Sr. FaganA funeral Mass for Sister Mary Pius Fagan, OP, was celebrated Dec. 1 at Our Lady of the Rosary Chapel in Sparkill, New York. Sister Mary Pius died Nov. 25 at Joe Raso Hospice in New York. She was 87 years old.
Born in Wilmington, Delaware, on Jan. 3, 1936, Marguerite was the daughter of John and Martha Garyantes Fagan. She entered the Dominican Congregation of Our Lady of the Rosary in Sparkill on Sept. 8, 1954, and received the name Sister Mary Pius. She professed her first vows in 1956 and final vows in 1961.
Sister Mary Pius received a bachelor’s degree in education from St. Thomas Aquinas College in Sparkill in 1959 and a master’s degree in urban affairs/public policy from Saint Louis University in 1984. She also earned certification in CPE (1978) and spiritual direction (2000) from Aquinas Institute of Theology.
Sister Mary Pius served in New York and Maryland at St. Agnes Home and School in Sparkill, New York (1956-1959, 1970-1972); St. Brendan School in the Bronx, New York (1959-1960); Sts. Peter and Paul School in Easton, Maryland (1960-1967); Immaculate Heart of Mary School in Scarsdale, New York (1967-1970); and St. Dominic School in Blauvelt, New York (1972-1977).
In St. Louis, she served as chaplain, St. Louis Detention Center (1977-1979); founder and director, Criminal Justice Ministry (1979-1988); staff development/coordinator, Society of St. Vincent DePaul (1989-1991); pastoral associate, St. Mark Parish (1991-1992); director, Pillar Place (1992-1995); liturgist/pastoral care, Franciscan Sisters of Mary (1995-1997); student, Aquinas Institute (1997-1998); and spiritual director/retreat ministry (1998-2001). From 2001 until 2018, Sister Mary Pius served as a spiritual companion.
Sister Mary Pius is predeceased by her parents, John and Martha Garyantes Fagan, siblings Sister Ursula, MMS, Bernard, Frank and Peter. She is survived by her sister Stephanie Hemelings and loving nieces, nephews, Dominican sisters, associates and friends.
Burial was in St. Agnes Cemetery in Sparkill.