Sr. Nora Sweeney, S.H.C.J.

Sr. Nora Sweeney, SHCJ

February 8, 1932 – October 26, 2019

Teacher, Professor/Lecturer and Chaplain

Sr. Nora Sweeney, SHCJ,, who was a Sister of the Holy Child Jesus, died on Saturday, October 26, 2019, at age 87, at Holy Child Center. For 65 years, she dedicated her religious life to teaching in the United States, Nigeria, and Ghana.

Sister Nora’s intelligence and sweet nature touched many people. She was respected and loved wherever she served, especially in Nigeria and Ghana.

The daughter of Irish immigrants, Sister Nora was born and raised in Philadelphia, PA. She attended schools that were affiliated with the Sisters of the Holy Child Jesus -- Saint Edward School (1938-1946) and Saint Leonard Academy (1946-1950). Her love and respect for the Sisters led her to enter the Society of the Holy Child Jesus in 1951. She made her final vows in 1959 and became well known by her religious name Mother Bridget Mary.

Sister Nora taught at her alma mater Saint Edward School (1954-1957); Holy Child Academy in Sharon Hill, PA (1957-1960); Holy Child Academy in Drexel Hill, PA (1960-1961); Cornelia Connelly School of the Holy Child in Anaheim, CA (1961-1974); and School of the Holy Child in Rye, NY (1977-1980).

For 16 years, Sister Nora taught in Nigeria and Ghana, where she was a lecturer in Theology, Scripture, Religious Studies, Latin, and Greek. Between 1975-1977, she served at Holy Child School in Lagos; Holy Child School in Jos; and Saint Augustine Seminary, also in Jos. From 1980-1992, she taught at Saint Peter Regional Seminary in Cape Coast, Ghana, before she became a faculty member of Saint Paul Seminary in Accra, Ghana.

Sister Nora earned Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education from Villanova University in 1961. She received a Master of Arts in Latin from Catholic University of America in 1971, and a Master of Arts in Theology from University of San Francisco in 1975.

She joins her parents John and Bridget (McCafferty), and siblings Michael and John Sweeney, Mary Kalin  and Grace Gordon in eternal rest. She is survived by many nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.

Friends and family are invited to a Prayer Service of Semembrance on Friday, November 1, 2019 at 4:00 p.m. and a Mass of Christian Burial on Saturday, November 2, 2019 at 11:00 a.m., at New Sharon Chapel, 1341 Montgomery Avenue, Rosemont, PA, 19010. Preceding Mass, friends and family are welcome to attend the viewing at 10:00 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent to the Society of the Holy Child Jesus – American Province, 1341 Montgomery Avenue, Rosemont, PA 19010, or donate online at www.shcj.org/american/donate.