We ask you to pray for the repose of the soul of our dear sister

Gabrielle Marry, IBVM

Who died June 2, 2019
in her 79th year
and in the 61st year of her religious life.
May she rest in peace.

Sister Gabrielle Marry, I.B.V.M. (Marie Therese Marry) was the first baby born in the new Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda, County Louth, Ireland on January 18, 1940.  She was the daughter of Austin and Bridie (Lenehen) Marry. She entered the Novitiate in Loreto Convent, Navan, on October 17, 1958.  A few years later she came from Ireland to join the Sisters and staff of Ss. Simon and Jude School in Phoenix where she taught 2nd & 5th grades for a number of years.  She also taught at Sacred Heart School in Prescott for some years and worked for a time at Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Flagstaff as a Pastoral Associate.

Sister Gabrielle held a B.A degree in History/English from University of San Diego and an M.A. in Counseling and Guidance from the University of Arizona and retained a great appreciation for both of these fine universities.  It was shortly before she had completed her studies at U of A that she had to deal with the onset of Multiple Sclerosis – – – a condition which she bravely and cheerfully handled for more than 50 years.

With the underlying Spirituality and Constitutions of the Loreto Sisters being Ignatian, Sister was drawn to working with the Loyola Project, which was sponsored and run by the Jesuit priests at St. Francis Parish and Brophy Preparatory High School. For many years she worked with this Project, and later went to Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Phoenix and taught reading and language skills to children with English as their second language.

Another project which she dearly loved was a Correspondence Anger Management Program for prisoners. For several years she was involved with this, in fact, until her fingers could no longer hold a pen to write or type the answers to the prisoners’ questions. 

After her years in the educational arena, Sister Gabrielle opted for Pastoral Care Work, and having completed her CPE training at Good Samaritan Hospital, she served as a Clinical Pastoral Care Minister to the patients at Baptist Hospital  (now Abrazo Health) in the initial stages of her pastoral care apostolate, and, until very recently, she volunteered in a similar ministry at The Palazzo Care Home.  

She never, however, abandoned her interest in the educational scene and very frequently wheeled her motorized chair into the classrooms at Ss Simon and Jude, sharing stories with the children and educating them about the wonderful Foundress of the Loreto Sisters, Venerable Mary Ward. Our ‘Companions of Mary Ward’ Group was also blessed by her leadership and direction, and all members are so grateful for her love and her sharing of prayer and spiritual refreshment.  

Though confined to a wheelchair for most of her adult life because of her MS, she never let her disability stop her from teaching, working, or helping others.  She was an especially welcoming person who took a personal interest in lifting others up.  Her bright smile, quick wit and joyful spirit were infectious.  To know Sr. Gabby, was to love Sr. Gabby, and her perseverance and determination to live her life to the fullest, despite her disability, was a daily inspiration to all who knew her.