Sister Mary Grace Finegan, D.C.

EMMITSBURG, MD ~ March 28, 2008

A Mass of Christian burial was offered at 11:00 a.m., Monday, March 3, at the Basilica of the National Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Emmitsburg, for Sister Mary Grace Finegan, DC. Sister died Wednesday, February 27, 2008 at Villa St. Michael, the province’s retirement residence in Emmitsburg. She was 92 years of age and 71 years of vocation.

Sister Mary Grace was born to Francis G. and Grace Virginia Roper Finegan in Richmond and given the name of Mary Frances. She had one sister, Grace Elizabeth.

Mary Frances graduated from Saint Mary’s School in Norfolk in 1934, and entered the community of the Daughters of Charity two years later on December 22, 1936. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Saint Joseph College, Emmitsburg, in 1951, and a master’s degree in business education from The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. in 1964.

After receiving her habit, Mary Frances, now Sister Mary Grace, worked for a short time as a pharmacy assistant at Saint Agnes Hospital in Baltimore while preparing for a teaching career. Thirty-two years of teaching assignments followed.

In Baltimore, Sister taught elementary grades at Saint Dominic’s School (1938-1945); secondary grades at Seton High School (1950-1959 and 1969-1970) and Saint Martin’s School (1965-1969). She also taught two years (1963-1965) at Immaculate Conception Academy in Washington, D.C. Her teaching assignments in Emmitsburg included Saint Euphemia’s School (1945-1946) and three years at Saint Anthony’s School (1947-1950). New York teaching assignments included Saint James School, Johnson City, (1946-1947) and Seton Catholic High School, Endicott, (1959-1963).

Sister Mary Grace received a change of ministry in 1970. She worked for a year as a receptionist in the admitting office at Saint Vincent’s Medical Center in Jacksonville, Florida. She returned to Saint Vincent’s in 1988 for a second assignment and served in the duty of pastoral care until 1994.

Sister was communications supervisor at Saint Agnes Hospital in Baltimore for fifteen years (1971-1986). Sister worked two years as bookkeeper for the Seton Shrine Center in Emmitsburg.
Sister Mary Grace’s last active-duty assignment was at Providence Hospital in Washington, D.C. where she served for twelve years (1994-2006) in the pastoral care department before retiring to Villa St. Michael.

Sister had yet another ministry to call family, friends and employees who were in need of someone to listen or, using her great sense of humor, Sister Mary Grace was always ready to offer a cheery pick-me-up to anyone in need of it. She was also an avid reader of magazines, journals, books, etc., and was well versed on many subjects.

Predeceased by her parents and her sister, Grace Elizabeth Fitzgerald, Sister is survived by nephews Patrick Fitzgerald, Miami, Florida; Michael Fitzgerald, Charlottesville, Virginia; Timothy Fitzgerald, Key Largo, Florida; nieces Mary Frances Fitzgerald Kirchner, Hilton Head, South Carolina; Kathleen Dunn, Montgomery Village, Maryland, and a number of grand-nieces/nephews.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Daughters of Charity Support Fund for the Elderly and Infirm Sisters, 333 South Seton Avenue, Emmitsburg, Maryland 21727.