Sister Catherine Mulchrone, 90, passed away Thursday, March 23, 2023. “Sister Kathleen” was born in Knockglass, Newport, County Mayo, Ireland, to the late Dominick Mulchrone and Mary Mullarkey. She was the youngest of 18 children. In 1953, she came to this country to settle in Chicago where she subsequently spent five happy and challenging years with the Milwaukee Railroad. It was during this period that she became acquainted with the work of the Glenmary Fathers and learned about the needs of the Home Missions. Until this time, she had never realized, and was therefore somewhat astonished, that there was a desperate need for mission work in a land as prosperous as America.
Sister has been a missionary for 65 years, having joined the Glenmary Sisters in 1958. She served the Home Missions in Ohio, North Carolina, Georgia, and Kentucky. In her mission work, she practiced home nursing, participated in parish work, and was involved in many forms of unstructured social work, including home visitation parish work. She opened the Mountain Christian Thrift Shop in Frenchburg in 2002. Sister has spent countless hours listening to people’s stories, sharing in their joys and sorrows, and finding ways to meet their needs. She has traveled the back roads of many counties to meet people wherever they lived. Her Irish wit and the twinkle in her eyes have brought joy and light into many lives.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her siblings: John, Dominick, Michael, Alfred, Anne, Bridget, Patrick, Thomas, Mary Patricia, James, Joseph, Justin, Anthony, Nora, and Brenden. She is survived by her Glenmary Sisters community and many nieces and nephews.
The Funeral Mass will be held at 12:00 noon on April 3 at St. Stephen Cathedral in Owensboro. The service will also be available virtually at www.ststephencathedral.org/live. Visitation will be on April 2 from 4:00-7:00 p.m. at Glenn Funeral Home in Owensboro, Kentucky, with prayers starting at 6:30 p.m. The burial will be in Resurrection Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Glenmary Sisters, P.O. Box 22264, Owensboro, KY 42304 or online at www.glenmarysisters.org.
Condolences for Sister Kathleen Mulchrone may be offered online at www.glenncares.com.