Age 96
Sister Mary’s enthusiasm, energy and love in serving the Lord and his people seemed boundless.
Born to a family of farm workers in Las Cruces, New Mexico, they moved to Powell, Wyoming, to work in the sugar beet industry. Ten years later she moved to West Sacramento, California, where she met the Sisters of Mercy.
For over 50 years, Sister Mary served the local church as an educator, gifting those served with the charism of the Sisters of Mercy, particularly the poor, the Hispanic community and the men, women and children of the migrant camps.
She began her educational ministry as an elementary school teacher at Holy Spirit in Sacramento, California. For over 20 years, she taught in the Diocese of Sacramento, California, and also served as a principal for eight years at Holy Cross, St. Joseph and Our Lady of Fatima schools in Sacramento.
In 1978, she was invited to join the staff of the Diocesan Office of Religious Education in Sacramento where she assumed responsibility for faith formation programs for the Spanish speaking. Not limiting her services to established parishes, Sister Mary reached out to serve the farmworkers in migrant camps for over 25 years. Even in retirement, Sister Mary continued to reach out to those in great need through a ministry of jail visitation and service on diocesan advisory boards. She continued in this work until 2019 when she retired at the age of 92.