Mary Earle Doohan, SSND
April 25, 1928 – February 27, 2025
Agnes Frances Doohan was born on April 25, 1928, in New Brunswick, Canada. She was the second child to Mary Cathleen (Sullivan) and T. Early Doohan. Her parents had four children, three girls (including Agnes) and one boy. In her Life Sketch written, Agnes credits her parents for planting, “The tiny seed of God’s calling… deep in her heart from very early childhood.”
In August of 1937, her father became troubled by the growing anti-Catholic sentiment in their settlement. After touring the United States in hopes of finding a better environment to raise a Catholic family. Her father gave up his well-established wholesale grocery business to move his family to Malden, Massachusetts a short time later when Agnes was 9 years old. It was there, in her new home, where she met the School Sisters of Notre Dame (SSND) where they taught at Immaculate Conception School in Malden, MA. Each year of school made her love for SSND, “grow more and more.”
She entered the SSND-run Girls’ Catholic High in September of 1942. There, her love for Mary grew and the sisters helped encourage her vocation. On August 28, 1946, she received her Candidate’s Bonnet at the Immaculate Conception Convent in Malden, MA taking the religious name Mary Earle, in honor of both her parents. During an interview with the Baltimore Sun, she remembered the moment she surprised both of her parents at the ceremony. When the priest named her Mary Earle, she recalled that her father jumped out of his seat and shouted, “Mame, did you hear that?!”
The first year of her novitiate Teacher Training program but was sent home when her father’s illness took a turn for the worse.
She professed first vows on August 3, 1949. In 1956 she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in education from the College of Notre Dame of Maryland (now Notre Dame of Maryland University). From 1949 to 1969 she worked as a full-time teacher at Blessed Sacrament School in Baltimore, MD, St. John the Evangelist in Hydes, MD, and St. Mary in Annapolis, MD. During this time, she also worked in a poor community in Dahlonega, Georgia. Mary Earle began her long career at Archbishop Keough High School, which eventually became Seton-Keough High School, in 1971.
At Seton-Keogh High School, Mary Earle took on many roles. Her ministry began as Guidance Counselor to the school. Later she became Director of Student Affairs, Director of Admissions, Alumnae Moderator, and numerous other positions supporting the students, alumni and staff at Seton-Keough. Mary Earle retired in 2006 after working and living at Seton-Keough for 35 years.
In the retirement profile published by the Sun, Mary Earle remembered what it was like to work with the students and teachers when Archbishop Keough and Seton High Schools merged in 1988. “It took all your talents in trying to bring about unity because you know that, if it failed, it would destroy an institution for teaching girls,” she said. “Girls are women of the future, and that’s very important. Women have much more influence than they realize, and they have always had that.”
Mary Earle began her ministry of prayer and presence in 2011 at Villa Notre Dame in Wilton Connecticut. At her Mass of transferal at Ozanam, friend Sister Mary Fitzgerald remembered Mary Earle for her enthusiasm for her ministry and her welcoming beautiful smile.
On February 12, 2025, Sister Mary Earle was born into eternal life. Her Mass of Resurrection was celebrated by Reverend Milan Dimic at St. Andrew Church in Bridgeport, CT. Due to flooding, her remains were not able to be buried on the day of her funeral. She will be laid to rest at St. Mary Cemetery in Bethel, CT on Friday, March 14 at 10:30 AM.
Referenced article from The Baltimore Sun: https://www.baltimoresun.com/2006/08/01/nuns-35-years-of-walking-schools-halls-coming-to-an-end/
By Lauren Ciotti
