Obituary of Sister Peggy O'Leary CSJ

Born on March 13, 1932, to parents Florence Lyons and C. P. (Clarence Patrick) O’Leary, Peggy was the fifth of five children. She was preceded in death by her parents, sister Kay, and brothers Bob, Jack and Pat. Peggy died at Carondelet Village, St. Paul, MN, on Oct. 8, 2021. Peggy grew up in Mankato, MN, attended a Jesuit parish and grade school, and graduated from Good Counsel Academy. Prior to entering the CSJ (Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, St. Paul Province) community, she attended Mankato State University majoring in Elementary Education. She received her BA from St. Catherine College (now University) in St. Paul and a Master’s Degree in Education from Loyola University in Chicago. Her ministries included teaching elementary and junior high students in Minnesota Catholic schools in St. Paul, Marshall and Stillwater. She also served on various boards of the Sisters of St. Joseph and the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. In 1988, after 32 years of classroom teaching, she joined her good friend Kathleen Foley, CSJ, at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul. Together, they initiated a program for elementary school teachers to assist them in the teaching of religion. This was followed by co-authoring a “Daily Book of Prayer for the Classroom”. Both works were published by Liturgical Press at St. John’s University, Collegeville, MN. Peggy’s love and commitment to the Catholic Church, and its beautiful liturgical expressions of faith, led her to participate in the work of parish liturgical committees, and to a deeper appreciation of her own faith. Serving on the Ecumenical Commission of the Archdiocese afforded her the opportunity to share her faith tradition with other people from other denominations and many good relationships developed from these experiences. Her pre-retirement years were spent in pastoral ministry at Assumption Parish, in St. Paul, and as the director of After-care at O’Halloran and Murphy Funeral Home, St. Paul. Throughout her life, Peggy tried to live by the Golden Rule “Do Unto Others as You Would have Them do unto You”. Peggy is survived by special niece Patricia O’Leary; many other nieces and nephews; cousin Fr. Kevin Clinton; and the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet and Consociates. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Wednesday, October 13, 2021 at 11:00 AM, in Our Lady of the Presentation Chapel, 1884 Randolph Avenue, St. Paul, with burial following at Resurrection Cemetery in Mendota Heights. Memorials preferred to those most in need. Sister Peggy, rest in love and peace. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Wednesday, October 13, 2021 at 11:00 AM, in Our Lady of the Presentation Chapel, 1884 Randolph Avenue, St. Paul, with burial following at Resurrection Cemetery in Mendota Heights. Memorials preferred to those most in need.