March 20, 2024

A Mass of Christian burial for Sister Patricia A. Murtagh, RSM, (Sister Mary Benedicta), was celebrated on Saturday, March 16, 2024, in the Sacred Heart Chapel at Mater Christi School (former Mount Saint Mary Convent), 100 Mansfield Avenue, Burlington, Vermont

Burial followed in the Mount Saint Mary Cemetery.

Sister Patricia A. Murtagh, of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, died at McClure Miller Respite House on Feb. 28, 2024, in her 77th year of her religious life. She was 95.

Sister Patricia was born in Montpelier, Vermont, on Dec. 3, 1928, the daughter of Anne (Morse) and George Murtagh.

She entered the Sisters of Mercy on Sept. 8, 1946, and professed her vows on Aug. 25, 1949.

Sister Patricia received a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Trinity College, Colchester, Vermont. She did Post-Graduate studies in Science at The University of Vermont and Murray State Collage in Murray, Kentucky, and Clinical Pastoral Education from Andover Newton Theological School in Tewksbury, Massachusetts.

Sister Patricia taught in parochial schools in Burlington, Barre and Middlebury, Vermont. She also taught religion classes in the surrounding parishes and was an active part of the Diocesan Religious Education Program for the Developmentally Disabled. Sister served in parish ministry and as the director of Religious Education in Woodstock, Enosburg Falls, and Northfield, Vermont.

She ministered for several years in the Diocese of Ogdensburg, based in Keeseville, New York, as pastoral associate and director of Religious Education.

She represented the Sisters of Mercy of Vermont on the Council for Religious in that Diocese, and as Vice President, President and Treasurer.

Sister Patricia ministered at the Howard Mental Health Services in Burlington, and the Tewksbury St. John’s Hospital in Tewksbury, Massachusetts. She also volunteered at Birthright and Hospice.

Sister Patricia chose as her motto in religious life, “Through Him, and With Him, and In Him,”  taken from the prayer from the Liturgy of the Eucharist and knowing that only in close relationship with Jesus do we walk our journey through life confident of God’s loving support, fed in the Eucharist and thus enabled to grow in and share the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

All her life, Sister Patricia kept her hands busy with sewing, knitting, crocheting and embroidering. In her years of “retirement,” she discovered a hidden talent for drawing and painting using acrylic, pencil, pen/ink and pastels.

She is survived by her sister-in-law, Terri Murtagh, and her nieces, nephews, cousins, as well as her sisters in faith, the Sisters of Mercy.

She was predeceased by her parents; her brothers, Rev. George O. Murtagh, and Tom Murtagh; and her sisters, Rose Mary Murtagh, Helen Peslin and Betty Hutchinson.

In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to the Sisters of Mercy in support of their ministerial works. Attn: Sister Laura Della Santa, 356 Mountain View Drive, Suite 101, Colchester, VT 05446.

Arrangements are in the care of Ready Funeral Home, South Chapel, 261 Shelburne Road, Burlington, Vt.