Sister Cecelia Molloy (formerly Sister M. Rose Cecilia) died in Camilla Hall on Tuesday, February 25, 2025, in the 67th year of her religious life.
Cecelia was born on December 6, 1938; her parents Michael and Mary (McMenamin) Molloy, each born in Ireland, raised their ten children in Philadelphia. Cecelia had seven sisters and two brothers.
Cecelia attended St. Rose of Lima Elementary School (1944-1953), and West Catholic Girls’ High School (1953-1957); after entering the community, Sister earned an A.B. degree from Immaculata College in Elementary Education and an MSLS degree from Villanova University.
Cecelia entered the Community on February 11, 1958, she received her habit and her religious name Sister M. Rose Cecilia on August 15, 1958. Sister Rose Cecilia professed her First Vows on August 16, 1960.
In the fall of 1960 through the school year ending in 1988, Sister Rose instructed children in the elementary grades. During this time of faithful, joyful, and professional ministry, Sister Rose influenced children and families in Sacred Heart Reading, St Matthew Forestville, CT, St. Aloysius Academy Bryn Mawr, St. Ann Phoenixville, St. Alice Stonehurst, Holy Family Philadelphia, Annunciation Philadelphia, and St. Cyril East Lansdowne.
For the next twenty-one years (1988-2009), Sister Cecelia served the students and faculty as the Librarian at Immaculata High School in Somerville, NJ.
Sister Cecelia had an attractive way about her and in 2009 she was asked to serve as the General Assistant and Receptionist in the Parish Office at Sacred Heart Parish in Havertown until 2018.
Sister Cecelia was always a ‘team player,’ so her next and final act of loving service brought her to Camilla Hall where she was an integral member of the Prayer and Presence Team serving our Sisters in Camilla Hall as well as praying for all of us in Community. Sister will be remembered as a faithful, prayerful and joyful IHM Sister.
In addition to her IHM Community and her local Community at Camilla Hall, Sister Cecelia is survived by her sisters Rosemary Hally and Eleanor Rhoades (Larry), her sister-in-law Rita, and her many nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.
Sister is predeceased by her parents Michael and Mary (McMenamin) Molloy, and her sisters Marie Murphy (Vincent), Kathleen Flynn (Frank), Betty Boyle (Dominic), Isabel Burke (Ronald), Sabina Callahan (Jack), her brothers Michael and Edward, (Rita) and her brother-in-law Jim.
Reverend Michael D. Murphy, Sister Cecelia’s nephew, celebrated Sister’s Funeral Mass with Reverend John Burger, SSC on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, at 10:30 a.m.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent to:
Camilla Hall Nursing Home
IHM Mission Advancement Office
230 IHM Drive
Malvern, PA 19355