Sister Sheila O’Friel, age 89, died at Villa St. Michael in Emmitsburg, Maryland on April 28, 2019. She was born on October 9, 1929 in Altoona, Pennsylvania. Sister Sheila was the last of six children born to Chester and Ruth (Ryder) O’Friel.
Sister Sheila joined the Daughters of Charity on December 31, 1953 in Emmitsburg, Maryland. After a period of initial formation, she was sent on her first mission to Holy Cross Academy, Lynchburg, Virginia as a Teacher (1955-1959). This mission was followed by two more teaching assignments: St. Joseph College, Emmitsburg (1959-1964) and Elizabeth Seton High School, Bladensburg, Maryland (1964-1969).
She then served as Administrator at Labouré Center, South Boston, Massachusetts (1969-1976); Astor Home for Children, Rhinebeck, New York (1976-1979); and Kennedy Child Study Center, New York (1979-1981). From 1981-1982, Sister Sheila was Assistant Administrator at Nazareth Child Care Center in South Boston. Following that mission, she returned to Labouré Center as Administrator (1982-1984) and then went to Rosemead, California to assist in the administration of Maryvale (1984-1986).
In 1986 Sister Sheila returned to Kennedy Child Study Center as Executive Director (1986-1992). From 1992-1993 she served in Pastoral Care at Carney Hospital in Boston. Her next assignment was in Parish Ministry at Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Parish in Bayside, New York (1992-1993).
After that, she served as Vice President of Mission Services at Carney Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts (1993-1997). She then served in Catholic Charities for the Archdiocese of New York (1997-2001). From 2001 until 2015 Sister Sheila was a Parish Visitor at Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Parish in Bayside, interrupted by several months when she served as a Docent at the Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Emmitsburg.
In 2015, Sister Sheila was missioned to St. Michael Villa where she entered into the Ministry of Prayer until her death. In 1951 Sister Sheila earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Margaret Morrison College of Carnegie Mellon University of Pittsburgh with a major in Home Economics Education. She earned a Master’s in Home Economics from Cornell University in Ithaca, New York in 1952.
Sister Sheila was preceded in death by her parents, her brothers Paul, Lawrence (Reverend LaSalle), Michael (Reverend Zachary), and George (Reverend Demetrius). She is survived by her brother Mark, nieces and nephews, and her Sisters in Community. A wake service will be held on Friday, May 3 at 7:00 pm in the Villa Chapel in Emmitsburg.
The Mass of Christian Burial will be on Saturday, May 4 at 11:00 am in the Basilica of the National Shrine of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, Emmitsburg, followed by burial in Sacred Heart Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Sister Sheila’s name to the Daughters of Charity, 4330 Olive Street, Saint Louis, Missouri 63108. Arrangements have been entrusted to the Myers-Durboraw Funeral Home in Emmitsburg, MD.
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