Sister Mary Ellen Hoen

Written on: May 1, 2016

To read the reflection from Sister Mary Ellen’s funeral, click here

Sister Mary Ellen Hoen, GNSH, formerly Sister Catherine Paul, (74), died April 28, 2016 at St. Joseph’s Manor in the 45th year of her religious life as a Grey Nun of the Sacred Heart.

Mary Ellen was born to Paul J. Hoen and Catherine Costello Hoen of Buffalo, NY on December 10, 1941. She graduated from Immaculate Conception School and Mount St. Joseph Academy. In 1963, she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from D’Youville College in English/Secondary Education; in 1971 she received her Masters in Education/ English from Canisius College. She took post-graduate courses at Georgia State University and St. Paul’s University, Ottawa, Canada.

Sister Mary Ellen entered the Grey Nuns of the Sacred Heart on July 18, 1970 in Yardley, PA. After serving in education in King of Prussia, PA; Lowell, MA and Atlanta, GA for nine years, she returned to Buffalo in 1981, where she ministered for thirty two years. She served as a faculty member and in the Alumnae office of D’Youville College, teacher at St. Rose of Lima School before moving into the field of social work.

She became the Human Services Coordinator in the parish outreach program at Blessed Sacrament Parish. In 1987 she began fourteen years with Catholic Charities as a caseworker in the Department of Services to the Aging. She was a contributor to Reverend Walter O. Kern’s book, “Pastoral Ministry with Disabled Persons”. Having known the difficulties of the disabled from first-hand experience, she was ever concerned about discovering new and effective ways to minister to them.

She retired and moved to the Motherhouse in 2013. Predeceased by her parents, Sister is survived by her religious congregation and her sisters, Paula Rodell and Susan Novak of Buffalo, NY; Kathleen McManus of Hornell NY and numerous nieces and nephews.

A prayer service will be held at 7 PM on Sunday, May 1; the Liturgy of Christian Burial will follow on Monday, May 2, at 10:30 AM in Sacred Heart Chapel at the Grey Nuns Motherhouse. Burial will be in Resurrection Cemetery, Bensalem, PA.

Memorial donations may be made online to the Grey Nuns of the Sacred Heart, or by mail at the following address:14500 Bustleton Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19116.

This entry was posted in In Loving Memory and tagged: Atlanta GA, Blessed Sacrament Parish, Buffalo, Canisius College, D'Yuoville College, Diocese of Buffalo Catholic Charities, King of Prussia PA, Lowel MA, St. Rose of Lima School