Sister Catherine Morrissey, who ministered in special education for 44 years in Baltimore, dies at 98

Sister of St. Francis of Assisi Catherine Morrissey, who devoted most of her many years of ministry to special education in Baltimore, died June 14 at St. Francis Convent in Saint Francis, Wis. She was 98.

Born in Hibbing, Minn., she joined the Franciscan Sisters of Baltimore in 1945 because of their work with African-American orphans. Her teaching ministry began after her first profession of vows in 1948 and took her to grade schools in Virginia, Alabama and New York. She earned a bachelor’s degree in secondary education from Fordham University in 1964 and a master’s degree in education with a minor in special education in 1974 from what is now Loyola University Maryland in Baltimore.

Sister Catherine taught special education at St. Elizabeth School in Baltimore for 44 years beginning in 1960. She served there as a teacher, librarian and basketball coach until her retirement in 2004.

In 2001, the Franciscan Sisters of Baltimore merged with the Wisconsin-based Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi. In 2018, Sister Catherine moved to St. Francis Convent in Saint Francis, Wis.

The June 24 funeral was private.

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