, all of her many friends, and Gilma, who cared for her tenderly during her final illness.
All services were held in St. Albert Chapel at Queen of the Rosary Motherhouse. On Friday, Feb. 25, a prayer service was held, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial. Immediately after the Mass, Sister Ursula was laid to rest in the sisters’ cemetery.
Brother Edward Wesley, a Franciscan Brother for 59 years, died Feb. 21, at age 77. His family lived in Greenpoint in St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish, where he attended elementary school and, upon graduation, went to St. Francis Prep in Williamsburg. He entered the Franciscan Brothers of Brooklyn in 1962 and received the habit in 1963 where he was given the name Celestine.
He attended St. Francis College where he completed a Bachelor’s Degree in English and went on for further studies at the University of Notre Dame, Queens College, the New School, and St. John’s University. He completed his Ph.D. at the University of Notre Dame in 1987.
Brother Edward taught at St. Bartholomew’s School in Elmhurst and St. Aidan’s School in Williston Park. In 1969 he took his final vows and was assigned to St. Francis Prep. He served there as a teacher and administrator. He worked as Curriculum Coordinator for the Diocese of Brooklyn and then went to the Paterson Diocese in New Jersey as Principal of Newman Prep in Wayne and Bayley-Ellard High School in Madison.
As a Franciscan Brother, he assumed responsibilities in formation in the pre-novitiate houses in Brooklyn and Woodside, Queens. He was elected a general councilor for the Franciscan Brothers and served as secretary-general in that office.
For his first nine years at St. Francis College, he was director of freshman studies, and then assumed the role of associate professor and English Department chair. Upon his retirement, he resided at Our Lady of Angels Friary in Bay Ridge. Brother Edward is survived by his sister, Anna Connelly, her husband Kevin, and their sons Shane and Matthew.
A funeral service for Brother Edward was scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 26 at Our Lady of Angels Church, Brooklyn, with interment to follow at Holy Rood Cemetery, Westbury, New York.
Sister Patricia Lee, a Sister of St. Dominic of Amityville for 74 years, died Feb. 28 at age 91.
Sister Patricia was born June 10, 1930, to Madeline and Arthur Lee. She joined her older siblings Arthur, Madeline, and Cassie. A few years later, baby John completed the family. They lived in Bellmore, and after elementary school, Patricia attended Queen of the Rosary Academy in Amityville where she met the Dominican sisters.
On Sept. 8, 1947, Sister Patricia entered the Dominican Congregation of the Holy Cross in Amityville along with 41 other young women. The following summer, Sister Patricia and the others received the Dominican habit. She was given the religious name Sister Marie de Sales.
After First Profession in 1949, Sister Patricia was assigned to teach at St. Pancras School in Glendale and then St. Luke School in Whitestone.
In 1959, she began a 40-year ministry in a variety of high schools. She taught in All Saints, Bishop McDonnell, St. Joseph Mountain School, Dominican Commercial and Christ the King.
After receiving degrees from St. John’s University and Villanova University, Sister Patricia pursued another passion a few years later and became a student once again. She registered for evening art classes at Queens College and received her New York State certification.
Sister Patricia was a longtime and loyal member of the Dominican Institute of the Arts (DIA). In 2009, she was the recipient of the DIA Spirit Recognition Award which is presented to a member who has rendered significant service to DIA in the spirit of its mission.
Our multi-talented sister created the beautiful tapestry of Catherine of Siena that hung on the staircase wall at Villa Maria convent in Water Mill.
The wake and funeral were held in St. Albert Chapel in Amityville on March 3. A Mass of Christian burial was followed by interment in the sisters’ cemetery.