• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Catholic Review

Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Menu
  • Home
  • News
        • Local News
        • World News
        • Vatican News
        • Obituaries
        • Featured Video
        • En Español
  • Commentary
        • Contributors
          • Bishop Robert Barron
          • George Weigel
          • Question Corner
          • Effie Caldarola
          • John Garvey
          • Father Ed Dougherty, M.M.
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Suzanna Molino Singleton
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • Paul McMullen
          • Father Joseph Breighner
          • Father Collin Poston
          • Father T. Austin Murphy Jr.
          • Robyn Barberry
          • Hanael Bianchi
          • Amen Columns
  • Entertainment
        • Events
        • Movie Reviews
        • Arts & Culture
        • Books
  • About Us
        • Contact Us
        • Our History
        • Meet Our Staff
        • Photos to own
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
  • Advertising
  • CR Radio
  • Printing
  • Subscribe
Sister Mary Catherine Warehime died Dec. 17 at St. Agnes Sisters’ Residence in Baltimore. (Courtesy Daughters of Charity)

Sister Mary Catherine Warehime, DC, served as educator, superior, dies at 65

George P. Matysek Jr. January 5, 2021
By George P. Matysek Jr.
Catholic Review
Filed Under: Feature, Local News, News, Obituaries

Sister Mary Catherine Warehime died Dec. 17. She was 65. (Courtesy Daughters of Charity/CR file).

Sister Mary Catherine Warehime, a Baltimore native who served as a teacher and administrator in Catholic schools, died Dec. 17 at St. Agnes Sisters’ Residence in Baltimore. She was 65, and had been a Daughter of Charity for 46 years.

Born Ginger Lee Warehime, Sister Mary Catherine wasn’t yet Catholic when she first felt called to consecrated life, according to a 2009 article in the Catholic Review.

When she decided to attend Seton High School with her best friend, she was simultaneously drawn to the real presence of the Eucharist and the Daughters of Charity at the Baltimore school. Soon, she began to wonder what it would be like to be a religious sister, the Catholic Review reported.

“Of course I dismissed it because I thought, that’s crazy, you’re not even a Catholic – but I couldn’t stop thinking about it,” she said.

She took religious instruction and joined the Catholic Church June 3, 1971, when she was 16. Although she soon began attending vocation retreats, the Catholic Review reported, she grappled with the idea of joining consecrated life because she wanted to “get married and have 10 children.”

“Finally one day, I was just struggling and I said, ‘OK, God, whatever you want, I’ll do,’” Sister Mary Catherine said. “I just felt a peace, and I knew that I was being called.”

The 19-year-old entered the Daughters of Charity in 1975.

After her postulancy and formation, Sister Mary Catherine assisted at Mother Seton School in Emmitsburg and was missioned to St. Michael’s House in Baltimore.  After earning a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from what is now Notre Dame of Maryland University, she served as teacher in Virginia and West Virginia. She returned to Mother Seton School in Emmitsburg as a teacher for three years, before assuming the role of principal, 1991-95. She served as local community superior, 1989-1993.

Sister Mary Catherine then organized and led an early childhood educational program at St. Ann Parish in Hyattsville; served in North Carolina; and in June 2005 began to serve in vocation ministry for the Emmitsburg Province. In July 2007, she was appointed to the Provincial Council of the same Province, and in 2011, after the Emmitsburg Province joined three other provinces of the Daughters of Charity in the United States to form the Province of St. Louise, she was appointed to the Provincial Council, and also served as provincial secretary and councillor.

In the 2009 interview with the Catholic Review, Sister Mary Catherine recalled her vocations work, noting that women considering consecrated life sometimes asked her: how do you know for sure?

“I don’t know that you know anything for sure,” Sister Mary Catherine said. “When you meet a young man and you fall in love, are you sure this is going to last forever? You know you want it to, but are you sure? No. None of us – we can’t be absolutely positive. We have to take a day at a time. It’s a leap of faith.”

