Age 89
Sister Margaret (Peggy) was a woman of deep compassion, generous spirit, and steadfast faith, who faithfully served God’s people in education, parish ministry, and community leadership.
She entered the Sisters of Mercy in Watchung, New Jersey, at the age of 22. She earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Georgian Court University in Lakewood, New Jersey, and a master’s degree in elementary education administration from Newark State College in Newark, New Jersey.
Initially Peggy served as a middle school teacher at St. Mary School in Trenton, New Jersey, and St. Philip & St. James School in Phillipsburg, New Jersey, before teaching junior high at St. James School in Red Bank, New Jersey. She then served as principal of St. Mary School in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, where she was known for her dedication to students, families, and faculty.
Her gifts for leadership and pastoral care led her to serve as vocation director at Mount Saint Mary Generalate in Watchung, New Jersey, where she joyfully invited others to consider a life of service in the church. Next, she served as a parish minister at Holy Family Parish in Union Beach, New Jersey, becoming a trusted presence and support to the parish community.
Following a brief period of transition, Sister Peggy continued her ministry as co-founder and co-director of The Gathering Place in Middletown, New Jersey, offering hospitality, spiritual support, and outreach. She also served concurrently as co-director of Mercy Associates, fostering connections between the Sisters of Mercy and lay collaborators in mission.
Her lifelong commitment to education and ministry reflected her deep belief in the dignity of every person and the importance of compassionate service. In her later years, she continued her life of prayer and quiet service, residing at the Sisters of Mercy in Mays Landing, New Jersey, for ten years, then at Gabriel Hall for five years, and most recently at McAuley Hall Health Care Center, both in Watchung, New Jersey where she remained a gentle and prayerful presence.