Sister Maureen Lawrence McDermott died on November 17, 2021 in Bryn Mawr Hospital. Sister was in the 42nd year of her religious life.
Margie Anne McDermott was born on July 2, 1956 in Philadelphia, PA. Her parents Lawrence J. and Margaret (Cannon) McDermott raised their family initially St. Gabriel Parish in South Philadelphia and later moved to St. Joseph Parish in Collingdale. Margie attended St. Gabriel Elementary School from 1962 through 1969, transferring at the end of that school year to St. Joseph Parish from which she graduated in 1970. Margie attended Archbishop Prendergast High School and graduated in 1974. Before entering the Congregation, Margie earned her A.B. in English and Secondary Education from Immaculata College, she graduated in 1978. Later, while in the Congregation, Sister earned an M.A. degree in English from West Chester University and a PhD in Administration/Supervision from Fordham University.
Margie entered the Community on September 15, 1979, received her religious habit and religious name, Sister Maureen Lawrence, on June 21, 1980. Sister Maureen pronounced her First Vows on August 14, 1982.
Sister Maureen taught seventh grade students at St. Martin of Tours in Philadelphia for two years and at St. Madeline in Ridley Park for four years. In September 1988, Sister went to Bishop McDevitt High School in Wyncote where she taught English for seven years. In September 1995 through the school year ending 1998, Sister taught English at Villa Maria Academy in Green Tree.
At the outset of the school year in 1998, Sister served a period of Internship at Bishop Shanahan High School that led to her appointment as Vice Principal for Academic Affairs in the fall of 2000. In the fall of 2001, Sister Maureen assumed Principal Leadership at Bishop Shanahan where she served in that capacity until July 2016.
In July 2016, Sister Maureen Lawrence accepted the invitation to serve as the Superintendent of Secondary Schools in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. As in all of her experiences in educational ministry, Sister worked diligently, joyfully, and faithfully right up to the short weeks before her death on November 17, 2021. God rest her beautiful soul!
In addition to her IHM Community, her sister Patrice Haines, brother Lawrence J. McDermott (Marguerite) and her niece, nephews, grandnieces, and grandnephews survive Sister. Her parents Lawrence J. McDermott, Sr. and Margaret A. McDermott (Canon) and her brother-in-law Thomas Haines predecease Sister.
The Most Rev. Michael J. Fitzgerald celebrated the Funeral Liturgy for Sister Maureen Lawrence on Saturday, November 27, 2021 at 10:30 a.m. in Sacred Heart Chapel, Villa Maria House of Studies. The following priests/deacon also attended.
| Rev. John E. Donia, Homilist | Rev. William J. Chiriaco | Rev. John R. Weber |
| Most Rev. John J. McIntyre | Rev. John Masson | Rev. James McKeaney |
| Rev. William Grogan | Rev. Paul O’Donnell | Rev. James Dalton, OSFS |
| Rev. Joseph Bongard | Rev. Stephen DeLacy | Rev. Brian Kean |
| Deacon Tom O’Brien | Rev. Joh Burger | Rev. Stephen Paolino |
| Rev. Paul Brandt | Rev. Dennis Gill | Rev. Joseph McLaughlin, O. Praem. |
| Rev. Joseph Brandt | Rev. Anthony T. Rossi | Rev. Thomas Higgins |
| Rev. James T. McCabe |
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent to:
Camilla Hall Nursing Home
IHM Mission Advancement Office
230 IHM Drive
Malvern, PA 19355