Franciscan Sister Madonna Marie Cunningham, 76
July 29, 2019 at 12:37 p.m.
A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Jan. 27 in Our Lady of Angels Convent Chapel, Aston, Pa., for Franciscan Sister Madonna Marie Cunningham, who died Jan. 20. She was 76.
Sister Madonna Marie was the former congregational minister of the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia and former president of Neumann University, Aston, Pa.
Born in Trenton, Sister Madonna Marie (Clare Patricia Cunningham) was a member of Blessed Sacrament Parish, Trenton, and a graduate of Cathedral High School, Trenton.
She entered the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia in 1953 and made her first profession of vows in 1956.
Sister Madonna Marie earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Villanova University, Villanova, Pa., and both a master’s degree in psychology and a doctorate in clinical psychology from Fordham University, New York.
She ministered in education on both the elementary and college levels, in congregational ministry and in healthcare. In elementary education, she served in the Dioceses of Spokane and Wilmington. In later years, she served in the Harrisburg Diocese as president of Mission and Ministry in St. Joseph Hospital, Lancaster.
Her 37 years of ministry in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia included Neumann University where she of Neumann University, a position she held until 1983.
Subsequent positions she held included serving on the staff of the St. Clare Renewal Center, Aston. In 1986, she was elected as congregational minister of the Sisters of St. Francis and served two terms from 1986 to 1996. From 1999 to 2001, she served as director of Franciscan Ministries Foundation (now Sisters of St. Francis Foundation). In 2002, she began ministering as a spiritual counselor for the retired sisters at Assisi House.
Sister Madonna Marie is survived by two sisters, Franciscan Sister Claudia Cunningham and Maryann Cavanagh; two brothers, Richard and Donald Cunningham; nieces, nephews and her Franciscan family.
Burial was in Our Lady of Angels Cemetery, Aston. Memorial donations may be made to the Sisters of St. Francis Foundation, 609 S. Convent Rd., Aston, Pa. 19014.
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A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Jan. 27 in Our Lady of Angels Convent Chapel, Aston, Pa., for Franciscan Sister Madonna Marie Cunningham, who died Jan. 20. She was 76.
Sister Madonna Marie was the former congregational minister of the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia and former president of Neumann University, Aston, Pa.
Born in Trenton, Sister Madonna Marie (Clare Patricia Cunningham) was a member of Blessed Sacrament Parish, Trenton, and a graduate of Cathedral High School, Trenton.
She entered the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia in 1953 and made her first profession of vows in 1956.
Sister Madonna Marie earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Villanova University, Villanova, Pa., and both a master’s degree in psychology and a doctorate in clinical psychology from Fordham University, New York.
She ministered in education on both the elementary and college levels, in congregational ministry and in healthcare. In elementary education, she served in the Dioceses of Spokane and Wilmington. In later years, she served in the Harrisburg Diocese as president of Mission and Ministry in St. Joseph Hospital, Lancaster.
Her 37 years of ministry in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia included Neumann University where she of Neumann University, a position she held until 1983.
Subsequent positions she held included serving on the staff of the St. Clare Renewal Center, Aston. In 1986, she was elected as congregational minister of the Sisters of St. Francis and served two terms from 1986 to 1996. From 1999 to 2001, she served as director of Franciscan Ministries Foundation (now Sisters of St. Francis Foundation). In 2002, she began ministering as a spiritual counselor for the retired sisters at Assisi House.
Sister Madonna Marie is survived by two sisters, Franciscan Sister Claudia Cunningham and Maryann Cavanagh; two brothers, Richard and Donald Cunningham; nieces, nephews and her Franciscan family.
Burial was in Our Lady of Angels Cemetery, Aston. Memorial donations may be made to the Sisters of St. Francis Foundation, 609 S. Convent Rd., Aston, Pa. 19014.