On Sunday, December 10th, at 11:00 AM, The Ursuline Sisters of the Eastern Province will hold our annual Mass for Deceased Ursulines. We remember with love and gratitude the lives of our beloved Sisters who went home to God in 2023.

We cordially invite you to join us via Facebook Live at Mass of Remembrance. We hope you will be able to be a part of this moving occasion as we come together to honor and celebrate the lives of our departed Ursulines.

If you cannot view or would rather not view on Facebook, the live-stream of the Mass is available below *

*This video is best viewed using the current browser version of Google Chrome, Apple Safari, or Microsoft Edge. If you are using other browsers, you may not be able to view the video.

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Sr. Maryellen Keefe, OSU (aka Sr. St. Martin) of the Bronx, died peacefully on Tuesday, April 12, at Andrus on Hudson, Hastings on Hudson, NY after a long illness. Maryellen was born June 28, 1936, in New York, the daughter of Mary Horan and Martin Keefe.
She was a graduate of the Academy of Mt. St. Ursula, the College of New Rochelle, Fordham University and the University of Delaware where she received a PhD in English Literature.
Maryellen loved literature and spent her life teaching literature and educating students on all levels. She was also a student of the subject herself and often did extra summer courses to further her own knowledge, including Japanese and Latin American Literature, as well as Modern Irish Drama.
Sr. Maryellen ministered in served in several Ursuline schools, including Ursuline Academy, Springfield MA, Ursuline Academy, Wilmington, DE, Ursuline Academy, Bethesda, MD. She also taught at Mt. St. Ursula, Our Lady of Victory Academy, Preston High School, Iona Prep and College.
As well as being a classroom teacher, Maryellen was an active member of the school communities serving on many committees. She was a Professor of English Literature at SUNY Maritime College until her retirement in 2021.
Survivors include her brother, John, and her sister, Veronica, both of Rehoboth Beach, Delaware as well as nieces and nephews.
Calling hours will be at the Ursuline Province Center, 1338 North Ave. New Rochelle, 10804, Monday, April 18, 3-5 PM with a prayer service at 4:00. Funeral Liturgy for family and the Ursuline Community will be Tuesday, April 19 at 10:30 AM. Burial at Gate of Heaven Cemetery.
Donations may be made to the Ursuline Sisters retirement fund.
Lloyd Maxcy and Sons is in charge of the arrangements.

You can access a complete, digital version BY CLICKING THIS LINK.

When the lunch bell rang, all were gathered in the house to share a meal that had been brought by the participants. People had come from as far as California, Troy, NY and from New York.

As they all settled down in expectation of a pot luck feast all were invited to say one thing for which they were grateful and the whole group was asked to repeat what was said. The feast was plentiful and replete with wonderful aromas and tastes.

One of the co-founders, Jonah Penneman, led a short tour of the farm helping the visitors to see that the house that had been built by the community used local wood and ecologically sound methods in its construction. On the south side there were huge windows to catch the warmth of the sun, and the garden by this side was for medicinal plants.

The plants on the side of a slight hill were arranged to stop soil erosion and use the water flow efficiently. There was a huge garden containing a mix of plants, some were meant to attract pollinators and some to deter rodents. There were also a variety of various fruit and nut bearing trees.

Jonah spoke of the community’s relation to the Mohican Indians who had been removed from this land. They had offered to give the Mohicans a part of the land but what they wanted was to be able to use the land for Native American gatherings and ceremonies.

The community at Soul Fire Farm helps people of color learn ancestral methods of farming. They provide food to over 100 families in the Troy and Albany regions, delivering it each week. They also work to advocate for people of color with great sensitivity to gender respect.

Jonah’s wife, Leah, is the author of the book, “Farming While Black” and travels all over, speaking for the concerns of Soul Fire Farm. You can find her wonderful YouTube talks online.

After hearing about Soul Fire Farm’s efforts to lead the movement to make reparation for the suffering of so many people of color throughout our history Ursuline Sisters and Associates joined this endeavor by making personal contributions to support the efforts to restore health and opportunity to people of color in the Albany/Troy area.

On July 29th and 30th there was an exhibit at the UN showing Sisters involvement in Healing the Wounds of Human Trafficking. Sr. Alice Marie Giordano, OSU attended the event featuring Sr. Gabiela Bottani Director of Talitha Cum, one of the best international networks of Sisters involvement in this effort. Here are some photos from this event.

On May 9, 2019, Ursuline sisters-Sr. Jane Finnerty, Sr. Eileen Finnerty, Sr. Mary Alice Duggan, Sr. Maureen McCarthy, Sr Pascal Conforti, Sr. Jackie DaSilva, and Sr. Alice Marie Giordano attended Lifeway Network’s Event towards Life. Here are some pictures.

Sr. Joan Dawber , Founder and Director, presented the 2019 Freedom Award to Lauren Hersh, “Director of World Without Exploitation”, an organization that fights against human trafficking and all sexual exploitation. She encourages all of us to advocate against recently proposed laws that seek to decriminalize pimps and buyers of sex. Lauren said, “There is nothing victimless about prostitution.”