Sister M. Helene Therese McGroarty (formerly S. Teresa Marie) died on October 19, 2026, at Camilla Hall at the age of 87. Sister was in the 69th year of her religious life. Born on April 6, 1939, in Tamaqua, PA, Teresa Marie was raised by her parents, Adolph McGroarty and Helen (Dowd) McGroarty. Growing up in Tamaqua along with her two brothers and one sister, Teresa attended St. Jerome Elementary School and Marian High School, graduating in 1957.
Entering the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary on July 16, 1957, she received the habit and her religious name, Sister M. Helene Therese, on January 16, 1958, making her first vows on January 16, 1960, and her final vows on August 16, 1965.
Following her profession, Sister Helene Therese was sent to St. Alice School in Upper Darby to teach first grade. After several years, she was transferred to St. Francis de Sales Parish, first for second grade and then for fourth. In 1967, Sister found herself traveling to Lima, Peru, where she would again instruct first graders at Inmaculado Corazon. On her return to the States after six years, Sister moved to Weatherly, PA, to St. Nicholas Parish as a primary grade teacher. Returning in 1975 to South America – this time to Santiago, Chile – Sister served at San Francisco, instructing students in grades five through eight. Six years later, Sister returned to the States “upstate,” this time to St. Ann in Lansford for a combined fifth- and sixth-grade class.
Following a quick turnaround, a year later Sister was once again traveling to South America, returning to Peru as coordinator of fifth and sixth grades in Villa Maria, La Planicie, as well as superior at the convent. In 1985, remaining in Peru, Sister Helene entered the world of Barranca in Lima at San Ildefonso, where she worked for almost four years teaching religion in grades seven through eleven and serving as superior. In 1988, Sister returned to Philadelphia to reside first at St. Francis Xavier Parish and then at St. Veronica, while working in the Spanish Apostolate in the Diocesan Office.
After two years of work in the diocesan office, in 1990 Sister returned to Peru, this time to Montenegro, a notably poor area where she performed pastoral work among the primary grades at Santa Rosa. After six years at Fe y Alegria in Montenegro, and again serving as superior, Sister Helene moved back to the States, returning to the mountains, but this time in Virginia. There for six years, working with various parishes, she provided pastoral ministry primarily among the Hispanic members of the community, chiefly in Mt. Carmel and Shenandoah. In 2002, Sister Helene returned to the South American missions, first in La Ligua, Chile, at Nuestra Señora del Rosario for pastoral ministry for one year, and next at Curacaví for the following six years.
With her return to the States in 2008, Sister was stationed in Raleigh, North Carolina, at St. Michael the Archangel Parish for Hispanic ministry and pastoral work while residing at Our Lady of Lourdes. After three years, she moved to West Chester, where she served in the Hispanic Ministry at St. Agnes for eight years. When she was reassigned, her ministry took her to Shenandoah, serving in Divine Mercy Parish for seven years while residing at Annunciation, once again serving the Spanish-speaking community.
In June 2026, Sister Helene entered Camilla Hall as a member of the Ministry of Prayer and Presence. Over the years, Sister Helene Therese achieved a number of educational milestones, completing her A.B. in English at Immaculata College in 1973, her Instructional I certificate for PA in 1981, and her Instructional II in 1984.
In addition to her IHM community, her brother Joseph McGroarty, nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews survive Sister Helene. Sister Helene’s parents Adolph McGroarty and Helen (Dowd) McGroarty, her sister Anne Zeplin (Robert), brother Patrick McGroarty and sister-in law Nina predecease Sister.
Reverend Martin Kern (Main Celebrant/Homilist) concelebrated Sister M. Helene Therese’s Funeral Liturgy at Camilla Hall on Friday, October 30, 2026. The priest concelebrants included Msgr. John J. Grabish, Msgr. Thomas Orsulk, Reverend George Kochuparambi, Reverend Juan Rodriquez, and Reverend Michael Olivere.
In Sister M. Helene Therese McGroarty’s memory, a donation may be sent to:
Camilla Hall Nursing Home
IHM Mission Advancement Office
230 IHM Drive
Malvern, PA 19355