“She was a kind and gentle woman, one who was understanding, compassionate,
quiet and fun-loving.”
Sister Mary Margaret McGovern (Brigid) was born August 31, 1915, in New York City, one of two daughters and one son of James and Margaret McGovern. Brigid attended All Saints School, All Saints Academy, and the College of Mount Saint Vincent before entering the Sisters of Charity of New York September 8, 1936. Her older sister, Helen (Sr. Virginia Maria, deceased 1997), had entered the Sisters of Charity September 8, 1931. Sister Mary Margaret earned a BA in Math from the College of Mount Saint Vincent, an MA in Secondary Education from Fordham University, and New York State Permanent Certification in Latin.
Sister Mary Margaret’s ministry in education spanned over sixty years, from elementary school through adult education. Her first mission was Saints Peter and Paul School in the Bronx. She was then assigned to Saint John High School in White Plains and, later, Blessed Sacrament High School in Manhattan. From 1960 through 1962, Sister Mary Margaret was the Postulant Mistress for the Sisters of Charity. When she returned to teaching, Sister was assigned to Cardinal Spellman High School, Bronx, where she taught Latin, English, and Religion. She was then missioned to Grace Institute where she spent over thirty years as a teacher, Interim Director and, for the last five years, a volunteer. In 2003, Sister Mary Margaret retired to Mount Saint Vincent Convent where she continued her volunteer services, as well as the ministry of prayer and witness.
Surrounded by generations of nieces and nephews, the Congregation, and friends, Sister Mary Margaret, the beloved “Aunt Bee,” celebrated her 100th birthday on the grounds of Mount Saint Vincent in 2015.
Sister Mary Margaret will long be remembered by all whose lives she touched, whether she met them in or outside the classroom. She was a kind and gentle woman, one who was understanding, compassionate, quiet and fun-loving. She enjoyed and accepted all people as she found them. Sister loved her family and her community. We rejoice with her now as she celebrates her entrance into the eternal presence of our loving God whom she served so long and so well.
Rest in peace, Sister Mary Margaret.
Date of Death
January 8, 2018
Age
102
Wake
Mount Saint Vincent Convent
Assembly Room
6301 Riverdale Ave., Bronx, NY 10471
718-601-5370
Friday, January 12, 2–6:30 pm
Prayer Vigil at 4:30 pm
Mass of Christian Burial
Chapel of the Immaculate Conception
Mount Saint Vincent
Saturday, January 13, 2018
10:00 am
Burial
Saint John Cemetery
80-01 Metropolitan Avenue
Middle Village, New York 11379
718-894-4888
Missions
Archdiocese of New York
- SS Peter & Paul, Bronx
1938–44, Teacher, Gr. 5,6 - St. John H.S., White Plains
1944–52, Teacher,
Latin, Religion - Blessed Sacrament H.S, Manhattan
1952–60, Teacher,
Latin, English, Religion - Mt St. Vincent Novitiate, Bronx
1960–63, Postulant Mistress - Cardinal Spellman H.S., Bronx
1963–72, Teacher,
Latin, English, Religion - Grace Institute, Manhattan
1972–73, Interim Director
1973–98, Teacher,
English, Accounting, Computers
1998–2003, Volunteer Services - Mt. Saint Vincent Convent
2003–12, Volunteer Services
Whenever I happened to be in her presence, I truly felt the spirit of God. May her love live on and may she continue her work in a world in desperate need of more people like she was!
Sr. Mary Margaret presence will ALWAYS be remembered in the Senior hallway. We were a co-ed school but the boys and girls were in separate sides of the school building.
She kept us in line and for that I am grateful to her and ALL the Sisters of Charity. It’s unfortunate that students today don’t have the experience of being taught by these wonderful ladies. God bless her for her 102 years of goodness on this Earth and God rest her.
She was an excellent Latin teacher, one of the best teachers of my career. She held us to high standards. She was a task master but was fair and dedicated to her students. All these decades later, I still remember and feel grateful. She was a shining example of the wonderful Sisters of Charity of Mount Saint Vincent.
My Latin teacher. I learned so much by studying Latin. And she was a tough one! I was surprised recently during a trip to Rome with how much I still remembered!
She was my Latin teacher at Cardinal Spellman HS and she was tough but always was fair. She had a twinkle in her eye and a soft spot in her heart for students who were really trying. I’ll always remember visiting Sr. Irene Fugazy at Mount St. Vincent Convent and being overjoyed at seeing Sr. Mary Margaret around 15 years ago! And her smile was just the best!!!
Sister Mary Margaret was my Latin teacher at Spellman hs she was a strict task master and in a way influenced me to be a special education teacher. I was surprised when i went to Rome this year how much Latin I remembered and was able to translate.