Entered Life: May 29, 1931
Entered Religious Life: September 8, 1949
Entered Eternal Life: January 5, 2017
“My God and my Help!” Mary Creighton chose these words as her motto at Final Profession. These words are few in number but they are profound. I believe they formed the foundation, the anchor, that provided Mary with the grounding she needed to live her life.
Although Mary did not have an easy life, God was her lifelong companion. I’m sure that God was right there beside her to grasp her hand and guide her along the way. Other times, I believe that Mary felt God “to be distant” which made life difficult for Mary. And yet, her motto, which could also have been her mantra, was with her.
Mary served in the ministry of education, focusing on elementary education. She touched the lives of children in Chicago at St. Adrian, St Bernard, St. Bride and in Sacramento, CA, at St. Philomene. Mary, known as Mother Cecily in 1961, was one of the six IBVM sisters who opened the doors to St. John of the Cross School in Western Springs, IL. When the need arose, Mary lived with and cared for her mother until her mother died. Returning to the community, Mary served as an instructor in the Loretto Extension Service, which provided an option for high school students to gain credits through correspondence.
Thank you Mary for being Mary Cecelia Creighton, for being a Mary Ward woman, for being a member of the IBVM for over 67 years, for your years of service in educating children, and for being a faithful disciple of Jesus. We are blessed and grateful to you for sharing life with us.
–Kay Foley, IBVM