After her term of office with the province was completed, Sister Mary Catherine returned to Baltimore and joined the newly established Office of Migration and Modern Slavery.  During that time, she also cared for her father, mother and a brother as they became seriously ill and died within 22 months of each other.  In March 2020, Sister Mary Catherine was diagnosed with liver cancer.  According to an obituary prepared by her religious community, after treatment proved ineffective, “she peacefully chose to discontinue treatment and embraced her final journey here on earth.” 

Sister Mary Catherine had been a member of the board of Mother Seton Academy in Baltimore and Marian Middle School in St. Louis. She told the Catholic Review she enjoyed all aspects of her ministry.

“I do believe God calls us to be where we are,” she said. “If we’re faithful to that calling, we get the graces we need to get through the difficult times.”

A private wake service was held Dec. 21 in the Villa Chapel in Emmitsburg, followed by the Mass of Christian burial in the Mary Chapel. Burial followed at Sacred Heart Cemetery in Emmitsburg. 

More obituaries

Deacon Davis, who served Overlea parish for decades, dies at 84

Father Snouffer, information technology trailblazer for archdiocese, dies at 83

Human rights advocate Sister Dianna Ortiz dies after brief illness

Sister Theresa Fitzgerald, IHM, taught in Dundalk, Catonsville

Sister Charles Van Hoy, S.P., taught in Lansdowne

Deacon Hodges, instrumental in restoration of Bolton Hill church, dies at 93

Copyright © 2021 Catholic Review Media

Print Print

Primary Sidebar

George P. Matysek Jr.

George P. Matysek Jr.

George Matysek was named digital editor of the Archdiocese of Baltimore in 2017 following two decades at the Catholic Review, where he began as a writer and then served as senior correspondent, assistant managing editor and web editor.

In his current role, he manages archbalt.org and CatholicReview.org and is a host of Catholic Review Radio.

George has won more than 70 national and regional journalism and broadcasting awards from the Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association, the Catholic Press Association, the Associated Church Press and National Right to Life. He has reported from Guyana, Guatemala, Italy, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland.

A native Baltimorean, George is a proud graduate of Our Lady of Mount Carmel High School in Essex. He holds a bachelor's degree from Loyola University Maryland in Baltimore and a master's degree from UMBC.

George, his wife and five children live in Rodgers Forge, where they are parishioners of St. Pius X, Rodgers Forge/St. Mary of the Assumption, Govans.

View all posts from this author

For the latest news delivered twice a week via email or text message, sign up to receive our free enewsletter.

Latest Local News

Deacon Davis, who served Overlea parish for decades, dies at 84

Archdiocese of Baltimore plans ‘Safe Haven Sunday’ to fight pornography

Pasadena parish cites pandemic in decision to close preschool

Father Snouffer, information technology trailblazer for archdiocese, dies at 83

‘Blessing bags’ a focal point for merged St. Casimir Parish during pandemic

Latest World News

Health care chaplains in Baltimore and beyond embrace self-care in COVID-19 work

Religious order withdraws request to transfer founder’s remains to U.S.

Heroes of love: New pathway open for future saints

Bishops: If passed, Equality Act will ‘discriminate against people of faith

Cardinal prays on CNN program marking 500,000 COVID-19 deaths in U.S.

Catholic Review Radio

CatholicReview · Catholic Review Radio

Footer

Our Vision

Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond.

Our Mission

Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform, teach, inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media.

Contact

Catholic Review
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-3150
mail@CatholicReview.org

 

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • A Lent full of promise, steak success, cooking with children, and more (7 Quick Takes)
  • Archbishop Lori reflects on the Year of St. Joseph
  • Health care chaplains in Baltimore and beyond embrace self-care in COVID-19 work
  • Religious order withdraws request to transfer founder’s remains to U.S.
  • Deacon Davis, who served Overlea parish for decades, dies at 84
  • Reason for celibacy/ Blessing for non-sacramental marriage?
  • Archdiocese of Baltimore plans ‘Safe Haven Sunday’ to fight pornography
  • Heroes of love: New pathway open for future saints
  • Some English Catholics object to transfer of nun’s remains to Philadelphia
  • Bishops: If passed, Equality Act will ‘discriminate against people of faith

Search

Membership

Catholic Press Association of the United States and Canada

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2021 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED