Sister Catherine Marie McCaffrey, SCCSister Catherine Marie McCaffrey, SCC, passed away peacefully on July 4 at Overlook Medical Center in Summit, N.J.
Born Marilyn Josephine McCaffrey on August 11, 1954, in Norristown, Pa., she was the second of five children of William and Marilyn (Flad) McCaffrey. Known to family and friends as Lynn, she graduated from Hatboro-Horsham Senior High School and earned an undergraduate degree from Montgomery County Community College in Blue Bell, Pa. She was employed by Prudential Insurance Company as an enrollment clerk and by Aetna Life Insurance Company as a senior claims technician.
Although drawn to religious life during grade school, she did not seriously consider it until her 20s. She experienced a profound call after attending the 1983 funeral of her father’s relative, Sister M. Rose of Lima McCaffrey, a Sister of the Blessed Sacrament. Years later, while reading the Guide to Religious Ministries, she discovered the Sisters of Christian Charity in Mendham, N.J., and began the journey that would lead to 35 years of faithful dedication as a Sister of Christian Charity.
She entered the congregation on September 2, 1990, and was invested as a Sister on August 21, 1991, receiving the religious name Sister Catherine Marie, after her dear niece, who had lived only 11 months. She professed her First Vows on August 16, 1993, and her Final Vows on August 15, 1999.
Sister Catherine Marie received her degree from Assumption College for Sisters, Mendham, in 1994 and a Certificate in Theological Studies in 1995.
For 30 years, Sister Catherine Marie ministered at Holy Spirit Hospital in Camp Hill. She served in the Business Office, working in the Credit Department and Patient Accounts. In 2017, she transferred to Central Scheduling, where she concluded her career as a Scheduling Services Specialist.
Throughout these years, Sister Catherine Marie was involved in the local Church in the Diocese of Harrisburg, helping others deepen their relationship with God. For many years, she served on Cursillo teams in the Diocese of Harrisburg. She also taught high school religious education, assisted with various parish youth groups, sang in a parish choir, and devoted several years to ministry with widows.
Within the Holy Spirit Hospital Convent, Sister Catherine Marie faithfully served as house treasurer and insurance coordinator. She quietly performed countless acts of service for her Sisters, carrying out every responsibility with dedication and perseverance. She was also known for her enjoyment of card games and the fellowship they fostered.
Because of declining health, Sister Catherine Marie moved to the congregation’s motherhouse in Mendham in February 2026, where she continued her life of prayer and faithful presence until her death.
Sister Catherine Marie will be remembered for her gentle spirit, her unwavering fidelity to both great and small responsibilities, and her steadfast devotion to God, her Sisters, her family, and her many friends.
She is survived by her Sisters in the Congregation of the Sisters of Christian Charity; her siblings and their spouses: William McCaffrey, Jr.; Claire and Joseph Beatty; Lois and Duane Jessup; and Bruce and Valli McCaffrey; as well as many nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews, and a wide circle of cherished friends.
She was predeceased by her parents; her sister-in-law, Susan McCaffrey; and her niece, Catherine Marie Jessup.
Visitation will be held in the Chapel of Mary Immaculate at the Motherhouse in Mendham on Thursday, July 9, beginning at 1 p.m. with Vespers at 4:30 p.m. The Liturgy of Christian Burial will be celebrated at the Chapel of Mary Immaculate on Friday, July 10, at 10:30 a.m. and will be livestreamed at www.sccus.org. Interment will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery on the Motherhouse grounds.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Sisters of Christian Charity, 350 Bernardsville Road, Mendham, NJ 07945, or at www.sccus.org.
