Sister M. Elizabeth Jane Murray, formerly known as Sister Virgo Fidelis, died on January 17, 2022, in Camilla Hall. Sister died just shy of her 90th birthday. Sister Elizabeth was in the 71st year of her religious life.
Elizabeth Jane Murray was born on March 18, 1932. Sister’s parents, Michael and Jane (Emery) Murray, raised their family in St. John the Baptist Parish in Manayunk. Elizabeth attended St. John the Baptist Elementary School then to St. John the Baptist High School from which she graduated in 1950.
Elizabeth entered our IHM Congregation on September 8, 1950; Sister received her habit and her religious name, Sister Virgo Fidelis, on March 26, 1951, and professed her First Vows on April 5, 1953.
Sister began her teaching ministry in April 1953. Sister taught first grade children in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia through the school year ending in 1985. During this period, Sister served in the following parishes: St. Mark in Bristol, Our Lady of Angels in Philadelphia, St. John of the Cross in Roslyn, Holy Innocents in Philadelphia, St. Dorothy in Drexel Hill, St. Laurence in Highland Park, St. Joseph in Warrington, and St. Charles Borromeo in Bensalem.
During the 1985-1986 year, Sister Elizabeth served as a staff member at our Nursing Home facility at Camilla Hall. At the end of this year, Sister returned to teaching children in second grade at St. Monica and Holy Innocents in Philadelphia. In October 1989 through August 2012, Sister Elizabeth served as a School Assistant at Our Lady of Fatima in Secane. Wrapping up her ministry in education, Sister brought all of her loving skills to Camilla Hall where she invested totally in our Apostolate of Prayer and Service until her death on January 17, 2022.
Her parents Michael and Jane (Emery) Murray, her brothers Thomas (Dorothy), William (Elizabeth), Joseph (Elizabeth Mary) and her sisters Margaret M. Kotchin (Joseph) and Dolores Calabro (Matthew), predecease Sister Elizabeth Jane. In addition to her IHM Community, her nieces, nephews, grandnieces, and grandnephews survive Sister. May her beautiful soul rest in peace!
Reverend John Burger celebrated Sister’s Funeral Liturgy on Tuesday, January 25, 2022 at 10:30 AM; Reverend Herbert Sperger joined Father as a concelebrant.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent to:
Camilla Hall Nursing Home
IHM Mission Advancement Office
230 IHM Drive
Malvern, PA 19355