A 'classic' woman religious passes away

Having entered St. Peter's Hospital in Albany for surgery, Sister Karen expected to return to her duties as an employee of Catholic Charities for the Albany Diocese, to her leadership in the Sisters of Mercy, and to her loving family and fellow women religious.

Instead, the woman described earlier this week in Rev. Michael Farano's eulogy as a "classic" because she was a "work of enduring excellence," suddenly returned to God after serving Him as a Sister of Mercy for 43 years.

Sister Karen was a graduate of Vincentian Institute, Maria College, The College of Saint Rose and The University at Albany. At her funeral, Bishop Howard J. Hubbard called her a "born leader" with "an outstanding career in education;" she had taught at St. Teresa's Junior High School and St. Joseph's Academy in Albany, and served as principal of Mercy High School there.

Father Farano noted that Sister Karen had "led her community as a councillor and president" of the leadership team of the Mercy Sisters from 1986-'94. During what Bishop Hubbard termed a "challenging and difficult time," she lent her leadership skills to the Mercy community's growing involvement in health care and the aftermath of a fire that destroyed the community's motherhouse.

"She brought to her responsibilities a vision of faith, love of her community and trust in the Holy Spirit," said Father Farano. "She did whatever her ministry demanded of her." He added that Sister Karen "could relate to the poor, the middle class and the well-to-do, giving to each a love rooted in self-giving."

We are devoting this space to her because, in addition to her current work with Catholic Charities, Sister Karen was a member of The Evangelist's board of directors. There, her quiet but firm voice was often raised to advocate for the importance of social justice, both in the contents of the newspaper and in our workplace.

At her funeral, Bishop Hubbard, quoting Scripture, told her family and friends that "we know neither the day nor the hour" when God will call us. But if He was going to call someone unexpectedly, Sister Karen was the one to summon because she was "a woman of profound faith whose whole life was lived in the presence of the Lord," a "creative, skilled" woman whose "love for her family was boundless."

Sister Karen is survived by two brothers and their spouses, George and Colleen Marcil, and William and Chris Marcil, all of Cohoes; six nieces and nephews; and eight grand-nieces and -nephews.

Family and friends have no doubt of her destination; on hearing that she had passed away, one close friend remarked: "Isn't it nice for her to be able to spend Christmas in heaven?"

(12-16-99)