St. Joseph’s College Mourns the Passing of Sister John Raymond McGann, C.S.J.

January 08, 2016

Brooklyn and Patchogue, N.Y. –  It is with great sadness that St. Joseph’s College (SJC) announces the death of Sister John Raymond McGann, C.S.J., former chairperson of SJC’s Department of Education. S. John Raymond passed away peacefully on January 6 at the age of 91.

Since 1956, S. John Raymond lovingly devoted herself to SJC and had only taken one leave of absence, from 1978-1986, when she was elected and then re-elected to serve as General Superior of the Sisters of St. Joseph. During her longstanding career at the College, she made extraordinary contributions to both SJC Brooklyn and SJC Long Island.

“Sister John Raymond McGann’s life of service to St. Joseph’s College is the embodiment of the College’s mission and core values,” said Jack P. Calareso, Ph.D., president of SJC. “For nearly 60 years, her unstinting commitment to academic and personal excellence inspired thousands of St. Joseph’s students in both Brooklyn and Long Island to pursue careers as educators. Her legacy will endure—here at the College and in the lives of our graduates, faculty and staff—and by everyone who was blessed to know her.”

S. John Raymond’s education began at Our Lady of Good Counsel and St. Angela Hall High School. After completing a B.A. in English at the College of New Rochelle and an M.A. in English at Columbia University, she spent one year teaching in the public school system before joining the Sisters of St. Joseph in 1948. After teaching at St. Brendan’s Parochial School and Fontbonne Hall High School, S. John Raymond joined the faculty at SJC as chair of the Department of Education. During her years at SJC, her religious superiors called upon her to pursue further graduate study, and she subsequently earned a Ph.D. from St. John’s University and completed post-doctoral studies at Catholic University, Ohio State University and Loyola University.

S. John Raymond was awarded honorary degrees by Niagara University and St. John’s University and served on the Board of Trustees of 11 C.S.J. high schools, as well as Cleary School for the Deaf, St. Francis School for the Deaf, Catholic Medical Center in Brooklyn, Maria Regina Residence and SJC College (1973-2014).

Sister John Raymond McGann will be waked at the Sacred Heart Chapel at the St. Joseph’s Convent in Brentwood, New York on Sunday, January 10 from 3-7 p.m. and Monday, January 11 from 2-6:30 p.m. with a prayer service at 6:30 p.m. The Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Sacred Heart Chapel on Tuesday, January 12 at 10:30 a.m and will be available to view online at livestream.com/accounts/5512365. 

ABOUT ST. JOSEPH'S COLLEGE
St. Joseph’s College has been dedicated to providing a diverse population of students in the New York metropolitan area with an affordable education rooted in the liberal arts tradition since 1916. Independent and coeducational, the College provides a strong academic and value-oriented education at the undergraduate and graduate levels, aiming to prepare each student for a life characterized by integrity, intellectual and spiritual values, social responsibility and service. Through SJC Brooklyn, SJC Long Island and SJC Online, the College offers degrees in more than 45 majors, special course offerings and certificates, affiliated and pre-professional programs.