Sr. Theresa Marie Conway FMM

Sr. Theresa Marie Conway, Franciscan Missionary of Mary, of Holy Name of Jesus Community, Manhattan, NY, died July 2, 2011 in Calvary Hospital, Bronx, NY. She was born in Brooklyn, NY, the daughter of the late Michael and Winefred (Caffery) Conway.

She entered the Institute of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary, September 1962 at North Providence, RI where she pronounced her first vows March 19, 1965. After completing studies in primary education and sociology at Mt. Alvernia College and child care and social work at Suffolk, she pronounced her final vows on March 19, 1971 in St. Clement's Eucharistic Shrine, Boston, MA.

She was sent in mission to Cardinal Hayes home for Children in Millbrook, NY whee she ministered to mentally and emotionally challenged adolescents for nine years, loving the children and her work.

After a renewal program in St. Louis and completing her certification in Clinical Pastoral Experience, Theresa ministered as a hospital chaplain in several hospitals; St. Joseph's Hospital in Chicago, Fatima Hospital in North Providence, St. Francis Hospital in Roslyn, NY and St. Elizabeth's Hospital Brighton, MA.

In 1990, she served as a member of the Initial Formation Team in St. Bartholomew Community, Waukegan, IL. In 1994, she was sent in mission to Our Lady of the Visitation Community in Cambridge, MA where she served as the Local Coordinator and continued on the Pastoral Care Team in St. Elizabeth's Hospital, Brighton, MA.

She volunteered on the Pastoral team of: Mary Manning Walsh Home, Mt. Sinai Hospital, NYC, New York Hospital for Special Surgery and Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital.

During her lifetime one of her ardent hopes was that inculturation would become more diffused throughout the world and that all people would grow in faith, peace, joy and solidarity. She sought ways to contribute to bring these things to fruition in the lives of others, which made her religious life meaningful to her.

She is survived by her Franciscan Missionary of Mary Sister, Maureen, sisters Kathleen Howley of Hebron, CT, Bernadette O'Reilly from North Carolina, and brothers, John from Queens, NY and Michal from LI,NY.

Her wake is Wednesday, July 6, at Holy Name of Jesus Parish (West 96th Street & Amsterdam Ave) from 4PM - 7:30PM with a wake service at 7PM. Her funeral Mass will be celebrated at Holy Name of Jesus Parish (West 96th Street & Amsterdam Avenue) on Thursday, July 7 at 9AM. Interment will be in the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary Holy Family Cemetery, North Providence, RI.