Sister Maureen Abbott died on Jan. 26 in Providence Health Care, St. Mary-of-the-Woods. She was born Jan. 23, 1939, in Buffalo, NY, to Francis and Winifred McCarrick Abbott and was baptized Maureen Frances.
Sister Maureen entered the Congregation of the Sisters of Providence on July 22, 1956, and received the name Sister Maureen Francis. She professed Final Vows on Aug. 15, 1964. She earned a bachelor’s degree from St. Mary-of-the-Woods College and master’s degrees from the University of Washington and the University of Notre Dame. Of her 66 years as a Sister of Providence, she ministered for 28 years in education in Indiana, California, Illinois and Texas. For 11 of these years, she served as principal and for three of them, besides her teaching duties, she served as councilor to the provincial of St. Michael Province.
In 1983, she moved to Texas, serving as Director of Ministries and then Vicar of Education for the Diocese of Corpus Christi. In 1988, she was elected Provincial of St. Michael Province. Her term completed, she continued her teaching ministry for six years in California and then moved to Oregon, where she worked for 17 years in the Marriage Tribunal of the Archdiocese of Portland. It was during these years that she began working on volume four of the History of the Congregation, which covered the years 1926 to 1966. It was published in 2013 with the title, New Lights from Old Truths: Living the Signs of the Times. In 2015, she returned to the motherhouse where she served as community historian and as an archives staff person.
Sister Maureen was a woman of many talents, which she shared generously in all her ministries. She had a quiet and peaceful demeanor, and her words often disclosed inner wisdom and deep compassion.
Sister Maureen is survived by five sisters, Patricia Ashton of Anaheim Hills, CA, Liz Karchmer of Corpus Christi, TX, Christine Wisian of Corpus Christi, TX, Jean Wood of Concord, MA, Kathy Oxford of Lemoore, CA and one brother, John Abbott of Leesburg, VA. The wake is on Feb. 2, from 2:30-4:30 p.m. in the Church of the Immaculate Conception, with the Wake Service at 4:30 p.m. The Mass of Christian Burial is on Feb. 3 at 11 a.m. with Rev. Terry Johnson presiding. Burial is in the cemetery of the Sisters of Providence. The DeBaun Funeral Homes and Crematory assisted with arrangements.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Sisters of Providence, 1 Sisters of Providence, St. Mary-of-the-Woods, IN 47876-1007.